Board of Directors

Ron Deutsch has been with the Giving Circle since its inception. He served as President of the organization from 2008-2018 working on numerous Giving Circle projects and events. Ron is currently a self-employed consultant working on social and economic justice issues. Ron was most recently the Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI); an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and education organization committed to improving public policies and private practices to better the economic and social conditions of all New Yorkers. Ron Deutsch has been a tireless advocate for working families for nearly 30 years in Albany. He led the Statewide Emergency Network for Social and Economic Security (SENSES, a statewide anti-poverty advocacy organization) for 13 years and then became the Director of FPI’s sister 501(c)(4) organization, New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness for 8 years. Deutsch is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany.

Rachael has lived in downtown Saratoga Springs for the past 21 years.  She was always aware of  the homeless population and always tried to help in small ways like leaving my bottles and cans for them to collect, handing out clean T-Shirts and giving a few dollars here and there for those asking.  Her helping in small ways was drastically changed in December of 2013 when the emergency Code Blue shelter opened and Rachael started to volunteer the very first week.  “My life has been so much more fulfilling since then,” state Rachael.  Not only has she been able to help many men and women living rough on the streets but she also met four of her amazing friends during her time at Code Blue.  In the spring of 2015, when Code Blue came to an end, Rachael and her friends thought they would miss the friends that frequented Code Blue and felt sad that they would not see them until the following season. They decided to host a get together on Thursday nights to provide a meal and other basic supplies from April through October.   In 2016, after another Code Blue season was over, Rachael was approached by Mark Bertrand, founder of the Giving Circle.  Mark asked if the team would like to become a part of the Giving Circle.  To this day, Rachael is grateful to be a part of the Giving Circle because as a 501c organization, the team has found additional ways to help. The Thursday night Street Outreach as our name has developed over the years and is still going strong lead by the 5 original members and many friends and families that help out on a weekly basis.

Rachael is also involved in Code Blue, volunteering and providing meals.  Rachael also collects and distributes clothing and essentials which she distributes to those in need.  She volunteers for the Salvation Army delivering groceries once a week and is a member of Touched by an Angel committee that plans for  an annual fundraiser for Hospice.

Rachael is also an elementary age reading and math tutor.  In her free time, Rachael enjoys spending time with her friends, family especially her two nieces and nephew every chance she gets. Her guilty pleasure is binge watching on Netflix.

Sabrina grew up in Saratoga Springs. After graduating with her degree in Public Health at George Mason University, she moved back to her family and friends. She is currently the Director of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Grant for a non-profit in Glens Falls, NY, with previous extensive work with people who use drugs, people who are unhoused, and mental health disorders.

When she was 10 years old, she wrote a grant request to Youth Squared – Youth Helping Youth requesting donations for mosquito nets to prevent malaria in Africa. Soon after, she joined their board where she served as a Youth Advisor until 2015. She has also volunteered with the Christopher Dailey Foundation for the past 12 years.  Working with her local communities has always been a passion for her, but in her free time she enjoys seeing her friends, reading, and playing volleyball. 

She was introduced to the Giving Circle through a prior board member, and has always admired the work that they achieve for communities across the globe and right in their own backyard.

Marisa holds a Master’s in Public Health degree from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from Quinnipiac University School of Business. She was a Division 1 student athlete bringing essential collaborative communication and leadership qualities to the table. 

She has worked in a range of public health positions from rare disease patient relationship management to non-profit organizations, several graduate and research positions, and now serves as a consultant in healthcare. She was a graduate teaching assistant for Introduction to Public Health, Global Outbreaks Investigation and Epidemiology. She has had the opportunity to contribute to publications focused on the well-being of patients including the mental health of internally displaced persons during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lancet Psychiatry. She has experience working with the Director of Americas for the Department of Health and Human Services and has a keen interest in supporting the health of minority and immigrant populations through her work. 

Her volunteer efforts have spanned overseas while spending a summer in Bogota, Colombia supporting the non-profit Techo Colombia in international sponsorships and building houses in the community for those who don’t have established living spaces. She is passionate about the way health resources can vastly alter the quality of life and mental health of individuals in every circumstance.  

Marisa lives in Saratoga Springs, NY where she enjoys being outside doing anything active. She is an avid traveler who loves to explore creativity and cultures through cooking and baking.

Will heard about The Giving Circle through his mother. She asked him if he wanted to take a trip to Uganda with a group that goes to help people. “Absolutely” was his response. Will ended up immediately falling in love with the organization and all of the people he met on his journey. “The Ugandans that I met gave me a new outlook on life through their happiness and perseverance. Once I made it home I knew The Giving Circle was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Bio coming soon.