Meet Our Newest Members
Concord NH: Meme Exum
I’m thrilled to be joining an international effort to support women and girls. I’m originally from Atlanta, GA however now live in Bow, NH with my husband and our two elementary school age daughters. We live with a menagerie of animals and would have it no other way (cats, dogs & birds). I understand how incredibly blessed we are and am humbled by the reality that so many women and girls weren’t / aren’t afforded the same luxuries. I own a small website design business and work at a law firm in Concord, NH part time. Read More
Concord NH: Robin Raycraft
While Robin is a new official member, she is carrying a family torch and has been to many Zonta events. Robin is a therapist who has her own practice locally. Robin has long been an advocate for mental health and has dedicated her life’s work to empower, educate and treat individuals and families. With over 25 years in the field, she takes great pride in her work and truly loves what she recognizes as her life’s calling. If this did not keep her busy enough, she is a single Mom of 3 beautiful children. Read More
Concord NH Theresa Robinson
I am the very proud mother of 2 wonderful young adults who are free thinkers and follow their dreams. My son Parker is learning to be brewer at a local brewery and has a lovely girlfriend and 2 beautiful cats (my grandkitties) and my daughter Kat recently moved to Florida to go to Tattoo Artisty School she also has 1 cat (my grandkittie). I have a fantastic husband who has always been supportive of my crazy antics and been there for us through everything 🙂 I grew up in Southern California but moved to NH as a middle schooler…. Read More
Concord NH Gale Taylor
Gale’s journey has taken her from being an EMT and volunteer to a high-tech professional, advocate, and loving parent. Gale graduated from Lafayette College with a degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Secondary Education, leading to a career in the high-tech industry. She held various roles of increasing responsibility, including Product Manager at Digital Equipment Corporation, Marketing Manager at Oracle Corporation, and Linux Strategist at IBM.
In retirement, Read More
Quaboag Valley Christine Chartier
Christine was born in Poland and immigrated with her family to the USA at age 5. She is fluent in Polish and can understand some German and sign language. Currently retired, she had a varied 45-year career as a caregiver working with the Belchertown State School, BHN, and Western MA Elder Care; she has also fostered teenage boys and cared for two adults. Christine raised 5 children with her husband Leon – a mechanic and race car enthusiast who has since passed (2018). She currently lives next door to her daughter Charlotte and son-in-law Guy who raise Texas Longhorns – CoteCattleCompany.com in Granby MA. In her spare time, Christine enjoys cooking, baking, gardening and playing the piano. She learned about Zonta from Karen, Chris and Debbie and knew that she wanted to be part of this amazing movement supporting women and girls.
Quaboag Valley Lisa Foster
Lisa should look familiar to many – she has attended several Quaboag Valley events with Kris over the years. Lisa graduated from Mt. Holyoke College, received her Master of Social Work from Bryn Mawr, and had varied positions in medical settings – most recently as an outpatient mental health therapist. She also had long periods out of the workforce. Lisa’s 2nd son was born prematurely and severely disabled. While challenging and emotionally draining at times, caring for her medically fragile son for 23 years was a profoundly rewarding experience for Lisa, her late husband and her older son. He taught them about patience, love and resilience. Today, Lisa is a grandmother of three (her first son works at UVA), a new retiree, and is newly engaged! She is looking for new energy and decided it is time to take the natural next step to join an organization that supports and empowers women. She is excited to get involved in our mission.
Quaboag Valley Bethany McLaughlin-Maynard
As a mother of two amazing humans and a very special son-in-law, a devoted wife, and a loving sister and daughter – family is at the heart of everything Bethany does. She is passionate about meeting new people, RVing, hiking, her plant-based lifestyle and exploring the beauty of the world we live in. She is a woman of great faith, who believes in the power of human connection and relationships. But what really drives her is her commitment to helping others succeed. With years of experience as a strategic marketing and brand consultant, she is a digital implementation and social media expert who has worked with large corporations and small businesses alike. She takes great pride in her expertise in personal development and ability to help people achieve their goals. As a strong advocate for mentoring women, she believes that collaboration is key to success and is always happy to work with others to make a positive impact in the world. She is so thankful to Karen for inviting her to learn about Zonta and to members for welcoming her into our community. She looks forward to connecting with all of us and learning more about our journey.
Quaboag Valley Heather Oatis
Founding member of the Zonta Club of Greater Hartford, now forming
Heather comes from a long line of strong women active in volunteering with civil organizations dedicated to advancing women’s education and female empowerment. Heather has worked in local municipal public health for the past 16 years. She received a Masters of Public Health in 2021 and works as the Supervising Sanitarian at the Central Connecticut Health District. In this role, Heather leads the environmental team of sanitarians in enforcing the Public Health Code in the four towns served by the health district. This includes restaurant, septic, cosmetology, lead, daycare, hotel, and complaint inspections and licensing.
Professionally, Heather was a board member for the Connecticut Environmental Health Association for 4 years and is a current member of the board of the Connecticut Association of Housing Code Enforcement Officials serving as the secretary. Outside of work, Heather is a single mother raising her two daughters, Lydia and Gracelyn, in Tolland, Connecticut. Team Oatis, as they affectionately call themselves, keep busy with tennis, dancing, hiking, cooking, and love to travel together to new places