20 Years, 20 Friends: Friends-Boston's Young Professionals Board

Our 6th highlight in our 20 Years, 20 Friends series – all leading up to our 20th anniversary in 2024 – is a group that plays an important role at Friends-Boston by advocating for our work and helping to fundraise.

Congratulations to our very own Young Professionals Board for being #6 in our 20 Years, 20 Friends countdown!

The Friends-Boston Young Professionals Board (YPB) is a group of dedicated professional and community leaders who share our passion for our mission and commitment to our values. Each of them brings a different set of skills and ideas to the board, and they all come from diverse backgrounds that provide a wealth of valuable connections to further recognition of our work within the community.

The YPB is responsible for two annual fundraisers. The first is the Rodman Ride for Kids, which is held every September in Foxborough. They establish the team – made up of not only board members but also Friends-Boston staff and Achievers – and work on fundraising in the months leading up to the event. The second is their annual Oktoberfest fundraiser in October that not only draws in members of the wider community, but also acts as an opportunity for prospective members to meet the board and learn more about Friends-Boston. In addition to those two events, YPB members also provide much-needed support during our other events that are held throughout the year, including our End of Year Celebration and Back to School Bash.

"Being a part of the YPB of Friends-Boston has been such a great experience,” said Rebecca Gosla, YPB Co-Chair. “It has allowed me to give back to the community, in a city that has wholly shaped who I am. I have been able to meet like-minded people who care about Friends' mission as much as I do, and who are just awesome people to know. The staff of Friends of the Children-Boston are incredibly dedicated, and are constantly pushing the envelope on what more they can do to help Achievers and their families. They stop at nothing to make sure their Achievers have what they need and know they're supported. It's truly a special organization to be involved with."

“Since becoming involved with Friends-Boston in 2020, I continue to be blown away by the organization’s dedication to the Achievers and their families,” said Sage Witham, YPB Co-Chair. “As part of the YPB, it has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience to be able to connect with other young, like-minded professionals while supporting the Friends-Boston mission. From fundraising to networking, and opportunities to engage with the Achievers and Friends-Boston staff, I’ve been able to gain experience that will serve me in my future career and have made new friends along the way. I look forward to continuing to partner with Friends-Boston and their incredible organization!”

We’re grateful to every YPB member for their time and commitment to our work and our Achievers. If you’d like to learn more about this dynamic group of volunteers and how you can join them, please click here.