Together We Serve

Jason Gilbert was born in Florida and moved to New England at an early age. He grew up in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served for four years and achieved the rank of Corporal. With nearly 18 years of nonprofit leadership experience and a deep commitment to serving Veterans, Jason has dedicated his career to supporting Veterans and their families.

He joined Clear Path for Veterans New England in 2019 as a Program Development Specialist and has since risen to his current role as Chief Executive Officer. Jason and his wife reside in New Hampshire and have three adult children, including a daughter in the Massachusetts Air National Guard and a son who serves as an active-duty Marine stationed in California.
In his spare time, Jason enjoys spending time with his family, riding his motorcycle, and working on his “wicked cool” Corvette.

Eric Stoltzfus was born and raised on the Main Line outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The son of a proud Air Force Vietnam Veteran, Eric began his career in accounts and finance at Morning Star Christian Bookstore. He later joined Clear Path for Veterans New England as a Data Analyst before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer in early 2025.

Eric holds an MBA in Sustainability Management and enjoys volleyball and basketball. He lives on the North Shore and values time spent with his family—his wife, daughter, and son-in-law, with his son in Clinton and daughter in Fitchburg—especially during their biweekly family gatherings.

Gary Soldato was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, which he jokingly refers to as “the Midwest” to anyone from the Greater Boston area. He served as a U.S. Army Officer for nearly 21 years after earning his commission from Norwich University. His career included global assignments and combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, both with the 101st Airborne Division.

After retiring in 2012, Gary worked in higher education, assisting service members and their families in earning degrees and later supporting the employment of Veterans and military spouses. He and his wife, an elementary school teacher, live in Central Massachusetts and have a son who graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a daughter attending the University of Connecticut.

A proud supporter of Boston sports, Gary enjoys hiking and bass fishing in his free time. Although he doesn’t own a Corvette, he hopes the CEO might one day buy him a bass boat.

Roger “RJ” Baez was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Pomona, California. He served in the United States Marine Corps for nearly 26 years, retiring in 2023 at the rank of Sergeant Major. His career included multiple overseas tours and operational deployments to the Philippines, Korea, and Norway, as well as combat deployments to the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq. RJ has an 11-year-old daughter and enjoys reading and hiking in his free time.

Jay Hartmann was born in Queens, New York, and grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He served as a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army for a combined total of 22 years, including Active Duty and U.S. Army Reserve service. His assignments included six years on Active Duty in Ansbach, Germany, and at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with the 24th Infantry Division.

Jay also held multiple leadership roles in Command, Operations, and Instruction within the 78th Infantry Division (USAR). Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry in sales, management, advertising, and marketing. Jay has three adult children—Christopher (married to Becky), Jessica, and Kyle—and enjoys road cycling, cooking, live music, swimming, and hiking with his dog, Bear.

Pete Squeglia grew up in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and served in the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. During his time in the regiment, he deployed worldwide, including to Somalia during the Battle of Mogadishu.

Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, Pete spent more than 25 years in the technology industry, working with companies such as EMC, VMware, and Dell. He enjoys traveling with his wife of 30 years, as well as boating and fishing around the North Shore of Massachusetts and Cape Cod.

A native of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Yanitza Mendez spent nearly 10 years with American Airlines as an Office Manager and Trainer before transitioning into service and family support. She worked as an Outreach Specialist for the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, helping families navigate healthcare resources, and later supported Veterans at the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.

Yanitza joined Clear Path for Veterans New England in 2021 as the Lead Employment Service Specialist and became the SSVF Program Manager in Fall 2024. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs (who run the house), being outdoors, relaxing at the beach, and experimenting with new recipes—some more successful than others!

A native of New England, Jaye Stanfield was born in Massachusetts and now resides in New Hampshire. He is a U.S. Army Veteran who served as an Infantryman for eight years in both Active Duty and National Guard roles.

Jaye has worked extensively with the Veteran community as an academic advisor, employment specialist, and personal trainer. Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, he worked in the defense industry, providing training and demonstrations for weapons platforms and combat systems. As Director of Wellness, Jaye applies creative problem-solving to address the unique challenges faced by Veterans, helping create positive and lasting outcomes.

Mark Haggan is from Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, he served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he taught Military History, and worked as a Logistics Technician for the Army ROTC Program.

Mark served in the U.S. Army as a Logistics Officer with multiple deployments across the Middle East from 2012 to 2018, retiring as a Captain in 2018. He holds a Master’s Degree in Secondary Teacher Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in History.

In his spare time, Mark enjoys golfing, playing indoor soccer, and spending time with his dogs, Moose and Rico. He also coaches the Varsity Boys Soccer Team at Granby High School.

Dave Babineau, from Billerica, Massachusetts, has been married to his wife, Dina, for 27 years. They have three children—Jason, Jamie, and Jeffrey. Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, Dave worked as a Correction Officer with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, retiring from the Northeast Correctional Center in Concord in 2019.

A proud U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Dave served as a Military Police Officer at South Weymouth NAS. He later joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves at Hanscom AFB as a Security Forces member, where he held various roles, including Flight Chief and Investigator. He deployed to Iraq from 2011 to 2012, overseeing flight line security operations. After returning, Dave retired in 2012 with 22 years of combined service.

Recently, he completed a certificate in Addiction Counseling at Middlesex Community College to help fellow Veterans in recovery. In his free time, he enjoys attending Bruins and Red Sox games, working out, and golfing with his sons.

Drew Wiley was born in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and raised in Oklahoma. He joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Division in 2001 and served until his medical discharge in 2011. Drew deployed to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq during his service.

He now lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three daughters. In his free time, Drew enjoys surfing, practicing jiu-jitsu, and hiking.

A native of Westminster, Massachusetts, Maggie Neff is the mother of Waylon and the proud owner of two dogs, Faith and Elvis. She has devoted her adult life to dog training and, most recently, operated Maggie Neff Dog Training LLC.

Maggie trained at Cobra K9 in Loudon, Tennessee, where she specialized in tactical and law enforcement dog training. In her spare time, she performs live music across New England.

George Chrisis, from Somerville, Massachusetts, has been married to his wife for 37 years. Together, they have two children and are expecting their first grandchild in May 2025.

George served in the United States Air Force from 1976 to 1980, with time spent stationed in England. After his military service, he worked for Cisco Systems, traveling extensively throughout the U.S. When not training dogs, George enjoys SCUBA diving and fishing.

Originally from England, Tim Emerson moved to the United States in 1992 and brings more than 40 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industries. He has held leadership roles across hotels, universities, and resorts and is passionate about delivering exceptional food and service experiences.

Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, Tim served as Executive Chef at NEC Birmingham in the United Kingdom, where he helped open Europe’s largest convention center and cooked for more than 2,500 guests, including world leaders and members of the Royal Family. He later taught culinary arts and hospitality management at Johnson & Wales University. He served as Corporate Food & Beverage Director, overseeing operations for more than 18 East Coast hotels, including Marriott, Sheraton, and Hilton properties.

He also managed food and beverage operations at a ski resort, generating over $5 million in annual revenue and earning national recognition for best on-mountain dining and service quality. Among his honors, Tim received Worcester’s Best Chef – People’s Choice Award.

Tim has been married for over 30 years and is the proud father of two children—one studying medicine at Brown University and the other teaching math and science at a private school. In his free time, he enjoys golfing and gardening.

Ann-Marie Rogers brings a strong background in executive administration and relationship management to her role as Donor Relations Manager. Originally from Needham, Massachusetts, she now resides in Shrewsbury with her husband and is enjoying life in the empty-nest stage.

Ann-Marie earned her degree in Executive Administration from Aquinas Junior College after attending Westfield State University. She began her professional career at Andersen, where she spent 19 years building expertise in executive support and organizational operations within a fast-paced corporate environment.

After stepping away from the workforce to focus on raising her family, Ann-Marie later returned as an Instructional Aide in the Shrewsbury public school system. In 2020, she joined Clear Path for Veterans New England, where she plays a key role in stewarding donor relationships and supporting the organization’s mission.

Outside of work, Ann-Marie enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and playing pickleball.

Kristi Iannacone brings a dynamic mix of nonprofit experience, event coordination, and creative leadership to her role as Events and Volunteer Coordinator. With more than two decades of professional experience, she is deeply committed to community engagement and meaningful connection.

Kristi began her career in the nonprofit sector, where she developed a strong foundation in service-driven work. She later transitioned into Home Health, serving as an office manager and supporting patient care through effective administrative leadership. In addition to her nonprofit and healthcare background, she continues to work in the hospitality industry, maintaining close ties to her local community.

A lifelong advocate for the performing arts, Kristi was a long-time cast member of Joey and Maria’s Comedy Wedding, an interactive dinner theater production. Since 2009, she has directed one-act plays and musicals at Murdock Middle High School in Winchendon, Massachusetts, where she enjoys mentoring young performers and fostering creative expression.

Kristi has been married for 26 years and is the proud mother of three grown sons—Zachary, William, and Domenic. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy traveling to visit their children and exploring the lives they have built across the country.

Alex Whitelaw serves as IT & Data Specialist, bringing decades of leadership, technical expertise, and veteran advocacy to the organization. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Alex enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1983 and retired in 2007 with the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. His service included a deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom with Task Force Tarawa, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Following his military retirement, Alex worked as an operations manager for a security company before transitioning to the Veterans Administration as a Certified Peer Specialist. Leveraging vocational rehabilitation through the VA and his Post-9/11 GI Bill, Alex earned a degree in Computer Information Systems. He later completed the Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor program at Mount Wachusett Community College, which included a 300-hour internship at Clear Path for Veterans New England.

After completing his internship, Alex was hired as an Employment Support Specialist with the HVRP Program and was subsequently promoted into the newly created role of IT & Data Specialist, where he supports systems, data integrity, and operational efficiency across the organization.

Alex is married and, outside of work, enjoys tinkering with UAVs, electronics, and computer systems.

Originally from England, Tim Emerson moved to the United States in 1992 and brings more than 40 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industries. He has held leadership roles across hotels, universities, and resorts and is passionate about delivering exceptional food and service experiences.

Before joining Clear Path for Veterans New England, Tim served as Executive Chef at NEC Birmingham in the United Kingdom, where he helped open Europe’s largest convention center, cooking for more than 2,500 guests including world leaders and members of the Royal Family. He later taught culinary arts and hospitality management at Johnson & Wales University and served as Corporate Food & Beverage Director overseeing operations for more than 18 East Coast hotels, including Marriott, Sheraton, and Hilton properties.

He also managed food and beverage operations at a ski resort, generating over $5 million in annual revenue and earning national recognition for best on-mountain dining and service quality. Among his honors, Tim received Worcester’s Best Chef – People’s Choice Award.

Tim has been married for over 30 years and is the proud father of two children—one studying medicine at Brown University and the other teaching math and science at a private school. In his free time, he enjoys golfing and gardening.