Nicole Sibley, Benjamin Simanski, Lauramarie Sirois, and Amy Stec joined the Board of Directors in January 2026. Each of them brings valuable experience, perspective, and enthusiasm that will strengthen our work and help advance our mission. They are already making meaningful contributions as we work to expand our reach and impact this year.
Nicole Sibley, Director of Advancement Services, Northfield Mount Hermon
What moved you to become involved in GOTR WMA?
“My interest in volunteering with Girls on the Run is rooted in my personal experience--I have gotten a lot out of being an athlete and know the impact sports can have. I am eager for girls to be able to understand the power of running in their lives. However, there are many limits to girls and women in terms of athletics participation. I do not want finances to be one of them, which is why I joined the Development Committee and Board. I am hopeful that the work we do enables more girls to participate in Girls on the Run and benefit from the program.”
What aspects of our mission resonate most with you?
“I have been lucky to benefit from my involvement in sports--including running--in many ways. Moving my body makes me feel joyful and empowered. In many ways, it is a hard time to be a girl or woman in our country. The skills, lessons, confidence, and fun that girls can get from the Girls on the Run program through being active in a group setting has an impact throughout their lives.”
Benjamin Simanski, Esq., Clerk of Courts, Franklin County Superior Court
What moved you to become a board member of GOTR WMA?
“I was moved to become a board member of Girls on the Run WMA because I deeply believe in the power of confidence at a young age. The formative years of a girl's life shape how she sees herself, her abilities, and the world. Girls on the Run does not just create runners - it builds strong confident young people who learn to trust themselves and support one another. I wanted to be part of an organization that is proactive, one that equips girls with tools for resilience, self-belief, and leadership.”
What aspects of our mission resonate most with you?
“What resonates most with me is the holistic approach to development. Confidence-building is woven together with relationship-building, healthy lifestyle habits, and inclusion. Girls on the Run WMA creates meaningful bonds between teammates, coaches, and communities. I especially value the emphasis on inclusion, ensuring that every participant feels seen, supported, and valued - regardless of background or ability. Teaching healthy habits in both body and mind reinforces that strength is not just physical but also emotional and social. This is a program that I am excited and proud to support.”
Lauramarie Sirois, Esq., Assistant Clerk of Courts, Hampden County Superior Court
“I became a GOTR coach when my youngest niece became a Girl on the Run in 2022 and have coached every season since. I am continually amazed at how successfully this curriculum empowers young girls and teaches them social and emotional growth as well as valuable life skills. Watching their self-confidence grow each season is incredibly fulfilling. I am excited to be a board member of such an amazing program and help continue and expand its valuable impact.”
Amy Stec, School Director, Educare Springfield
“My daughter, Olivia, participated in Girls on the Run at her elementary school and I watched the program help support and transform her into a stronger, more empathetic, grounded, confident girl. The program, her coaches, and her teammates became more of a supportive, lasting network than a short-term after school opportunity. Years later, as an elementary school principal, I had the privilege of hosting a Girls on the Run team each year. The connections made among the girls, the dedication of the coaches, and the evidenced-based curriculum that helped strengthen everyone physically and emotionally were aspects of the GOTR program I was so proud of and supported.
Joining the Board of GOTR is something I am honored to do, sharing and supporting the mission of an organization that is deeply rooted in doing so much good for young girls in our Western MA community, as they journey to become highly confident and unstoppable girls!”