Our Team
Leadership
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Ronit Barkai
Assistant Director
Ronit came to Transition House in 2002. She immigrated from Israel with her family in 1996 and completed an MS in Counseling and Psychology soon after. Committed to expanding housing and support options for survivors of domestic violence beyond shelter, Ronit has been instrumental in developing new programs for Transition House. Born to a feminist father, she has always believed in walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Working with people as they change their lives fuels and excites her.
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Sarah Gyorog
Executive Director
Sarah Gyorog has been the Executive Director at Transition House since 2018. Considering the pandemic, that now equals 6 years. Sarah is a proud alumnus of the Dispute Resolution program at UMass Boston where she earned her Master’s degree in 2004. Previously, Sarah served as Director of Restorative Programming at the Center for Women in Transition in St. Louis Missouri, working with women entangled in the criminal legal system.
Sarah believes in prevention as a primary way to stop domestic violence in our community. Domestic violence cannot be easily separated from its roots in state violence, rather it is a cultural phenomenon based in a patriarchal system that no longer serves anyone well. Sarah is confident that the movement to end violence will end its overreliance on the criminal justice system as a primary solution through persistence, innovation and including everyone. Organizational culture matters, and Sarah dedicates a great deal of time creating a workplace where self-care can be celebrated as second to a culture of organizational care of its members.
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Jenny Herrera
Director of Operations
Jenny moved to Boston from her native country of Venezuela to study Political Science at Emmanuel College and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Maryland. After working on a gubernatorial political campaign, she knew a career in politics was not for her. Jenny came to Transition House as a volunteer in 2009 and is now the Director of Operations. Jenny hopes her work inspires her own children to see the direct link between what you do and how you can contribute to make a change in people’s lives.
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Julie Kahn-Schaye
Clinical Director
Julie has worked at Transition House since 2006. She coordinates clinical and counseling resources at the organization, provides mental health support for our residents, and recruits and supervises graduate level interns. Prior to joining Transition House, Julie was a school social worker and mental health clinician for children and families experiencing domestic violence and intersecting traumas. Her work is inspired by the courageous families who come to Transition House unsure of what is next, making dramatic change to build better lives.
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Jassie Senwah
Director of Housing
Jassie Senwah currently oversees the organization’s housing continuum that includes emergency shelter, transitional, and permanent housing options. She first joined Transition House in 2016 as a Shelter Advocate, and in 2019 she became the Shelter Coordinator, before becoming the Director of Housing in 2020. Prior to joining Transition House, she worked for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office as a Victim Witness Advocate for over seven years, and as a Shelter Coordinator for two other Domestic Violence Agencies providing shelter services to families overcoming homelessness and domestic violence.
Jassie grew up in Liberia, West Africa where she watched and helped her grandmother run an orphanage home for children who lost their parents during the civil war in Liberia. There began her passion for supporting families impacted by crimes and homelessness.
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Jennifer Shakespeare
Director of the Community Support Partnership
Jenn first joined Transition House as an Elder Advocate on the Community Support Partnership Team, before transitioning to the Director position in 2023. Jenn brings prior experience working as a Victim/Witness Advocate in Essex County and then twelve years working at Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS), first as a Protective Service Worker then as a Domestic Violence Advocate. As a Domestic Violence Advocate at GLSS, Jenn was an integral part of the expansion of the program to work with Families affected by domestic violence. Jenn first came to Transition House
During her time with Transition House, she began making connections within the Cambridge community, learning the landscape and seeing opportunities for growth.
Jenn brings so many gifts to our Transition House community. Jenn is an experienced Doula and Reiki practitioner. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and two adorable pitbulls.
Meet the Team
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Ann Fleck-Henderson
Chair
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Michael Busack
Vice Chair
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Kelsey Trueblood
Clerk
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Michaele Morrow Esdale, CPA, PhD
Treasurer
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Mat Gauvin
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Melanie Marsden
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Linda Martindale
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Roxann Maxoll, LICSW
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Eliza Minsch, Esq.
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Zarya Miranda