Horizons at NCC Welcomes New Board Members and Board Chair

Founded in 2013, Horizons at Norwalk Community College is an affiliate of Horizons National, which serves more than 6,000 children at 74 chapters in 20 states. A proven model, Horizons produces a 97% high school graduation rate among its students nationally, with 91% of graduates going on to college or other post-secondary education. Horizons NCC has its own leadership, including a board of directors, a dedicated and experienced professional staff, and a community of engaged philanthropic partners.

Horizons at NCC is proud to announce Sabrina Desruisseaux and Lauren Duchene as two new board members, and John Gonzalez as an ex officio board member serving as a parent representative.

Raised between Darien and Norwalk, Sabrina Desruisseaux attended University of Bridgeport and began a career in banking 14 years ago as a manager, which evolved into business relationship management with a focus in commercial lending. She now works as a Client Success Director at Indeed. Sabrina is proud to volunteer for programs centered on the empowerment of young minds, including Horizons. Most recently she served as a corporate sponsor for the Impact Fairfield County grant review committee and contributed to evaluating the 59 grant proposals received from nonprofits throughout the county. Her hobbies include culinary arts, exploring new restaurants and partnering in her beau’s thriving mixology event business.

Lauren DeFeo Duchene has over 15 years professional experience in the children’s space. She is currently the VP/General Manager of Skip Hop, a Carter’s, Inc. owned company. Skip Hop is a global lifestyle brand devoted to designing innovative products to improve the lives of parents, babies and kids. Prior to Skip Hop, Lauren spent 10+ years with Fisher-Price/Mattel, managing global marketing, design and packaging teams developing gear and toys. Lauren lives in Rowayton with her family - her husband Dan and their two children, ages four and six. As a working mom, she balances being a parent with a passion for products that help children and babies develop and grow.

John Gonzalez has joined the Horizons at NCC board of directors as a parent representative. He currently works as a paraprofessional at Staples High and has been involved with Horizons as an assistant teacher for the past 5 years. He has two daughters who are students in the program, one of which has just graduated and is participating in the Horizons NCC High School Program. John loves the program and is thankful to be part of the board as well as a parent and teacher.

Now entering its tenth year, Horizons NCC names Mackie Spadaccini the new Board Chair. Mackie has served on the Board of Directors since 2019 and has sat on Development and Governance Committees. She is excited to take on the role of Chair as the organization celebrates ten years of serving the children of Norwalk and embarks on exploring new and innovative paths to building awareness for the program. At her side as Vice Chair, Karen Calby remains dedicated to the program after successfully leading the Board as Chair for 3 years.

About Horizons

Horizons NCC’s mission is to build brighter futures for under-resourced Norwalk students by providing academic and enrichment opportunities, cultivating community, and inspiring dreams. In 2023, we will serve 120 children in Pre-K through 8th grade in our Summer Program and 16 children in our High School Program.

The cornerstone of Horizons NCC is a 6-week, full-day, tuition-free summer program, including academic instruction, enrichment opportunities, social emotional education, field trips, mentoring and guidance. It is our goal to prevent the learning loss known as the “Summer Slide” and to foster a love of learning in our students. Students engage in specials including swimming, STEM, music, dance, art, martial arts, and cooking. They are also provided transportation to and from campus as well as breakfast, lunch and snack.

During the school year, Horizons NCC offers three 8-week tutoring sessions to the students who need it most, and after school Social Emotional Learning to our youngest students. Horizons NCC also offers a high school mentoring program. Freshman students are matched with a mentor for the four years of high school, offering support, guidance, and resources as the student navigates high school and the college application process.

Horizons at NCC is primarily funded through tax deductible contributions from local individuals, corporations, and foundations. The generous provision of space and services from host institution Norwalk Community College allows a high percentage of these financial donations to directly fund student programming and teacher salaries. Please visit Horizons at NCC for more information.