MY STORY
Founder and Executive Director
My desire to help women struggling to find independence after surviving domestic abuse is personal. I have experienced the stress, trauma and anxiety associated with abuse. These experiences have had an enormous influence on my dedication to helping other women. I have overcome many obstacles to become the successful, confident woman I am today. I firmly believe every woman should be given opportunities to rise above their circumstances and have a safe and comfortable home for themselves and their children. My goal for Felicia‘s Donation Closet is to provide the basic necessities for women who are on a path to a new and hopeful future.
Meet The team
Ryan Olson
Logistics Director
I have been motivated by a desire to help others from a young age. I am fortunate enough as an adult to be in a position where I am afforded the opportunity to give back in the ways I see most beneficial. My strong work ethic combined with my dedication to help others is why I choose to be involved in Felicia‘s great cause.
Marcia Sokol
Events/Fundraising Director
I have worked in the Verona Area School District for over 20 Years. Working with students makes you aware and understand how important a safe home is for a child’s well being. Without stability at home, many students tend to fall behind in academic and social development. Volunteering and giving to others has always been very important to me. Being a part of Felicia’s Donation Closet is a great opportunity for me to give back and help support women and children in the community, who are starting over with new goals of a positive life for their families.
Gynel Orr
Outreach Coordinator
I am excited to be part of Felicia’s vision to create peaceful places for women and children who are survivors of abuse and homelessness. With my education in human services, business, substance abuse counseling and related work experience, I hope to offer encouragement and resources to open opportunities to empower change. I have assisted with establishing The Healing Place for women struggling with life issues, created a Bag Lunch Program for the homeless, worked as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the court system and as a Peacemaker in the Dane County Community Restorative Court. Most recently, I have assisted women with children transitioning out of homelessness, helping them with resources for education, employment, finances, childcare, transportation and more. My mission is to SHOW MORE LOVE by offering and connecting helping hands wherever assistance is needed.
Dan Nardi
Grants Coordinator
I am honored to volunteer and focus on securing grants for Felicia’s Donation Closet. With 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and university teaching, I hope to contribute to the growth of this incredible non-profit. Coming from a family of smart, strong, compassionate women, I understand the critical importance of ensuring that mothers and children have their basic needs met. Helping survivors of domestic abuse by providing furniture and essentials alleviates some of their stress, allowing them to focus on rebuilding their lives. Supporting this worthy cause brings me great joy, and I am happy to lend a hand.
Kelly Diny
Leadership Team
I have been in the banking and mortgage industry for over 25 years mainly in the Dane County area. I have been an active volunteer in the past for Hospice, Habitat for Humanity, VetConnect, and most recently I have fed the homeless once a month thru The Friends of State Street & The Beacon for the last 6 years. My goal is to help define and balance organization directives and leadership from my extensive past experiences with volunteering to maximize productive partnerships by encouraging “a boots on ground” philosophy. I am proud to be a part of an organization that can help remove the stigma and secrecy of those suffering from domestic abuse and strengthens the community circle of support for women and children.
Cindi Estey
Executive Assistant
I have worked in many roles over the years—administrative support, social media management, website development, and event planning—but my greatest passion has always been motherhood. That passion is what inspired me to write a guide to help women create mom’s groups, so they could come together for honest conversations and meaningful support. Motherhood is never easy, even under the best of circumstances.
Then I met Felicia. She opened my eyes to the magnitude of domestic abuse happening right here in Dane County. I was deeply moved by her unwavering commitment to supporting mothers and children who have survived abuse, and I knew I wanted to help in any way I could.
With Felicia’s Donation Closet, my focus has been on providing administrative support and updating the website—small contributions toward a mission that makes a life-changing difference.
Maya Yohr
Volunteer Coordinator
Bio to follow…..
Alison Johnson
Warehouse Coordinator
I was drawn to volunteering with Felicia’s Donation Closet because of the tangible impact it has to families in Dane County to support their fresh start. With years of experience sitting at a desk managing spreadsheets and data, I connected with the opportunity to utilize my organization and analytics skills and pair them with the physical, active tasks of warehouse management. When managing donations, I’m inspired by the generous Madison community who take the extra steps to find a new home for their items. The work of Felicia’s Donation Closet would not be possible without them.
Danny Adler-Rozner
Donation Pickup Coordinator
I’ve spent the past 10 years in community banking within Dane County and am now expanding into Rock County. During that time, I’ve been dedicated to giving back through volunteer work by teaching financial literacy to students from first grade through high school. Volunteering with Felicia’s Donation Closet has given me a meaningful way to continue supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community, particularly those building new, empowered lives after experiencing domestic abuse.
