Birch Family Services Expands Board of Directors

Media Contact:
Kevin Kinsella
Senior Communications Manager
kevin.kinsella@birchfamilyservices.org

Justin Bachman, Sameer Gadre, and Nicholas X. Jerez bring considerable nonprofit marketing and financial expertise to the organization.

November 6, 2019 (NEW YORK CITY) — Birch Family Services, the leading provider of education and community support services for people with autism and developmental disabilities in New York City, is pleased to welcome three new members to its Board of Directors. Justin Bachman, Sameer Gadre, and Nicholas X. Jerez will volunteer their time and talents to support and promote the organization’s mission to empower people with autism and developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives. The three bring considerable marketing and financial experience to the agency.

“I speak for the entire Board in saying that we are thrilled to welcome Justin, Sameer and Nick to our community,” said Robin Keller, chairman of the Board of Directors of Birch Family Services and a Senior Counsel at Hogan Lovells US LLP. “We have many long-serving board members who have wholeheartedly devoted themselves to the needs of Birch Family Services, the people we support and their family members. However, the arrival of new members with diverse skills, connections, and most importantly, enthusiastic personal commitment to our mission, is critical to the future of our agency and the many constituencies we serve. We thank them for their commitment.”

Justin Bachman works in the Corporate Strategy group at Capital One. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Risk Management. While pursuing his undergraduate studies, Justin worked as a summer camp counselor. In this capacity, he met a boy named Tyler who was on the autism spectrum. While Tyler was different than the other boys, it was evident at age 5 that he was brilliant. He loved the arcade and his ability to identify patterns and remember levels was striking. Given the right support, he could thrive. The son of a Special Education teacher, Justin has always wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps and help others like Tyler. He currently serves on Birch Family Services’ Audit and Finance Committee.

“I wanted to start giving back to my community and use the skills I’ve learned at Capital One to help others,” said Justin. “When I came across Birch Family Services, I knew I found an organization that I wanted to support. The schools, programs, staff and children are all incredible and I knew I wanted to become part of the Birch family.”

Sameer Gadre is an executive director at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. where he is the head of Corporate and Investment Bank Strategy (CIB) for the Americas. He began his career at JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an investment banker in J.P. Morgan’s M&A group advising clients on buy-side & sell-side transactions across a range of industries. Following that, he worked in the firm-wide Corporate Strategy group on strategic & cross-LOB initiatives before joining CIB Strategy. He earned an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Sameer currently serves on Birch Family Services’ Audit and Finance Committee.

“My wife and I discovered our son had autism last year,” said Sameer. “This drove us to learn as much as possible about autism so we could be more effective parents. I also started looking for ways to leverage my professional skills to contribute more broadly to this cause, which led me to Birch Family Services. The organization is making a strong impact in the New York City community, thanks to its experienced leadership team, committed Board of Directors, and dedicated and expert staff. I feel fortunate to be part of this community.”

Nick X. Jerez is the Operations Manager for U3 Advisors, a nationally recognized consulting practice that provides real estate and economic development solutions to mission-driven organizations. In addition to his work at U3, Nick has deep experience in providing direct social services to at-risk youth and children with physical and developmental disabilities. He spent nearly a decade at the Children’s Aid Society, serving in various roles. Nick is a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services and currently serves on Birch Family Services’ Properties Committee.

“I firmly believe that every child needs to be met ‘where they live’: receiving services in a fashion that is contextual and impactful; treated with empathy and dignity; and, minimizes the barriers between children and realizing their full potential in life,” said Nick, a father to two boys on the autism spectrum. “Birch Family Services is on the front lines of this work.”

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Birch Family Services empowers individuals with autism and developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives. From preschool to graduation, employment and beyond, Birch Family Services offers fully integrated programs to support individuals in achieving their goals throughout their lifetime. For nearly 45 years, Birch Family Services has been the leading provider of education, employment and residential programs in New York. Every year, the organization supports more than 2,000 people with disabilities across 30 locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx. For more information, visit www.birchfamilyservices.org.