RESCU Foundation Staff
The RESCU Staff is comprised of dedicated, knowledgeable, and experienced individuals. These are the amazing people who are behind the scenes, receiving your mail, processing your aid forms, running to the bank and returning your phone calls.
Colleen Bremer
Kaelyn Globig
Chris Major
Keridwyn Hershberger
Carol Black
After 18 years of service, our esteemed Executive Director and Co-Founder, Carol Black is stepping away from the RESCU Foundation. She led the way with tireless attention and bold vision, building the RESCU foundation into a national organization that has helped hundreds in our community. With love and gratitude, we wish her the very best in all her future endeavors.
Good management is about doing things right, and good leadership is about doing the right things. From founder to President, to Executive Director, Carol led RESCU with unflinching courage. She led through the unavoidable early growing pains to a fully accredited 501(c)(3) charitable organization Carol moved RESCU through the formative years.
While it is impossible to fully communicate what Carol meant to RESCU it may help to remember that we began simply as a few people with an idea–an idea that we were going to help people, not just once but from now on. But HOW?
There were policies to write and procedures to be constructed. There was accounting to be done and disbursement of aid that needed to happen. RESCU has always been a team effort but Caol was the one, that through it all, made sure the ideas happened, that forms were created, that people who…When RESCU needed an Executive Director, the choice was easy.
Carol Black was the clear and natural choice. She would be the one to best keep everyone on point with the final say on all matters operational, a job she had always done and continued to do, with passion and intelligence, until this past year, when she decided to step away. Her leadership and efforts cannot be overestimated.
As sad as we are to see her go, we the staff, volunteers, and board members of RESCU are ready to continue the task of providing assistance to the people of our Renaissance festival community. It is a job we take as seriously as Carol always has. She brought up an organization that is strong and is ready to roll up its sleeves to get down to work. Carol set a high bar, one we all aspire to reach every day while also hopefully inching it up over time, inspired by her example, her expectations of excellence.
We are ready to carry on in service and gratitude, but we would not be here without Carol Black.
Thank you so very much, Carol.
In RESCU’s second year, I remember us as a loose collection of board members that had little in the way of policies and procedures, wrote very few reports, often missed our quorum, and postponed as many meetings as we held. Carol’s leadership brought us much-needed professionalism. From her we learned what dedication and service looked like. A mentor to all and North Star of compliance, I am grateful for the instilled habits of procedure we at RESCU hold as Carol’s legacy.
Danielle Dupont
President, Board of DirectorsCarol,
All the words I can come up with are completely inadequate when I try to say thank you for all you have meant to me, and all that you have accomplished with RESCU. We all know that without you there would be no RESCU Foundation, and that we have probably never had a more sacred responsibility than continuing to run this amazing organization with the love and integrity that you embodied. It is my fervent desire that we make you proud.
MaritaBeth Caruthers
Chair, Communications and Creative Services CommitteeDear Carol,
I could never put into words just how you’ve affected me and my path. You have always pushed me to be my best self and to do my best work, and we are all better for it. I will continue to be inspired by your example and could never thank you enough for everything you’ve brought to RESCU, to the community, and to me personally. Your trust and willingness to hand over this incredible gift to our stewardship is the highest compliment I could ever hope to receive, and I am truly humbled. May your next grand adventure bring you all that you hope for and more. Hip, Hip, Huzzah for Carol Black!
Magnolia Strange
Chair, Programs CommitteeCarol,
Starting as a RESCU volunteer at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, you were one of the first impressions I had of the foundation. Your dedication and passion were inspiring. Your energy and enthusiasm was like a physical force. It permeated the atmosphere of events and uplifted the spirits of volunteers and attendees alike. The absolute sincerity of your belief in the mission of RESCU came through in every interaction. When you told the volunteers that they were welcome, and valued, it carried weight. We wanted to help you do good for the community. The inspiration and warm welcome you extended to me personally meant more than I can say, and was instrumental in my continuing volunteer work for the foundation. Thank you for the tremendous amount of work you have done. Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for putting something so good into the world.
Nick R. Pennella
Chair, Fundraising CommitteeUnder Carol's leadership, I knew that being a part of the RESCU Board of Directors was going to be impactful. Carol had a unique way of taking ideas, goals, and dreams and forming them into actions, plans, and success. She also made new volunteers feel welcomed and made known the value they brought to RESCU. Thanks to her, I feel confident in not only RESCU but myself.Â
Mary Parrish
HIPAA Compliance OfficerWe did not work together often, but you were always encouraging and enthusiastic. Â I appreciate all you have done for RESCU, and hope you enjoy whatever is coming next in your journeys.
Jody Lee Duek
Member, Board of DirectorsCarol,
There is so much time to reminisce about in wishing you all the best in your retirement--from the beginning days of our friendship & my involvement with RESCU to all the things that came after. We had early mornings planning & conspiring, late evenings counting rally money and the afterglow of excitement from Bristol Gang. And then there was bocce! I value all the things that we are to each other and to RESCU. You will be missed. RESCU got to our current status because of your diligence & love. We have the skies as the limit for the future.
Have all the good things!
Gayle French
Vice PresidentCarol,
You are a true pioneer, and without your passion and dedication, RESCU could not have become what it is today. It was an honor working with you and learning from you, and I am inspired and excited to help continue the good work of RESCU. I thank you so much for all time, energy, and love you’ve given to our community- we are forever grateful!
Asia Lupo
Social Media OfficerCarol,
Thank you so much for leadership, your devotion to this incredibly important cause, and most of all, your friendship. I've loved our years of long work-related conversations frequently peppered with a dose of your snark. Before I started working with you I always thought I had a good eye for detail, but you have helped me elevate that to a level truly annoying to my colleagues. It has been a pleasure working with you. Â
Brian O'Leary
Treasurer, Technology OfficerCarol welcomed me with open arms when I first joined the board and was more than willing to provide me her insight and knowledge amassed in her many years administrating RESCU. Her passion and drive to see RESCU's thrive and grow was infectious, and continues today to motivate me to work for RESCU's mission...the successful advocacy and support of our clients. Carol, thank you. You will definitely be missed.