About Us

Vic Acosta

Career Services Director

Phone: 617-442-3600, ext 718
Email: vacosta@ne-cat.org

Ashley Bartell

Director of Development

Ashley came to NECAT with experience in development from the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Horizons for Homeless Children, and an MBA in Non-Profit Management.

Phone: 617-442-3600
Email: abartell@ne-cat.org

Jon Braley

Volunteer Career Coach

Jon Braley is our volunteer Career Coach assisting students through all phases of their job search. He also coaches students in some of the soft skills essential to their success after they have been hired. In his long career prior to joining NECAT, Jon held finance and operations management positions at Honeywell, Data General, Digital Equipment and Compaq, eventually retiring from Hewlett Packard. He is also a certified mediator.

Phone: 617-442-3600
Email: jbraley@ne-cat.org

Elise Brandwein

Student Services Director

With six years’ experience as an admissions advisor at Le Cordon Bleu, Elise is skilled in working with a diverse student population ranging from recent high school graduates to career changers.

Phone: 617-442-3600 ext 704
Email: ebrandwein@ne-cat.org

Josephine (Joey) Cuzzi

Executive Director

Joey has had an extensive career in public service. Prior to NECAT, Joey served as ED of the East Boston Y for eight years. Under her leadership, the Y’s initiatives flourished, widely recognized for their program quality and innovation, and she instituted a scholarship program and obtained private funding for the construction of an East Boston teaching kitchen and garden. Joey also worked in PR for the Piers Park Sailing Center in East Boston. She previously spent nearly 20 years as the Director of Communications for the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Phone: 617-442-3600
Email: jcuzzi@ne-cat.org

Kristine Kelley

Culinary Instructor

Chef Kristine holds degrees from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Cambridge and the Culinary Institute of America. She is passionate about teaching and has been a Culinary Instructor at North Shore Community College since 2013. Kristine joined NECAT’s team as our Chef Instructor at Everett in January 2018.

Phone: 857-505-5091
Email: kkelley@ne-cat.org

Robert Krajewski

Culinary Instructor

Bob has extensive experience as an Executive Chef and baker, helping open three highly acclaimed restaurants, in addition to his own French bistro. He also spent two years teaching at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. He has a powerful ability to connect with our students and get them excited about their future potential. Bob works with students in the first half of our program.

Phone: 617-442-3600
Email: rkrajewski@ne-cat.org

Martha Leahy

Deputy Director

Martha Leahy is a food executive and chef with over twenty-five years of experience. She has worked as an Executive Chef for restaurant chains, as a Corporate Executive Chef in research and development for both retail grocery stores and in manufacturing, as VP of Purchasing and as a consultant. Martha is also experienced in teaching and leadership training. She has worked every position in a restaurant through the years, from dishwasher to Executive Chef for a twenty-restaurant chain. Martha holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island and the International Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Italian Cooking in Italy.

Phone: 617-442-3600 ext 720
Email: mleahy@ne-cat.org

Tom Nelson

Culinary Instructor

Tom has ten years of teaching experience, both in a university setting and with a similar non-profit in California. He has an additional thirty years of experience in professional kitchens. He has a wealth of knowledge and extensive curriculum development experience. Tom works with students through the second half of the program and masterfully oversees the entire class while providing critical one-on-one support.

Phone: 617.442.3600
Email: tnelson@ne-cat.org

Deryck Reid

SEL Trainer

Deryck Reid is an expert in helping marginalized young people prepare for adulthood and employment. He has experience providing consulting and coaching at STRIVE, Operation Exit and Building Pathways.

Phone: 617.833.9927
Email: dreid@ne-cat.org

Jessica Williamson

Development Manager

Jessica has worked in the non-profit sector for her entire career, across causes she feels passionate about and on both sides of the Atlantic. Prior to joining NECAT she lived in Northern England for five years where she helped launch a new center for contemporary art and discovered the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales. Jessica holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.A. from the University of Westminster, U.K.

Phone: 617.442.3600
Email: jwilliamson@ne-cat.org