NEXT GEN Board – Executive Committee
Patricia Walker
President
Patricia Walker works as the Chief Development Officer for a community-based nonprofit based in Mercer County, NJ and has an extensive background in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and strategic partnerships. Originally from Southern California, she received her B.A. from San Diego State University and a Master’s from the University of San Diego. With a 4-year-old daughter and four dogs at home, she keeps pretty busy but when she does get some free time she is an avid reader, painter, ukulele & guitar player, loves to hike and surf, and is an admirer of old vinyl records and horror movies.
Walker also serves on the Board of Directors for A Woman’s Place, a domestic violence organization in Bucks County, PA; President of BW NICE Mercer County Chapter, and is an active member of the Parks & Recreation Commission for the City of Lambertville, NJ.
Haley Gorda
Vice President
Haley Gorda graduated from Ramapo College in December of 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing. She has been the Communications and Marketing Manager of YWCA Princeton since March of 2019.
In her current role, Haley manages and creates content for the YWCA Princeton website and social media platforms, serves on event committees, supports fundraising efforts, and helps create program collateral and advertisements. She enjoys utilizing her background in writing to convey the impact of the YW’s programs.
Haley has been volunteering as a tutor for YWCA Princeton’s English as a Second Language program since July of 2021. In her free time, she also enjoys exercising, spending time with friends, and reading.
Brionna Young
Treasurer
Brionna Young attended the University of Maryland, where she received her Bachelors of Science in Marketing through the Robert H. Smith School of Business. She works as an AMG Analyst for PNC in Princeton. At the same time, she is taking courses online at Boston University and aims to receive her CFP upon completion. Although originally from Connecticut, Brionna decided to relocate to Hamilton, NJ for her work opportunity. She is excited to have more involvement with the community and explore opportunities to meet people locally through Next Gen! In addition, she looks forward to learning from her peers and developing herself as a young professional. In her free time, Brionna likes to work out, do yoga, learn new recipes, cook good meals, read, journal, and spend quality time with loved ones.
Nikita Chaubal
Secretary
Nikita Chaubal graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University in May of 2020 with a B.S. in biology and minor in education. She currently works as a Development Intern with Science Club for Girls, supporting their mission of providing free, experiential after school programs for girls from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. Prior to this role, she worked at the Maranyundo Initiative, furthering development efforts to benefit the Maranyundo Girls School in Rwanda. She is passionate about bridging healthcare and education disparities, and hopes to serve her community one day as a physician. In her free time, she enjoys listening to new music, writing, and playing with her dog. As a lifelong resident of Middlesex County, she is excited to support the YWCA Princeton’s mission while serving on the NEXT GEN Board.
Board members
Melissa Drift
Melissa Drift is a freelance journalist with associate’s degrees in communications from Mercer County Community College. While in college, she did an extensive one year long internship for WDVR fm in Sergeantsville NJ. After that, she worked as a volunteer production assistant for six years at WWFM JazzOn2, the classical radio station located on the Mercer Community College campus. She produced interviews and public affairs programing, including a series of interviews with local mayors in Mercer County. She currently contributes to the Princeton Echo and U.S.1 Magazine. Her feature articles have covered astronomy, computer science, and neuroscience. She lives in Belle Mead NJ.
Nicole Kato
Nicole Kato attended Loyola University Maryland where she holds her bachelor’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology. Nicole currently works for New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group in West Trenton where she is a licensed insurance representative and a process improvement team member. She is proud to be a part of a company that puts a strong emphasis on giving back to the community. As a lifelong resident of the area, Nicole is honored to be on the NEXT GEN board and is looking forward to being involved with the community.
Sarah Kiely
In August 2018, Sarah was named the Insurance Coordinator at Princeton University for the Risk Management department. She assists and overseas the Fleet Safety program and the Property/Casualty insurance programs. During her time at Princeton, Sarah has been a member of the Finance and Treasury Events Committee, the Princeton Social Professionals Employee Resource Group and the Women’s Employee Resource Group. Prior to coming to Princeton, she worked for Allstate Insurance Company, managing claims and participating in the Young Professionals Network, as well as a variety of events committee.
Sarah grew up in Newtown, PA. She attended Council Rock North High School, where she was a three-sport athlete. Sarah went on to play Division I basketball at American University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. From there, she went on to be an assistant coach at Franklin Pierce University, and helped pass along her basketball knowledge to a younger generation of players. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys reading, cooking, playing pickup basketball and lifting. Being new to the area, Sarah is eager to be part of the NextGen Board!