About Us
NECLP, Inc. board members are elected to a two-year term by the NECLP membership. Our President, Secretary, and Member-at-Large A are elected in even numbered years, and Vice President, Treasurer, and Member-at-Large B are elected in odd numbered years. Nominations are collected in the summer and elections occur in the fall. If you are a current NECLP, Inc. member and you would like to serve the child life community in New England, please consider nominating yourself!
NECLP, Inc. is governed by our by-laws which were reviewed and approved by the membership in 2017.
View the NECLP, Inc. By-Laws
Board Members
Meet the Board
Rachel Alley, BS, CCLS
President
Baystate Children's Hospital
Springfield, MA
Rachel received her BS degree in Rehabilitation Services with a concentration in pediatrics from Springfield College. She has worked at Baystate Children's Hospital since 1992. She originally started the in-hospital school program, co-facilitated a school-age bereavement group for 7 years, and primarily works inpatient with the infant/toddler population. Rachel also coordinates the student internship program at Baystate and is a Certified Infant Massage Instructor.
Sarah Framarin, M.Ed, CCLS
Vice President
Baystate Children's Hospital
Springfield, MA
Sarah has served as a child life specialist in the Pediatric Procedure Unit at Baystate Children's Hospital since 2012. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, she is the Child life Practicum Co-Coordinator, is a member of the hospital-wide Patient Experience Committee, and is responsible for interviewing incoming BCH Buddy volunteers. She is a member of the Child Life Certification Commission (CLCC), currently serving as the Chair of the Communications Committee, and on the Appeals and Ethics Committees. In the past, Sarah has been an adjunct professor of child life courses at Springfield College and Southern Connecticut State University. Her writing as been featured in the Child Life Bulletin and in the recently published book, The Child Life Chronicles: Stories from the Field.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Amanda Esiason, MS, CCLS
Treasurer
UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center
Worcester, MA
Amanda received a Bachelor's degree in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master's degree in Child Life Studies from Missouri State University. She began her career as a per diem child life specialist at Tufts Children's Hospital (formerly Floating Hospital for Children) in January 2021 after completing her 600 hour internship. Amanda then went on to create a new full-time position in outpatient clinics, infusions, and pediatric blood draw, supporting patients in various clinics including GI, endocrinology, rheumatology, neurology, and PANDAS. In March 2022, she transitioned to the Pediatric Emergency Department at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.
Chelsie Lang, MS, CCLS
Member at Large (A)
UVM Children's Hospital
Burlington, VT
Chelsie graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania where she majored in psychology and minored in sociology. She received her master's degree in Child Life from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Chelsie began her career at Sunrise Children's Hospital, Nevada, where she supported pediatric patients in the emergency department. In 2021, she transitioned to the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she supports children of adult patients, primarily in the ICU & oncology departments, including end-of-life. She is a registered Wonders & Worries practitioner and director of Camp Knock Knock, a Vermont based family grief camp. She also sits on the board of the Mahana Magic Foundation, a Vermont based organization that supports families impacted by cancer.
Sarah Tucker MS, CCLS
Member at Large (B)
Baystate Children's Hospital
Springfield, MA
Sarah received a Bachelor's degree in developmental psychology at Wheelock College and a Master's degree in Child Life and Family Centered Care from Boston University. Sarah began her career as a per diem child life specialist at Baystate Children's Hospital in 2019. In 2021, Sarah became a full time child life specialist in the perioperative unit. Sarah is passionate about advocating for parental presence at time of anesthesia induction.
Karen Swartz, MS, CCLS, CEIM
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Secretary
Hasbro Children's Hospital
Providence, RI
Karen Swartz is a Certified Child Life Specialist. She received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Wheelock College: a BS in Human Development with a concentration in Child Life and a MS in Child Life and Family-Centered Care. She has worked at Hasbro since 1999, starting as the Child Life Specialist coordinating the STARBRIGHT World Computer Program. She now works in the Pediatric GI and Nutrition Clinic, the Cystic Fibrosis, Asthma/Allergy Clinic, and the Cardiac Clinic, as well as coordinating the IBD patient support group. In addition, Karen is a member of the Medical Board of Advisors for Team IMPACT, and is a Certified Educator of Infant Massage.
Amanda Simas, MS, CCLS
Technology Support Specialist
Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA
Amanda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Psychology from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and a Master’s degree in Child Life and Family Centered Care from Wheelock College. She started the child life program at UVA Children’s Hospital in 2012 and grew the program to four CCLSs before relocating to New England and taking a position at Baystate Children’s Hospital in 2016. At Baystate, Amanda has worked in PICU and with adolescents in the acute care unit, as well as helping to develop child life positions in NICU and Radiology. Amanda now works as the primary handler to Baystate Children's Hospital's first facility dog, Isabela. Amanda has served as a mentor at Baystate and with the ACLP. She has also participated as a member and then as a co-chair of the ACLP Web and Online Networking Committee.