Page 38 - BusinessWest October 28, 2024

THE HSCO RECOGNIZES AND CONGRATULATES
2024 WOMEN OF IMPACT HONOREE
KIMBERLEY LEE
MARAVISTA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER
AND ALL THE WOMEN OF IMPACT FOR BEING LEADERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES OF INSPIRATION FOR FEMALES EVERYWHERE!
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Kim Lee with Springfield Thunderbirds President Nate Costa and some teddy bears donated to the Center for Human Development’s youth- serving programs by the team through its teddy-bear drive.
their time together outside.”
At MHA and now at her current employer, MiraVista Behavioral Health Center,
Lee has been an advocate for those with mental-health and substance issues, and a facilitator, if you will, for bringing many individuals into programs of care.
“Each professional opportunity I’ve had has afforded me the chance to reflect my personal values and what I deem to be extremely important, which is to make a difference in the community,” she said in summing up what could be called her life’s work. “I’ve always strived to reach individuals who need support and access to services, and harness the energy and resources of an organization to make an impact.”
But to understand her commitment to empowering the most vulnerable in society, one needs to go back to when she was only in grade school.
Indeed, at age 10, she organized a carnival for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Assoc. Telethon, raising significant funds and awareness of muscular dystrophy.
“This early venture into community service was a precursor to a lifetime of advocacy and engagement, setting the stage for her lifelong commitment to ha”rnessing collective energy for the greater good.
“This early venture into community service was a precursor to a lifetime of advocacy and engagement, setting the stage for her lifelong commitment to harnessing collective energy for the greater good,” wrote Darby O’Brien, president of Darby O’Brien Advertising, in his nomination of Lee for the Woman of Impact Award. “Throughout her career, Kim has spearheaded numerous outreach programs aimed at extending healthcare and support services beyond traditional settings, directly reaching those in urgent need.”
O’Brien, who has worked with Lee on initiatives throughout her career, including the rebranding of Springfield Day Nursery to Square One, said her career is “a profound narrative of commitment, innovation, and compassion.
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“From her early days organizing community events to her impactful work in healthcare and advocacy, she has consistently demonstrated what it means to be a leader who not only dreams of a better world, but takes tangible steps to create it,” he went on. “Kim’s enduring impact on individuals, families, and communities,
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her an exemplary candidate for the Woman of Impact award.”
coupled with her pioneering contributions to healthcare and social justice, make
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When Lee first applied for work at the United Way of Pioneer Valley after graduating from Westfield State University, she received a polite rejection in the
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