Member Highlight: Heather Salerno
Heather Salerno is not only a Union Capital Springfield (UCS) member, but is also on the small but mighty team of UCS Network coordinators. Her role with UCS is to establish and build relationships with members while emphasizing the value of social connections in improving the lives of those in her community.
Salerno is a single mother of two daughters, and now one granddaughter, making a big focus of hers to help mothers, like herself, overcome isolation and depression. Salerno, who was born and raised in Western, MA worked in Healthcare and then advocacy for 15 years. Tackling her own struggles, Salerno reflects on how she struggled for a long time to be able to tell her story.
“I was somebody who always struggled with being able to tell my own story and I didn’t really see the value in it. I always knew that I had struggles in my life but I never really understood that there was value to telling my story to other people,” said Salerno.
In becoming a Population Health Masters student at Boston University, Salerno was able to connect with UCS in its beta form. Salerno was originally involved in a research study for The Mom’s program, and joined UCS after the study concluded.
“I came to Union Capital from a Population Health study, The Mom’s program, here in Springfield. The Mom’s program was one of the community partners of Union Capital. I really wanted them to be part of Union Capital because, in the Mom’s program, we helped mothers overcome isolation and depression by connecting them with their peers and resources.”
Salerno also became involved in UC’s Leadership programs and was able to enrich herself with community and support. She was dedicated to learning the importance of community in bettering her own life and the lives of others around her. Through UC Learns and the leadership classes Salerno partook in, she was able to connect her story to those around her who face similar battles.1
“Going through UC Learns, I figured out how to tell my story in a way that was inspiring and could bridge that connection. To me, I gained so much from being able to have that learning opportunity.”
Salerno struggled with a cancer diagnosis that came unexpectedly and derailed her education plans. She spent years going through chemotherapy and surgeries, and 12 years after her first college class, graduated.
“It was all the more special because my oldest daughter and I graduated college together. I didn’t plan that; it just happened that way,” said Salerno in her Life Story paper that she shared.
Being a network coordinator involves a lot of community outreach and hard work to build networks with partners, with members, and all-in-all with the community. Once a year, the Community Partner Symposium occurs where people and resources in the community get together for a luncheon. At this year’s symposium, Salerno presented Union Capital.
“I put Union Capital in front of them [Community Partner Symposium] and explained what it is that we’re all about, and then asking them to get involved with us so that they can come and give Table Talks at our Network Nights, list all of their events on our community calendar, and just be more involved in the good work that we are doing. I think that really shows our members that we have their back, that whatever they’re going through we can always point them in the right direction,” said Salerno.
Salerno has grown immensely and is now able to share her own story and journey with her community in ways that help her career, her personal relations, her engagement with the community, and her ability as a speaker. Salerno is a standout UCS member and Network Coordinator who deserves all of the recognition and shine for her endless efforts and hard work.
