Our Staff

Welcome to our staff page, where you can learn more about the dedicated team behind Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region. Our passionate and experienced professionals work tirelessly to ignite the potential of the youth we serve through mentorship and community support.

Below, you’ll find bios for each of our staff members, highlighting their roles, expertise, and commitment to making a difference. Feel free to contact any team member directly with the information provided. We look forward to connecting with you and continuing our mission of empowering young lives!

Jessica Underhill
Program Coordinator

About Jessica Underhill

Jessica has been with BBBSCR for over five years and has had many different roles. Currently, she completes most of the child enrollments and has revitalized the Site-Based program at Union College after COVID.

Jessica is a Midwestern transplant, originally from Wisconsin, but has lived and worked in non-profits locally for 15 years. She has a BA from the University of Wisconsin in International Relations and an MA from City University of London in Sociology. She is a Big Sister herself, and loves to go out to eat, do art projects, and go to the arcade with her Little.

Contact Jessica

Keila dos Santos
Chief Executive Officer

About Keila dos Santos

Keila dos Santos spent 17 years optimizing digital experiences and spearheading disruption in 35+ industries; driving $25M+ in revenue, securing $1M+ in grant funding, and helping early stage startups raise hundreds of thousands in investor capital. In addition, y transitioning into the nonprofit sector, Keila merges private sector strategy and empathy-driven innovation with mission-driven action.

Keila is deeply committed to community development and local empowerment, leveraging her expertise to drive systemic change and foster meaningful connections. She calls herself an "empathetic disruptor" because her approach is rooted in challenging the way things have always been done.

Her leadership style is rooted in hands-on problem-solving and adaptability. Therein, Keila specializes in creating tailored, accessible strategies that leverage realistic innovation in day-to-day operations. By blending innovative technology with actionable implementation plans, she transforms complexity into clarity.

Before joining BBBS Capital Region NY her work has empowered countless teams to achieve sustainable growth while staying true to their missions. Keila has spearheaded equity in funding for female founders, wildfire recovery, workforce development for information technology professionals, regional investment for cultural projects, and access to public information projects, creating scalable systems that enrich the communities they serve. Her work reflects her dedication to creating equity-driven, inclusive opportunities, especially for underrepresented communities.

In July, Keila joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region as a consultant, stepping in to stabilize the agency following the departure of their CEO. Her leadership quickly became instrumental in the organization’s recovery, and in January, she officially assumed the role of CEO, poised to guide the agency into its next chapter of growth and impact.

Contact Keila

Enriquette Duran
Senior Program Manager

About Queta Duran

Queta joined BBBSCR in 2019. She was originally hired as a Program Assistant before moving into her current Program Manager role.

Queta helps to oversee the Community Based program and handles most of the Community Based volunteer enrollments. This includes conducting volunteer interviews, orientations, and onboarding.

She enjoys working with the Bigs and helping prepare them to be matched with their future Littles. Queta has also assisted in efforts to recruit new Bigs to help match more Capital Region children.

Queta loves working with the matches and seeing the direct impact the program has on our kids.

Contact Queta

CIERRA DAUBITZ

Big Experience Program Coordinator

About Cierra Daubitz

Cierra has served Bigs and Littles in the Greater Capital Region since 2021. Initially, she contributed to our matches as a Program Associate, then progressed to Assistant Program Manager, and now serves as the Big Experience Program Coordinator.

The Big Experience Program was created to provide a greater sense of community to our families and the matches. The program targets our core values: educational success, risk avoidance, and the promotion of emotional and social well-being. It has been the source of everlasting memories for staff, matches and families alike!

Graduating with a B.S in Psychology from SUNY Plattsburgh laid the foundation for Cierra’s natural desire to make a difference in the well-being of the community. But - it was the Littles, Bigs and Families that have provided her with the opportunity to allow this innate desire to blossom. Cierra’s mission is, and has always been, to provide our families and matches support with authenticity, compassion and professionalism. She has built relationships while discovering her greatest passions in life, serving OUR kids!

Contact Cierra

STEPHANIE DIPALMA

High School Leadership Program Coordinator

About Stephanie DiPalma

Stephanie has recently joined BBBSCR working with our High School Leadership Program in the Schenectady School district.

Stephanie has lived in the capital region her whole life, and earned both of her English degrees at local colleges. She brings a wealth of experience working with children and families having previously worked in education.

In her personal time, she enjoys traveling with her son and husband and spending quality time with family and friends. Having taught for over 17 years, Stephanie is excited to start at BBBSCR and work with families throughout the community.

Contact Stephanie

BRI PURPURA

Community Development Coordinator

About Brianna Purpura

Brianna joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2022. She has a degree in English with a concentration in writing. Brianna previously worked in education, teaching both advanced and remedial English skills. In her personal life, Brianna is also a professional writer, and is currently working on several non-fiction projects.

Since joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, Brianna has been rebuilding the Skidmore site-based program, following its dissolution after COVID. She also conducts monthly match support sessions for her large community-based case load, as well as managing the OPWDD matches.

Brianna is also involved with soliciting donations for events such as the annual Fall Gala and the August Back-to-School Party. Presently, Brianna is also working towards building relationships within the community that can help Big Brothers Big Sisters meet its fundraising goals.

Contact Brianna

KORTNEY CONLEY

Match Support Specialist

About Kortney Conley

Kortney has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Capital Region (BBBSCR) on and off for three years, serving in various roles including Children Enrollment Specialist, Match Support Coordinator, and Clerical Support. She brings a wealth of experience from a diverse background, having worked with a wide range of populations, including youth, individuals dealing with bereavement, and those facing chemical dependency challenges.

Kortney has extensive experience working with youth aged 5 to 18, particularly those in foster care. She is well-versed in addressing issues related to the juvenile justice system, truancy, chemical dependency, and mental health.

In addition to her work at BBBSCR, Kortney founded a local network called M.O.M.S (Moms Offering Moms Support) to provide crucial support to mothers following childbirth.

Kortney is passionate about helping families and Bigs stay connected and supported through BBBSCR. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time in nature, baking and experimenting with new recipes, supporting women in her community, and spending quality time with family and friends. 

Contact Kortney