Meet Our New Team Members: Carly, Leana, and Gabby New Faces at Heart, Love & Soul

Heart, Love & Soul is pleased to welcome three new staff members to our team: Carly, our Community Health Nurse, and Leana and Gabby, who join us as Homeless Outreach Case Managers. Each brings valuable experience and skills that will strengthen our ability to meet the needs of the Niagara Falls community.

 

Carly – Community Health Nurse

Carly’s professional journey is rooted in a commitment to community health. After earning her nursing degree in 2005, she went on to complete a master’s degree in mental health counseling and gained experience across hospitals, community health centers, and travel nursing along the East Coast.

What motivates Carly most is the opportunity to meet people where they are. “I love helping people in the community,” she explained. “With my background in both nursing and mental health, I’m passionate about issues like substance use and recovery. Here, I get to use both skill sets in one place.”

She believes strongly in the importance of creating accessible and safe spaces: “I’m always a firm believer that if someone comes somewhere safe and starts talking to people, that might motivate them to change their way more than waiting until they’re in crisis.”

 

Leana – Homeless Outreach Case Manager

Leana discovered her interest in social work while studying at SUNY Brockport, where she earned her degree in 2020. Since then, she has worked in positions focused on advocacy and access, ensuring that people’s basic needs are recognized and met.

She was drawn to Heart, Love & Soul’s approach to homelessness and outreach. “I believe people have the right to have their needs met,” she said. “Social work is about advocacy, support, and making sure people can get what they need.”

Her perspective also includes broader advocacy. “When I was in school, I was really into organizational activism,” she explained. “That’s why I also like social work—it’s very much about being an advocate.”

 

Gabby – Homeless Outreach Case Manager

Gabby earned an associate degree in criminal justice and sociology from ECC and a bachelor’s degree from a CUNY school. While initially uncertain how to apply her education, she found direction in a homeless outreach position that clarified her career goals.

“During that job I learned how much I like helping people hands-on and how meaningful that help was to those people,” she said. That experience led her to pursue work that provides direct, practical support.

Gabby was drawn to Heart, Love & Soul by its commitment to the Niagara Falls community. “What drew me here was how much they care about people and the Niagara Falls community overall.”

 

Looking Ahead

The addition of Carly, Leana, and Gabby strengthens Heart, Love & Soul’s capacity to address health needs, expand outreach, and connect individuals with critical services. Their skills and experience will enhance the support we provide every day, ensuring guests have greater access to resources and opportunities. We are pleased to welcome them to the team.