How a dream to support women became a reality.

In 1996, Mary E. Maloney had a vision to help others. Over 25 years and $1.46 million later, a community of women-supporting-women has flourished.

Discover Fresh Start through the years.

1996

Mary and Joyce Hayes (the 1996 WWB board president) started the program with a small group of women. Soon, the first scholarship was awarded to Delia, an accounting major. After leaving an abusive marriage, she was living in her car with four children. With the Fresh Start scholarship, she graduated with an Associate's Degree in accounting with a 4.0 average and started a new career.

2002

What was then known as the WWB Foundation changed its name to the Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation. An advisory board was established. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and E.I duPont de Nemours became inaugural founders.

2002

What was then known as the WWB Foundation changed its name to the Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation. An advisory board was established. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and E.I duPont de Nemours became inaugural founders.

2003-04

An annual campaign was designed to increase donations. In the same year, we established a formal mentoring program, received a $5,000 grant from the Fund for Women, and also began hosting our Signature Event. We established key performance indicators to measure success and impact.

2003-04

An annual campaign was designed to increase donations. In the same year, we established a formal mentoring program, received a $5,000 grant from the Fund for Women, and also began hosting our Signature Event. We established key performance indicators to measure success and impact.

2006

Over 300 guests attended our Tenth Anniversary Luncheon held at the DuPont Country Club.The Fresh Start Awards program was formed, and we showed a video featuring three scholar success stories.

2006

Over 300 guests attended our Tenth Anniversary Luncheon held at the DuPont Country Club.The Fresh Start Awards program was formed and we showed a video featuring three scholar success stories.

2008

Amended our vision to, “Create an all-volunteer sustainable foundation to continually grow the number and size of scholarships and mentoring strengthen services for women in need,” and established strategies to ensure our vision.

2008

Amended our vision to, “Create an all-volunteer sustainable foundation to continually grow the number and size of scholarships and mentoring strengthen services for women in need,” and established strategies to ensure our vision.

2009

Fresh Start established an endowment fund at the Delaware Community Foundation to ensure financial sustainability.

2009

Fresh Start established an endowment fund at the Delaware Community Foundation to ensure financial sustainability.

2016

Fresh Start celebrates its 20th anniversary.

2016

Fresh Start celebrates its 20th anniversary.

2018

A new milestone reached: $1 million in scholarships were awarded since our founding. New bylaws were adopted to accommodate the official dissolution of WWB.

2018

A new milestone reached: $1 million in scholarships were awarded since our founding. New bylaws were adopted to accommodate the official dissolution of WWB.

Today

Your support helped change the lives of nearly 300 women in Delaware.

Today

Your support help change the lives of nearly 300 women in Delaware.

The Team Behind the Fresh Start foundation

Our all-volunteer board is passionate and committed to supporting women of Delaware.

Lisa-Marie Jackson
President

Lisa-Marie Jackson is an award-winning digital marketing trailblazer with a broad background in creating, implementing, and managing impactful marketing programs for corporate and nonprofit clients in a variety of industry sectors. Prior to launching Sociable Consulting, Lisa-Marie was a strategic business consultant at Trellist Marketing, a Delaware-based firm that integrates data with marketing, design, and digital services.

Lisa-Marie Jackson is an award-winning digital marketing trailblazer with a broad background in creating, implementing, and managing impactful marketing programs for corporate and nonprofit clients in a variety of industry sectors. Prior to launching Sociable Consulting, Lisa-Marie was a strategic business consultant at Trellist Marketing, a Delaware-based firm that integrates data with marketing, design, and digital services.

Nanci Mayer-Mihalski
VP, Scholarship Program

Nanci Mayer-Mihalski has retired from a career in pharmaceutical consulting and research. She is currently a member of the Breast Cancer Community Research Advisory Board at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, a former Board Trustee of Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition and past President of the Wilmington Women in Business. Nanci has been involved in Fresh Start since 2018.

Nanci Mayer-Mihalski has retired from a career in pharmaceutical consulting and research. She is currently a member of the Breast Cancer Community Research Advisory Board at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, a former Board Trustee of Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition and past President of the Wilmington Women in Business. Nanci has been involved in Fresh Start since 2018.

Donna Weidel
Vice President, Marketing and Communications

After a long career in advertising working for some of the world’s leading brands, Donna spends her retirement through mentoring, artistic endeavors, and giving back to the community with organizations like Fresh Start. She joined in 2021.

After a long career in advertising working for some of the world’s leading brands, Donna spends her retirement through mentoring, artistic endeavors, and giving back to the community with organizations like Fresh Start. She joined in 2021.

Marisa Facciolo, JD
VP Development

Marisa is active in the Delaware community and holds several positions across various boards, including the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware, the Christiana Care Hospital, and Archmere Academy.

Marisa is active in the Delaware community and holds several positions across various boards, including the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware, the Christiana Care Hospital, and Archmere Academy.

Kelsey Callaghan
Treasurer

Kelsey brings her experience as a tax planner and CPA to the Fresh Start Scholarship. She believes women are the strength and backbone of our families and community, and that an investment in a woman’s education has an exponential effect. She has been a proud board member since 2019.

Kelsey brings her experience as a tax planner and CPA to the Fresh Start Scholarship. She believes women are the strength and backbone of our families and community, and that an investment in a woman’s education has an exponential effect. She has been a proud board member since 2019.

Cristina Castillo
Assistant Treasurer

Megan Maloney
Secretary

Board of Directors

Barbara Buckley
Leilani Decena-Shepherd
Dafina Blacksher Diabate
Courtney Johnson
Kelli Kilbride
Ralandré Lacy
Deneen Law
Samanta Lopez
Mary E. Maloney
Sharon Mossman
Sandy Scheibe
Ex- Officio, Betty Sweeny
Pauline Tartaglia

Advisory Board

Tracy Quillen Carney
Vernita Dorsey
Sharon Kelly Hake
LaVerne Harmon
Karen M. Ingram
Jan Jessup
Rita Landgraf
Colleen Perry Keith
Paula Swain
Michele Whetzel
Rita Wilkins
Margo Ewing Woodacre

Read our feature in Delaware Today

“We aren’t just transforming women’s lives,” Maloney says, “but also positively impacting the lives of their children, family and the community."