Meet the Team
Founder
Varuni Chopra is a junior at North Royalton High School in Ohio. She actually pitched the idea for "Bridge the Gap" as a school club, but the local senior center was closed to visitors. However, she still wanted to make a difference on the lives of senior citizens in Northeast Ohio, prompting her to start Bridge the Gap as a non-profit organization. In college, Varuni hopes to major in Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. She is also a coach for Girls on the Run, the outreach director for NeuroElevation, a University Hospitals Care Rounder, and the founder/president of the Red Cross Club at her school. She has also been selected as a Hershey Heartwarming Young Hero, Cleveland.com Community Standout Honoree, Youth Ambassador Finalist, Bank of America Student Leader, and a Rensselaer Medalist.
Board of Directors
Our board is comprised of students across the nation who come together to support a great cause, complete with quarterly meetings and monthly check-ins. All of our student directors volunteer their time to improve our organization, and we are forever grateful for their support. From updating our social media to conducting interviews, our directors are involved in every facet of the organization. While our board of directors is complete, we are currently looking for chapter presidents to lead students in their own area.
Director of Social Media (Larkspur, California)
Director of Communications (Denville, New Jersey)
Director of Human Resources (Copley, Ohio)
Director of Social Media (Larkspur, California)
Volunteers
Strongsville High School Ambassador
Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Ambassador
Ohio Vice President
Strongsville High School Ambassador
Our organization is 100% volunteer-based, and we are proud to have both in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. While our in-person volunteers visit senior facilities and work with senior citizens one-on-one, our virtual volunteers are able to choose the team where they can make the most impact. Our teams include: diversity and inclusion, education, social media, recruitment, and outreach. In just a few months, we have garnered over 120 volunteers from throughout the United States along with volunteers from Canada, Indonesia, and the Philippines! If you would like to get involved, please fill out the volunteer application and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Advisory Board
Last but definitely not least, our advisory board is truly the backbone of our organization. They are all professionals in the IT and corporate world, and we are able to learn from their experiences and expertise. Not only do they take time out of their busy schedules to assist us, they are always willing to hop on a quick Zoom call. Whether we are brainstorming for fundraisers or planning our next technology session, they never fail to contribute ideas. We would like to briefly introduce our advisors as well. Melissa Vergiels is the CEO of Changing Gears NPO (also our fiscal sponsor). Brenda Moncla is a retired Senior VP and Director of Enterprise Information Management at PNC Bank. Onkar Deshmukh is a Program Manager at TATA Consultancy Services. We cannot thank them enough for their constant support and weekly check-ins.
Toledo, Ohio
Las Vegas, Nevada
Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio