Making it Happen
Today, our staff consists of an executive director and several part-time contractors. We look forward to building a more extensive roster as we continue to grow.
Patti Quigley, Executive Director
Patti became active in women’s issues after her husband Patrick was killed on September 11, 2001. He was a passenger on United Flight 175, the second plane to hit the World Trade Center.
After her husband’s death, Patti was overwhelmed by the enormous outpouring of emotional support from around the world. Soon after the United States invaded Afghanistan, she became aware of the vast differences between her experience as a widow and the treatment of her counterparts in Afghanistan. Struck by these disparities, Patti teamed with Susan Retik — who was also widowed on September 11 — to establish Beyond the 11th, a nonprofit organization founded to support projects that provide sustainable income to Afghan widows and their families.
With Susan’s blessing, Patti recently shifted her focus to the young girls in Afghanistan. After working as a colleague and becoming close friends with Razia Jan, Patti joined the Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation to help Razia fulfill her dream of educating the next generation of Afghan people so that the cycle of poverty, despair, and terrorism can be stopped. Having enjoyed a successful career as an internal auditor and vice president of financial operations at several commercial lending organizations, Patti is pleased to apply her skills and experience to the role of executive director for the foundation.
Patti also supports and works for other nonprofit organizations in her local community. As a board member of the Wellesley Education Foundation she gathers support and funding for innovative ideas to help teachers create an environment where kids can think outside of the box. She is also an annual participant in the Pan Mass Challenge, cycling to raise money for cancer research.
In recognition of Patti’s work, she has received several awards as well as media attention. In 2002, the Lowell Police Academy recognized her work against terrorism. She received a Special Recognition Award for Activism from MOVA (Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance) in 2008. That year she also received an award from Search for Common Ground. Patti was interviewed on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007. Patti is also a subject in Beth Murphy’s documentary film Beyond Belief.
Patti resides in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and is the mother of Rachel and Leah.
Contractors
Beth Murphy, Documentary Director
Beth Murphy is a documentary producer, director, author, and university professor. She is the founder of Principle Pictures, an independent film company committed to giving voice to the voiceless, raising awareness about important social issues, and inspiring education and action through entertainment. Ms. Murphy is director and producer of Beyond Belief, the acclaimed feature documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Beyond Belief reveals a courageous journey as two ordinary “soccer moms,” Patti Quigley and Susan Retik, move through the grief of losing their husbands on September 11 and dedicate themselves to empowering Afghan widows whose lives have been ravaged by decades of war, poverty, and oppression. From the ruins of the World Trade Center to those of Kabul and back, theirs is a journey of personal strength and international reconciliation, and a testament to the vision that peace can be forged — one woman at a time.
Ms. Murphy’s programs are broadcast on numerous national and international networks including the Sundance Channel, the History Channel, Discovery, Lifetime, and PBS. She is most recently the winner of the Gracie Allen Award from American Women in Radio and Television and the One Shared World International Outreach Award. She authored Fighting for Our Future (McGraw Hill, 2003), a companion book to one of her films, and is a contributing author to Open My Eyes, Open My Soul (McGraw Hill, 2004).
As an adjunct professor, Ms. Murphy has taught international media and media ethics courses at Suffolk University and the American University of Paris. She serves on the board of the International Institute of Boston, an organization that helps immigrants and refugees.
David Gerratt, Website Designer
After growing up in a print shop, David embarked on a career in design and has worked as a designer, print production manager, and graphic arts trainer in the US, Europe, and Africa for more than 20 years. With a passion for “promoting the good work of others,” David’s company DG Communications has helped create print materials and websites for more than 200 nonprofit organizations including Oxfam America, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Conservation Law Foundation, Farm Aid, and the American Friends Service Committee, as well as a vast number of academic institutions and commercial enterprises.
Miranda Hersey Helin, Writer and Editor
Miranda Hersey Helin of Pen and Press has a dozen years of experience as a freelance writer and editor. Working in public and private sectors, she skillfully manages projects, deadlines, and resources. She has served as ongoing managing editor for clients in parenting media and academia and has subcontracted with business consultants on a variety of projects, including websites, marketing materials, and proposals. Miranda has developed and edited a myriad of manuscripts, ranging from poetry and photography to linguistics and otolaryngology. Recently, she researched and wrote a case study for the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College. Other clients include Harvard University, MIT, Compaq, and Children’s Hospital Boston. When not busy with client projects, Miranda is working on a nonfiction book for creative mothers. A Mother’s Guide to the Creative Life is a practical handbook for women looking to fulfill their creative dreams while enjoying their families and home lives.
