Our Founders and Board of Directors
Sara Stevens Nerone
Co-Founder and President
Sara and her two daughters co-founded Rock-Paper-Scissors Children's Fund. Sara has traveled, lived, and volunteered in Vietnam, and first traveled to Vietnam in 1999, to welcome her first daughter Sophie into her and her husband Chris's family through adoption, and again in 2001 to welcome their second daughter, Phoebe. Sara's main profession was working for the U.S. National Park Service as the Program Manager for the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory and Monitoring Network, a large ecological monitoring program for National Parks along the North Atlantic Coast. Sara retired in 2025, and has since be focusing on the Rock-Paper-Scissors. Sara has an MS from the University of Rhode Island in International Wildlife Ecology, with the focus on rainforest mammals, she has twenty-six years managing a program for the government, and 14 years of experience running and operating an international NGO.
Sophie Nerone
Co-Founder and Board Member
Sophie is one of the co-founders of the Rock-Paper-Scissors Children's Fund, and has traveled and volunteered in the summers in Vietnam since 2010. Sophie assists with year-round fundraising, as well as administrative duties. While living in Vietnam in 2011-2012, Sophie created the original music program, even before the organization was formed. Sophie has a degree in Biochemistry from Wheaton College, in Massachusetts in Biochemistry, and is a medical student at Penn State College of Medicine in PA. Sophie continues to be an accomplished violinist.
Phoebe Nerone
Co-Founder and Board Member
Phoebe is a co-founder of Rock-Paper-Scissors Children's Fund. She has a BA from Wheaton College, MA, in Anthropology and Public Health, and a MS in Global Health from the Karolinska Institute, Medical University, Solna Sweden (2024). Phoebe has traveled and volunteered in Vietnam every summer since 2010, assisting with all
programs as a volunteer coordinator with her sister. While in Middle School, Phoebe started a reading glasses program, donating 100's of reading glasses to elderly people in Vietnam. She is currently applying to become a nurse, and interned in a small underserved hospital in Moshi Tanzania, on a summer scholarship she received in College. Phoebe's focus is on women's health, in rural, underserved communities.
Laurette Vitello
Education Advisor
Laurette is currently the orchestra and chorus director at Curtis Corner Middle School in South Kingstown, RI, as well as a visiting professor at Providence College. She is a certified Suzuki Violin Instructor and a professional violinist having played with Musica Dolce, Rhode Island Philharmonic Community Orchestra and Quattro Amici. During the summers of 2015 and 2016, Laurette traveled to Vietnam with Rock-Paper-Scissors to volunteer. She is now one of our music program advisors.
Rozanne Fuller
Chair and Music Education Advisor
For many years Rozanne worked in RI public schools as a music teacher, she retired in 2011. Currently she teaches
cello privately, has been the conductor and director of the South Kingstown Chamber Orchestra for 10 years, is a member of the Westerly Chorus, is a weekly volunteer at Music Works in Providence, RI and now is a music advisor and volunteer for Rock-Paper-Scissors. During the summers, Rozanne travels to Vietnam with Rock-Paper-Scissors to teach music and conduct the summer orchestra.
Patrick O'Brien
Writer/Photographer, Board Member
Patrick has volunteered in Vietnam for the past seven summers. He's been an integral part in the development of our programs. In the U.S. Patrick works in the health care field, and is a photographer and writer/journalist. He has a double degree in English and Journalism from the University of Rhode Island, and a registered nursing degree in critical care. Patrick assists with report writing for Rock-Paper-Scissors and supporting summer volunteers.
Hannah Beekman
Treasurer and Music Education Advisor
Hannah is the owner of Beekman Violins in Wakefield, RI. She also teaches private lessons in violin, and is active in a variety of Rhode Island music initiatives. She has a BA in Music from Rhode Island College (2018) and a BA in English from Boston University (2012). Hannah has traveled and volunteered as a music teacher in Vietnam for Rock-Paper-Scissors, and continues to be involved not only as a music consultant, but an active Board Member.
Emma Dwinell
Secretary
Emma is a special education math teacher at the High School level. She was trained at the Autism Center in Cranston RI, as a Training Program Specialist/Behavior Technician. She has a BA in both Anthropology and English from the University of Rhode Island. Emma worked part-time for Rock-Paper-Scissors when she was a student, and has traveled to Vietnam to volunteer for the organization three times.
Caroline O'Pecko
Board Member
Caroline is a supply chain planner for the Boston Beer Company, She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Supply Chain. Caroline has traveled to work on our programs three times. She grew up playing Viola, and has started to play again. She has experience in social media and marketing.