Connecting Southeastern Massachusetts Families to Critical Support Services

Ben Mahala

Database and Programming Specialist

Ben Mahala has been working as a web developer and programmer for over 7 years and has worked on projects ranging from large corporate websites to specialty business applications.

Ben has extensive experience with industry standard .Net programming, as well as Ruby on Rails, Perl, and Java. Experienced with several leading database platforms including Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL, Ben is able to employ flexible solutions to meet unique client technology needs.

Ben graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in Information and Decision Science, with additional education in project management, software development, and computer science.

Josh Eanes

Email Development Specialist

Josh is a unique breed of developer who operates in the highly specialized world of HTML email production. He excels at design, coding, testing, and implementation of email across a range of platforms.

Whether you have your own design that you’ve created in-house, or need a custom email template created for you, Josh will make sure that your emails are coded to perform reliably no matter who is reading them or what device they’re on.

Jesse DaCosta

Search Engine Optimization & Analytics Specialist

Jesse is a dynamic, highly trained SEO and Internet Marketing Consultant with over 15 years of professional experience working in both in-house and agency settings. Have a demonstrated a successful track record as a lead SEO on complex campaigns, Jesse is able to produce high quality results that increase visibility and brand awareness, and drive organic search engine traffic and revenue growth; he also excels at strategic consulting and has a successful track record applying comprehensive search strategies across a range of B2B and B2C businesses, including Fortune 500 companies such as CVS, Aetna, and Staples, along with a range of associations and nonprofit organizations.

Jesse is experienced managing a diverse portfolio of websites across industries, including eCommerce, lead generation, and informational; by industry, and by stages of their life cycle, including new, existing and full redesigns.

Shane Muir

Video Production Specialist

A multidisciplinary video production professional, Shane Muir has over eight years of experience creating content for a range of clientele, including nonprofits, universities, commercial brands, and online creators. His work spans documentary, narrative, testimonial, fundraising, podcast, and narrated content, with highlights including projects for Northeastern University and several fundraising campaigns for various non-profit organizations totaling over $250,000.

Shane’s core specialties include video and audio editing, motion graphics, color correction, videography, photography, and graphic design, with a strong foundation in content strategy and social media analytics. He brings a full-production mindset to every project, ensuring both creative quality and strategic impact.

Edward Emmanuel

Search Engine Optimization Specialist

An experienced search engine optimization professional, Edward Emmanuel has over eleven years of SEO experience with clientele ranging from small businesses to national organizations and major brands, including ESPN, A&E Television and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Ed’s primary area of specialty is organic keyword-based SEO, with a range of sub-specialties including key term research, position reporting, web analytics, strategic SEO analysis, linking campaigns, conversion goals, on-page optimization, social media, local search, image and video optimization, digital asset optimization, and mobile search.

Ed is involved in all phases of SEO campaigns, from discovery and competitor analysis to baseline reporting, on-page optimization and position reporting, and has a strong history of producing measurable results for HSS Clients.

Jared Joven

Interface Development, Accessibility & Usability Specialist

Jared specializes in optimizing the user experience by designing and implementing sites with a focus on information architecture, accessibility, and adherence to industry standards and best coding practices using cascading stylesheets (CSS) and W3C-compliant XHTML.

A talented and innovative web developer, Jared has worked on projects for agencies and institutions such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Harvard University, MIT, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Labor (DOL), SalesForce, Goodwin Procter, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Justice, and other clients, both national and international.

Amy Francis, MSIS

Web Design & Project Management

Amy has been involved with website design and development for twenty-five years, before most people even knew what the Internet was. She began her career as a web programmer for the Providence Journal, as well as a developer for the RDW Group, and actively managed a large membership website as Associate Director/Website Coordinator for the Massachusetts Nurses Association, one of the nation’s most active labor advocacy membership organizations.

Amy brings this longstanding real-world experience to HSS projects by incorporating modern design trends with practical user experience strategies to engage visitors, while also maintaining a solid content management strategy for site administrators.

Amy’s educational background is a balance of creativity and technology – she holds a Bachelors of Art from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Master of Science in Information Systems from Northeastern University.

Nina Rivera

Digital Marketing Specialist

Nina Rivera is a Digital Marketing Strategist that brings a diverse background in marketing, sales, and fundraising. With 8+ years of experience in social media marketing, Google Ads, and many other digital platforms. She’s a self-proclaimed digital marketing nerd when it comes to Facebook ads, Google Ads, and various other paid media platforms.

A Google Certified Partner, Nina has a wealth of experience creating paid ad strategies, conducting keyword research, writing ad copy, and managing campaigns. She has a data-driven approach to campaign optimization, focused on architecting strategies that maximize ROI. She knows the importance of implementing and analyzing A/B and multi-varients testing to scale and produce high-performing campaigns.

Greg Robertson

Branding & Copywriting Specialist

Although best known in the marketing field for his commercial work with major marketers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Michelin, PepsiCo, Pizza Hut, and Virgin Megastores, over his nearly 20 years in the business Greg Robertson’s writing, concept development, and strategic programs have also frequently been directed toward aiding social causes. For children’s advocates, the elderly, animal services, and a range of health concerns, he has developed insightful, empathetic, and strategically creative campaigns that have proven their abilities to gather volunteers, raise funds, and clarify purpose.

For causes designed to change societal attitudes—from promoting tolerance in the face of terrorism to fighting drunk driving, smoking, and child abuse—Greg has a proven ability to grab attention while educating in an intelligent, startling, and even amusing manner that makes people want to remember and repeat the messages.

Having proven his gift for provocative, insightful, and memorable writing with commercial ventures, Greg has also proven that he is more than pleased to apply that gift to the support of important causes.

Michael Hessling

Senior Developer

Michael Hessling has over 20 years of hands-on web coding experience, including complex high-traffic government websites and small business applications. Michael specializes in W3C web standards based coding, utilizing semantic markup for structure, advanced CSS for presentation, unobtrusive DOM scripting for behavior, and WAI guidelines for accessibility.

He manages the backend of many HSS sites as well. Michael specializes in implementation of ExpressionEngine, Drupal, and WordPress: all are robust PHP/MySQL-based content management systems.

Michael holds a BA in Physics from Pomona College, and a Master’s degree in Resource Economics and Policy from Duke University.

William Weaver

Web Development Specialist

With over a decade of experience building custom websites, William works with clients across a wide range of industries to create reliable, well-structured WordPress sites. He specializes in WordPress development, handling everything from initial setup and configuration to custom theme development, plugin management, testing, and deployment.

William brings a thoughtful, detail-oriented approach to every project, ensuring each website is both functional and easy to manage long term. He stays current with evolving technologies and best practices through ongoing self-directed learning and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Software Development, providing a strong technical foundation for his work.

Jason Summerfield, MSW

Web Strategy & Management

As the principal and founder of Human Service Solutions, Jason works closely with all clients and project team members to develop the overall vision and strategy for each project.

Jason brings a unique combination of skills and experience to HSS as a web development professional with a background in clinical social work and the behavioral sciences. Jason oversees all phases of web development and Internet marketing projects, including information architecture, interface design, content management and search engine optimization (SEO).

Jason works directly with other project team members to ensure that each client’s web presence meets unique goals while reinforcing a consistent message and brand identity across media. By combining creative delivery with solid research-based tactics Jason is able to guide clients toward lasting mission-based outcomes.

Mr. Summerfield began his web development career working as a core team member for two of the first nationally successful online retail businesses, later acquired by a Fortune 500 company. Since then, Jason has gone on to help senior management teams for organizations of all types successfully build and market effective websites to meet unique challenges.

Jason earned his MSW from the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, and completed his BA Phi Beta Kappa with Distinction in Psychology at Boston University.