Chamber Breakfast 1/11/2023

Speakers:
Liz LaRose—President, Monadnock United Way
Chris Coates—Cheshire County, County Administrator

Sponsored by:
United Healthcare
Self Storage of Jaffrey & Peterborough

About the Speakers: 

Liz LaRose—President, Monadnock United Way
I have the honor of witnessing a highly talented and dedicated team work their magic every day. Our team raises funds, invests funds and builds strong coalitions to solve some of the most important issues that face our region. I watch in awe as they build the relationships and systems necessary to address needs for children, education and financial stability. I also have the privilege of collaborating with the leaders, hand-raisers and game-changers in our community. This includes our board members; nonprofit, business and governmental leaders; and the hundreds of volunteers who give their time to make this community strong.
 
Before joining MUW, I served as the director of marketing and communications at Crotched Mountain Foundation in Greenfield, New Hampshire. I was responsible for promoting the good work of all programs within the organization, such as our special education school, specialty hospital, adaptive sports, autism programming and outpatient services. I am an active member of the Healthy Monadnock Alliance, serving on the Executive Committee and the Behavioral Health Committee for our region’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). I also served as chair of the Evaluation Committee. I am a member of the New Hampshire Funders Forum and its Early Childhood Affinity Group. I served as the 2016 president of the Public Relations Society of America Yankee Chapter and served as Ethics Officer for several years.
 
My past community involvement includes being a volunteer adaptive ski instructor for Crotched Mountain Accessible Recreation and Sports and serving on the boards of the Harris Center for Conservation Education, Sharon Conservation Commission and Giving Monadnock. I am a 2011 graduate of Leadership New Hampshire.
 
My husband and I moved to the Monadnock region in 2001. We ended up falling in love with the region because the people here care about, and are engaged in, ensuring a good quality of life for everyone. In my spare time, I like to be outdoors skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking and gardening. I love to be outside at any time of the year and in almost any weather. The fresh air rejuvenates my soul.
 
Chris Coates—Cheshire County, County Administrator
Christopher Coates finishes his seventh year as the County Administrator for Cheshire County in the southwest corner of the State of NH bordering Massachusetts and Vermont. Before joining the County, Chris worked for 22 years for Monadnock Development Services as Director of Outside Services and Development. Chris sat on the Keene City Council for ten years, Keene Board of Education for ten years, and was a NH State Rep for one term.
 
Currently, Chris sits on the Keene Chamber of Commerce Board, the Southwest Regional Planning Commission, Hundred Nights Homeless Emergency Shelter and Resource Center Board, and Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities Board; Chris is also a Commissioner for Keene Housing, Executive Committee Member of New Hampshire Association of Counties, and an Advisory Board Member for Monadnock Economic Development Committee. For the last 9 years, Chris has hosted his own radio show, discussing current local, state, and national news.
 
Chris, a Keene native, continues to make his residence there with his wife Cari and their two dogs. Chris and Cari have a daughter, Alexandria, who resides in Middletown, Maryland with her husband, David and sons Mathia and Vander.