STAFF & BOARD

Welcome to the heart of the 1ness Project. We are a dedicated team of educators, creators, and community leaders committed to building spaces where connection, healing, and true belonging can flourish. Meet the passionate staff and board members who guide our vision, champion our mission, and work every day to bring our programs to life.

Dr. Digna Saad

Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Digna Saad has spent her career walking into what others called impossible — and building what others said couldn’t be built. A Dominican-born transformation executive with a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Boston University, she has led change across three sectors and two continents: architecting leadership development at IBM, driving strategy at the Gallup Organization and MillerCoors, ensuring compliance across 43 Boston public schools, and reviving nonprofits others had written off — securing over $1 million in federal funding for one, negotiating a $2 million self-sustainability model for another, and stabilizing a Buffalo community institution to more than $1.2 million in reserves while advancing a 111-unit affordable housing pipeline.

But her most important work began where her résumé ends. After decades of repairing broken systems, Dr. Saad founded the 1ness Project Foundation to address what she names the love gap — the widening distance between people and the relationships that make life worth living. Rooted in relationship literacy and radical belonging, the Foundation’s work centers those most often left out of connection, especially neurodivergent youth, beginning with its inaugural program, Day Ones Friendship, launching in Buffalo in 2026.

A published poet since childhood, a speaker of five languages, and a lifelong learner who has traveled to more than 150 countries, Dr. Saad brings a rare fusion of executive rigor and human tenderness to her work. She believes that wholeness is not where healing ends — it is where power begins.

Timothy M Anas

Deputy Executive Director

Tim serves as the Deputy Executive Director of the 1ness Project, where he leads initiatives focused on deep community collaboration and social inclusion. In addition to his leadership role with the project, Timothy serves as a local pastor in the Niagara region. Throughout his pastoral ministry, he has specialized in building inter-congregational partnerships and creating shared space initiatives alongside local community allies. His professional career centers entirely on bridging social divides and fostering meaningful connections among diverse populations.

Timothy holds a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Theological Languages from Concordia University Chicago. His extensive background in collaborative ministry includes serving as an urban center director and redeveloping local youth programming initiatives. Trained in family systems theory and counseling, he brings a deep personal dedication to community rehabilitation, family advocacy, and ethnic inclusion to his organizational leadership.

RafiQ Flowers

Creative Strategist

RafiQ Flowers is a visionary creative strategist and entrepreneur who operates at the intersection of technology, community, and inclusive design. As a Creative Strategist for The 1ness Project, RafiQ champions radical inclusion by leveraging his deep expertise to build spaces where neurodivergent individuals can authentically connect, heal, and flourish. Guided by the core philosophy that innovation must always serve an equitable purpose, he focuses on transforming traditional concepts of accessibility into deeply felt experiences of belonging, ensuring that human differences are celebrated as collective strengths.

RafiQ's unique approach blends rigorous corporate experience with mission-driven empathy. Prior to his focus on advocacy, he built a formidable reputation within the corporate sector, managing complex digital landscapes and scaling architecture for millions of users. At Delaware North, he modernized digital guest experiences for global hospitality venues, sports arenas, and national parks. This followed a pivotal tenure at TEGNA, a media powerhouse where he played a key role in the digital evolution of local journalism while strictly maintaining community integrity.

RafiQ's dedication to social change is further anchored by his entrepreneurial background. As the Co-Founder of Arttitude, a non-profit that amplifies marginalized voices through art, and the Founder of creativio, a non-profit creative agency that empowers grassroots organizations, he has mastered the art of high-impact visual storytelling. By channeling his enterprise-level insights into advocacy work, RafiQ continues to build an "architecture of experience" designed to dismantle systemic barriers and uplift neurodivergent communities.

BOARD MEMBERS

Dr. Michele Dow

BOARD CHAIR

Dr. Michele Dow is a lifelong educator and activist. For sixteen years, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education rising to State Director of English Learner Programs before being recruited to join the Boston Public Schools as the Senior Manager for English Learner Programs where she co-led the development of the first Settlement Agreement between the Boston Public Schools, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, regarding their services to English Learners. For six of those years, she simultaneously taught at the Harvard University Extension School Institute of English Learners where she twice received the Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2015, she left her position in Boston to pursue her lifelong dream of completing a PhD in Educational Leadership. She is now Associate Lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the School of Education and Human Development as well as the Department of Linguistics.

Dr. Alba Beltre

VICE- CHAIR

Dr. Alba Beltre brings invaluable medical expertise and research acumen to The 1ness Project's Board of Directors. As a general physician with a master's degree from Harvard's research program, she combines clinical experience with a deep understanding of evidence-based practices to support our community.

While Dr. Beltre does not have children of her own, she has dedicated her professional life to improving the wellbeing of children worldwide. Her commitment to pediatric health and development extends beyond traditional medical practice, embracing a holistic approach that considers the unique needs of every child and family.

As a Board member, Dr. Beltre provides crucial medical perspective to The 1ness Project's initiatives, helping bridge the gap between healthcare systems and community support. Her research background enables her to evaluate and implement best practices, ensuring our programs are grounded in current scientific understanding while remaining accessible to families.

Dr. Beltre's passion for children's health and development, combined with her extensive medical knowledge, makes her an essential voice in shaping the organization's approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families.

Mirla Torres

SECRETARY

As a first-generation Latina and single mother of a neurodivergent child, Mirla Torres brings a unique and vital perspective to The 1ness Project's Board of Directors. Despite holding professional credentials as an accountant in her home country, Mirla faced the challenges many immigrants encounter, including language barriers that initially led her to work as a laborer upon arriving in the United States.

Her personal journey navigating the complexities of raising a neurodivergent child while adapting to a new country has given her firsthand insight into the obstacles many families face. This experience drives her passionate advocacy for parent voices within the neurodivergent community.

As a Board member, Mirla is committed to ensuring that parents' perspectives, particularly those from diverse cultural backgrounds, are heard and considered in the organization's decision-making processes. She understands that every family's journey is unique and believes in the importance of creating inclusive support systems that recognize and respect these differences.

Drawing from her professional background in accounting and her lived experience, Mirla contributes both practical expertise and deep empathy to her role, working to make The 1ness Project more accessible and responsive to the needs of all families in our community.

Brittney Ciccone

BOARD MEMBER

Bringing creative vision and dynamic energy to The 1ness Project's Board of Directors, Britney is an accomplished artist whose paintings have garnered recognition and found homes in numerous private collections. Her artistic sensibility is matched by her extensive experience in non-profit leadership, including her distinguished service on the Board of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston and The Sowa Artist Guild.

As a mother to her daughter Charlotte and her beloved dog Olive, Britney brings both personal warmth and professional expertise to her role. Her youthful perspective and vibrant energy infuse The 1ness Project with fresh ideas and innovative approaches to community engagement. She has done extensive volunteering at the Haley House, The United South and Settlement Committee.

Drawing from her background in both the arts and non-profit governance, Britney contributes unique insights into how creative expression can foster connection and understanding within our community. Her experience in the cultural sector helps shape programs that embrace diversity, creativity, and inclusion.

Britney's natural enthusiasm and commitment to making a difference exemplify The 1ness Project's mission to create a more inclusive and understanding world for all families.

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