SWAMPSCOTT — When Anne Quagrello took on the role of executive director of Seaglass Village in August, one of her first goals was to help grow the organization however she could.
Seaglass Village is a nonprofit organization aimed at helping older people live independently throughout Swampscott, Nahant, and Marblehead, with plans to expand into Salem.
Before joining the nonprofit, Quagrello’s journey started by volunteering her time at the Swampscott Senior Center. Occasionally, she’d see her mother come to socialize with others, and eventually, she became the activities coordinator. Through her exposure to the senior center, she was able to learn what the needs were for the elderly. She said it was a driving factor in her decision to help improve community members’ lives.
“My first impression was that I was really impressed with what the organization had created (with) such a small group of people. I couldn’t believe the amount of people they were servicing and the amount of volunteers they had already acquired… It’s an incredible group of smart, volunteer-driven people. Their efforts to help the community are amazing, and I’m so happy that I could jump into something that’s already established and keep the ball rolling,” she said.
Quagrello said one of her biggest priorities going into the role was to spread word about Seaglass Village through social media to reach people who may not know about the organization.
“I wanted to use social media as a platform to attract people that are around my age and caring for their parents, who might not know that this organization exists. I wanted to use social media to reach that age group and let them know we’re available to them… Just to grow our numbers and get more donations to raise money for our efforts,” Quagrello said.
She continued, reflecting on her leadership style in a community-oriented organization.
“Number one, I’m a doer. I hear there’s a need, and I like to jump in and get it done. If I can gather the right people to get it done, I don’t think it necessarily has to be me, but I like to get out there and connect with people who can get it done. I like to do it quickly and efficiently… I want to get it done well,” Quagrello said.
One of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing a person in need of assistance paired with a volunteer, which often results in lasting friendships.
“That’s one of the most surprising things to me, that friendships are built between volunteers and members. It’s hard to hear when someone who has no family or friends needs to get to a chemotherapy appointment… To match that person with a volunteer and see them build a friendship out of it has been incredibly rewarding,” she explained.
As executive director, Quagrello manages to balance both her administrative responsibilities with the social outreach elements of Seaglass Village.
“I find the human side of my work to be the most important. There are days where I say, ‘I didn’t get to any of that administrative work,’ but because it’s so flexible, I have a really hands-on Board of Directors that love to help… They’re always checking in and happy to take things on if I don’t get to them,” she said.
She added, “I jumped into something that had already been created… I feel like the people that built the organization deserve all the credit. I hope to continue to grow it, but none of this would be possible with the people that got it up and running.”
For this, Anne Quagrello is the Item’s Swampscott Person of the Year for 2025.
