The Board of Directors is committed to advancing the mission of Mimi’s Light by fostering a culture of love, empathy, kindness, and empowerment. Through thoughtful leadership, community collaboration, and responsible stewardship, the Board works to support initiatives that promote healing, education, charitable outreach, and meaningful opportunities that strengthen the Greater Rochester community.
Mike and Cheri Turco (Maria’s parents) started Mimi’s Light in 2022 in memory of their daughter, hoping to carry on her desire to spread kindness and make the world a better place.
Mike is retired and spends his time working on home projects, enjoying taking care of their son, Nick who has special needs and playing with their three dogs.
Cheri continues to work part-time as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She also enjoys caring for Nick and spending time with family and friends. Mike and Cheri are blessed to have adult children, a bunch of grandchildren and wonderful son and daughter-in-laws along with some very supportive friends and extended family. They are committed to continuing to shine Maria’s light and finding creative ways to grow the
foundation.
Driven by an enduring love and a commitment to legacy, Jennifer Gregg serves as a Board Member for the foundation, which was started in profound honor of her sister, Maria. To keep Maria’s spirit alive, Jennifer is deeply dedicated to carrying forward a mission rooted in love, empathy, and active kindness.
Through her leadership on the board, she works to turn personal loss into community healing—championing programs that support mental wellbeing, empower local youth, and uplift vulnerable populations. For Jennifer, this foundation is a profound labor of love, ensuring that Maria’s compassion continues to heal, inspire, and bring dignity to everyone it touches.
Jennifer brings to the board 26 years of experience as a nurse, with a career primarily dedicated to and advocating for the underserved. Her extensive background in healthcare gives her a unique, firsthand understanding of the critical needs within vulnerable communities.
Beyond her professional and philanthropic work, Jennifer is deeply family-oriented and treasures spending quality time with her loved ones including her husband Josh and their collective 4 adult children. She has a passion for her animals which includes a dog, cat and many chickens! She loves being outdoors—especially when exploring beautiful waterways either by boat, jet-ski or kayak. Grounded, warm, and deeply rooted in her community, Jennifer finds her greatest joy in bringing people together and creating meaningful connections.
Ryan Turco, Maria’s brother, is a Rochester‑area media professional known for his long-standing work in broadcast, creative production, and entertainment with deep roots in the region’s entertainment and broadcasting community working for many radio stations including 98 PXY and currently in television at WROC shaping the station’s on‑air identity and promotional strategy after more than a decade in roles spanning promotions, editing, and creative services.
Beyond broadcasting, Turco has spent over 20 years as the owner of Wildbyrd Productions, a creative events company in Rochester that handles everything from DJing and Silent Discos to live performances and A/V work. His performance background stretches back even further: and is currently part of the beloved Rochester children’s entertainment group The Happy Pirates, where he honed his stage presence, comedic timing, and crowd‑engagement skills. That experience fueled his ongoing passion for improvisation, and live entertainment.
He is also genuinely committed to continuing to shine Maria’s light and finding creative ways to grow the foundation.
Paul McArdle is a guitarist, music educator, and teaching artist serving the Rochester and Finger Lakes communities through inclusive music education and creative engagement.
His connection to Mimi’s Light is deeply personal. Paul and his late wife, Maria (“Mimi”) Turco-McArdle, met through the Cobblestone Arts Center, where their shared love of music, commitment to community, and dedication to individuals with adaptive needs brought them together. Together with the Turco and McArdle families, they built a life rooted in compassion, inclusion, and service.
Today, Paul honors Maria’s legacy by using music to create meaningful opportunities for connection, creativity, and belonging for people of all ages and abilities, and is also genuinely committed to continuing to shine Maria’s light and finding creative ways to grow the foundation.
A friend of the Turco’s for nearly 60 years, Bob is happy to support Mimi’s Light Foundation. Currently an at-large board member, Bob lives in New Smyrna Beach Florida and works hard at being retired. Bob is a frequent visitor to Central New York and looks forward to seeing you at a Mimi’s Light event in the near future!
Bailey is a proud Rochester native and dedicated third-grade teacher who has spent six years in the classroom at Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts. Bailey has a passion for learning, and strives to create meaningful connections, and a strong sense of community both in and out of the classroom. When she’s not teaching, Bailey spends her free time teaching children’s yoga, exploring nature, and enjoys getting creative. You can often find her hiking local trails, enjoying live music, or getting lost in a great book.
She is also genuinely committed to continuing to shine Maria’s light and finding creative ways to grow the foundation.
Kathleen Fenton is an illustrator, educator, and storyteller whose work is rooted in tenderness, nature, and hope. She recently completed her MFA in Illustration at the University of Hartford and has taught animation and illustration at the college level. Her artwork often blends pen and ink with watercolor, drawing inspiration from children’s books, faith, folklore, and the small beautiful details of everyday life.
Kathleen is honored to be involved with Mimi’s Light and its mission of bringing creativity, encouragement, and care to the community.
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