Our story
Ali Auburn Founder/Executive Director
Ali is a professional singer/songwriter from southern New Jersey. Since 2009, she has performed, recorded, and released music as an independent artist. During this time, she gained airplay on independent radio stations in the U.S. and U.K., and was afforded the opportunity to open locally for major acts like Chris Young, Zac Brown Band, and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary).
In the fall of 2013, she was asked by a friend to speak and perform at a fundraising event for a local chapter of NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association). It was after this event that Ali discovered a new passion: using music and honesty about her past experiences to help others heal. Since then, she has devoted her time and energy towards that goal.
DFTLY Foundation began as a simple blog site where Ali began writing openly and honestly about her struggles with depression and anxiety. The blogs resonated with readers, and soon she was asked to speak and perform for several after-school organizations on topics ranging from bullying, anxiety, body image, and confidence. Those events became the catalyst for Ali to found DFTLY Foundation and to develop the DFTLY presentations.
She hopes that DFTLY Foundation will continue to grow and use various outlets of entertainment to fight against the negative messages expressed in today's mainstream media and to combat the growing anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among adolescents and young adults.
Ali is a professional singer/songwriter from southern New Jersey. Since 2009, she has performed, recorded, and released music as an independent artist. During this time, she gained airplay on independent radio stations in the U.S. and U.K., and was afforded the opportunity to open locally for major acts like Chris Young, Zac Brown Band, and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary).
In the fall of 2013, she was asked by a friend to speak and perform at a fundraising event for a local chapter of NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association). It was after this event that Ali discovered a new passion: using music and honesty about her past experiences to help others heal. Since then, she has devoted her time and energy towards that goal.
DFTLY Foundation began as a simple blog site where Ali began writing openly and honestly about her struggles with depression and anxiety. The blogs resonated with readers, and soon she was asked to speak and perform for several after-school organizations on topics ranging from bullying, anxiety, body image, and confidence. Those events became the catalyst for Ali to found DFTLY Foundation and to develop the DFTLY presentations.
She hopes that DFTLY Foundation will continue to grow and use various outlets of entertainment to fight against the negative messages expressed in today's mainstream media and to combat the growing anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among adolescents and young adults.
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Ali’s desire to help others led her to enroll in college as a non-traditional student in order to gain the education and tools necessary to run a nonprofit organization and to fight for the causes she believes in. She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University, New Brunswick in January 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and a minor in Psychology. |
our BOARD
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Mary O'Brien Acciani
P.E., CEM, MBA Board Director Mary O'Brien Acciani is currently a Senior Manager at AKF Engineers. She has previously held leadership positions at a number of Architectural Engineering firms as well as in Facilities at Rowan University. Mary received her BSME from Rutgers University and her MBA with a concentration in Management from Rowan University. She is a licensed Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager and Green Building Engineer. |
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Scott Cullen
Board Director Scott Cullen is one of the most respected and longest tenured journalists in the office imaging industry. Throughout his career, Scott has contributed to numerous business, consumer, and technology publications. He has also worked as a publicist and spent 20 years promoting concerts in central New Jersey. A pop culture enthusiast with a passion for music, movies, baseball, and women’s basketball, when not writing or traveling to an industry event, you can usually find him at a concert or sporting event somewhere between Philadelphia and New York City. |
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Kimberly Hasson
MS, NCC, LAC Board Director Kimberly Hasson is a licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and currently works in an Intensive Outpatient Program in South Jersey. She has experience with both individual and group counseling, and has a true passion for people and helping them improve their mental health. Kim graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology from Wilmington University and went on to receive her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wilmington University. She is currently working towards becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). |
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Veronica Spilker
Board Director Veronica Spilker currently works as the Area Administrator for Camden County Young Life, an ecumenical outreach ministry to adolescents. She studied Psychology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and became a Certified Child Life Specialist in November 2017. Her first full time position as a CCLS was at Cooper University Hospital in the Emergency Room and Trauma Bay. Veronica loves exploring the outdoors, making homemade waffles, drinking dark chocolate almond milk, and spending time with her amazing husband, family, and friends. |