Board of Directors
Born in Lima Peru, Kepler has been a citizen of the United States for 25 years. Mr. Padilla holds an Associate Degree in Architectural Drafting and Graphic Design / Printing from Palm Beach Community College.
After moving to Laconia, New Hampshire, in May of 2015, he joined the Laconia Council 428 of the Knights of Columbus. Kepler is a parishioner of Saint Andre Bissette Parish. He is also a Eucharistic Minister and head of the Usher / Greeter ministry. He is presently the Grand Knight of Laconia council 428 of the Knights of Columbus while also holding the title of District Deputy as well as chairman of the Hispanic program for the State of New Hampshire. He has been named one of the top ten membership producers of the entire order and was named "Knight of the Year" for 2020.
Kepler's first project to aid the children of Peru began, in 2019, with the "Coats for Kids / Peru" program. The program fabricated and donated 425 coats to the children of the Andes in Peru with aid from the Sister Ministers of Saint Vincent De Paul. After the pandemic hit worldwide, Kepler was unable to continue his "Coats for Kids / Peru" program. At the urging of the Sister Ministers of Saint Vincent De Paul he formed the "Feed The Hungry / Peru" program, which through a series of soup kitchens and orphanages, and with the aid of the sisters fed, over 6 thousand Peruvians, a total of over 62,000 meals.
At that time, the mayor of Huasta, Peru, having worked with him on the "Coats for Kids / Peru" program, approached him and asked him to take over the operation and management of the newly constructed orphanage in his city, which he agreed to do. This was the beginning of Huasta House of Hope, which was dedicated on September 19th, 2021.
Christine attended Northeastern University College of Nursing in Boston, Massachusetts. She started her career in Boston at The Veterans Affairs Hospital. She then moved on to The New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Woburn, Massachusetts as a head nurse, working inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, brain injuries and many other complex diseases. The foundation of her experience led her to work for many years providing in-home Health Care, with Primary Care in between.
After 40+ years of nursing and raising two daughters with her husband of 46 years, Scott, she has retired and is now devoting her time to grandchildren, church and volunteering with charities that make a difference for families in need. Her background in Nursing, Motherhood and her Faith in God, have given her the wisdom, knowledge and compassion necessary, for understanding and helping the less fortunate.
Ron Keys was born in the village of Ossining, New York, where he studied accounting at Pace College and Westchester Community College. After college, he became General Manager of several bowling centers for the Brunswick Corporation. He later moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he was the Controllers Auditor for Puerto Rico International Airlines. He then became the Assistant General Manager of Burns International Security Services. He oversaw 1250 armed and unarmed uniformed guards and 125 detectives. Upon returning to the states he held the position of Controller for several manufacturing and construction companies until he retired.
Upon moving to Laconia, New Hampshire, he became a parishioner of Saint Andre Bessette Parish. He heads the Rosary for the unborn program run by the Knights of Columbus Laconia Council 428, where he holds the title of Financial Secretary. In addition to this position, he is also the Faithful Navigator for the 4th Degree of the order and is a District Deputy and online Membership Chairman for the state of New Hampshire Knights of Columbus. He is a founding member of the board of Directors of Huasta House of Hope and holds the corporate title of Controller.
Born on April 24, 1961, in Oceanside NY, raised in Wantagh, NY until the age of 11 when he moved to West Franklin, NH. He went to Franklin High School where he was interested in learning about the building trade and attended computer classes at Lakes Region Community College. While living in Franklin he worked at Watts Regulator, Insulfab Plastics and Poly Clad as a factory worker. He later went to work at Gerrity Building Centers as a lumber yard worker in Tilton NH and worked his way up to the head of the Millwork Department. While working at Gerrity Building Centers he met and married his current wife of 32 years.
He joined the Knights of Columbus on May 29, 1998, and is currently the Deputy Grand Knight of Council 428 out of Laconia, NH. He is an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoys riding his Harley with his wife. He and his wife have a blended family of 5 children and have 9 grandchildren. He is an active member of St. Andre Bessette Parish and serves as an usher every Sunday, attends the Rosary for the unborn every Friday and assists with the weekly services and rosary at the Belknap County Nursing Home in Laconia, NH
Born on Nov 8th, 1959, to Raffale and Thomas LaGrasso in Newark New Jersey. She has an older brother, Angelo. They moved to Roselle when she was 5 years old and went to elementary and high school in the same town. She attended Seton Hall College of Nursing where she got a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. Diane met the love of her life, Jim, just before finishing nursing school. They got married in May of 1986 and had two children, Nora and Thomas. She joined the Air Force Reserves at McGuire Air Force Base in NJ in 1983 and became a flight nurse for 10 years with the 72nd Aeromedical Evacuation unit. She then did ground operations with the same unit. Diane and Jim moved to New Hampshire in August of 1997, she commuted back and forth to NJ every month for weekend drills until 2004 when she joined the 439th Air Staging Facility, out of Westover Air base in Chicopee Mass, There she did 5 more years before retiring in 2009 with 26 years of military service. She became an operating room nurse in 1991 and has worked in several different hospitals in NH and Maine. She worked at Huggins hospital in Wolfeboro for 14 years. Her last O.R. job was with Access Sports Med at their Surgery Center in Auburn NH. She began working with Aspire Women`&apos`s Center here in Laconia in 2024. She is a pregnancy coach for clients who come and seek our help from the beginning of their pregnancy until their child is 3 years of age. They also offer classes for expectant fathers as well as other parenting classes that families may need help with. Her life is not without sorrow. She lost her whole family in a nine-year span, all from illnesses and then lost another few close relatives in a 3-year span as well. Life is not without death along the journey.
Diane is an active member of St. Andre Bessette Parish here in Laconia, she is a Eucharistic Minister, altar server, and greeter at the 4pm and 7am mass, as well as the 830am mass if needed. She helps out with funeral masses, and she used to bring communion to the homebound. She is an active member of the Culture of Life Ministry and has been to the March for Life in Washington D.C. on several occasions. She is an honorary member of our Knights of Columbus helping them out with whatever they task her to do. Diane went to Peru with Kepler Padilla in December of 2023 and fell in love with the people of Huasta. She was in wonder of ministry Kepler has created there. The people of Huasta are so grateful for all we do to support them. Just recently Diane was asked to serve on the board for Huasta House of Hope and she accepted it with great honor.