Visionary leader to remain involved in organization she founded in honor of her son,
Marine Captain Eric A. Jones
July 10, 2025 (Cape Cod, MA) – In keeping with a strategic plan which spelled out a thoughtful multiyear process tied to leadership development, Heroes In Transition (HIT) co-founder and first-ever Board Chair Cyndy Jones will transition off of the HIT Board of Directors, effective September 2025.
Nearly 16 years after she and her late husband Kenneth and their son’s best friend Michael Warshaw started HIT, Cyndy will leave the position she has held since founding HIT in honor of their only son, Marine Captain Eric A. Jones, who died while flying a combat mission in Afghanistan in October 2009.
Cyndy will maintain her close involvement with HIT as an ambassador, communicating the organization’s history, programming and impact; contributing to its programming; and forging connections within the military community to help strengthen its work.
“Because of my son’s love for family, for his brothers and sisters in the military, and his love of mankind, creating a legacy for him was the best way to turn this horrific grief into a positive,” Cyndy said. “I have learned to put my trust in God, and I have been blessed by all who have walked on this path with me.”
“The best way that we can honor Cyndy’s legacy as a founder, board member, and program developer is to ensure that HIT thrives,” HIT Executive Director Silene Gordon said. “Although Cyndy’s tenure on the board is coming to a close, her work as a vocal supporter of Heroes In Transition and the military community will continue in earnest. Cyndy’s contributions to HIT are enormous and we are blessed to have her as part of our forever HIT family.”
Retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and current Board Vice Chair Michael Procek of Mashpee, who has served on the board since HIT’s inception, will also be stepping down as part of the organization’s strategic plan.
“The dedication that Cyndy and Mike have demonstrated to ensure HIT’s success is beyond inspiring. Their willingness to listen to the needs of the military community and to think innovatively to create strategies and solutions is unmatched,” said Gordon.
HIT’s Savannah Fabbio and Jan Aggerbeck to Step Into Leadership Roles
Savannah Fabbio of Falmouth, who has served on the HIT board since 2020, will assume the role of HIT Chair. Cape Cod Coffee CEO Jan Aggerbeck of Mashpee will become HIT’s Vice Chair.
“Having Savannah and Jan seamlessly step into these critical leadership roles is a huge benefit to HIT,” said Gordon. “As seasoned professionals and dedicated supporters of our mission, Savannah and Jan bring an array of expertise to this work.”
“I am so honored to be given the opportunity to lead an organization that has such a profound impact on local veterans and families,” said Fabbio, who has participated in the nonprofit’s Ruck4HIT since 2019 and has co-directed the annual fundraiser since 2022.
A loan officer with Shamrock Home Loans, Savannah’s parents both served in the Marines which has given her an appreciation for the work that HIT does. “Having been the Board Treasurer, I’ve really been able to see where the money being raised, through events like the Ruck4HIT, is going to support incredibly important programs that make such a meaningful difference in the lives of the veterans and military families we serve,” said Fabbio.
HIT will hold a celebration of both Cyndy’s and Mike’s lasting impact on the organization and the military community in September. In addition to being instrumental in helping shape the mission of the nonprofit, Cyndy and Mike have guided HIT through impressive growth and multiple milestones while laying a solid foundation for future success.
In recent years, Cyndy has been recognized for the difference she has made on Cape Cod and beyond through HIT, an organization that now serves nearly 2,100 individuals on an annual basis. Last month, she received the 2025 Commonwealth Heroine Award at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House. State Representative David T. Vieira nominated Cyndy for the award which celebrates women who use their “time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others.”
In 2024, she was the recipient of both the Mercy Otis Warren Cape Cod Woman of the Year Award and the Mashpee Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award. Two years ago, she was one of 26 volunteers from throughout New England to be honored with a Myra H. Kraft Community MVP Award from the New England Patriots Foundation.
Prior to starting HIT, Cyndy enjoyed a 33-year career in education that included presenting workshops and seminars on the local, state, and national levels on reading assessment. She is the co-author of Developing Standards from a Performance Task, The Handbook of Literacy Assessment and Evaluation.
About Heroes In Transition (HIT)
Founded in 2009 following the death of U.S. Marine Captain Eric A. Jones, Heroes In Transition (HIT) is now in its 16th year. The Mashpee-based nonprofit provides support to veterans, service members, and military families that is not readily available through other organizations. Its services include a Families In Transition (FIT) and veterans equine therapy program; financial assistance; fishing excursions; bimonthly outings for military couples; a REBOOT/REGROUP health and wellness program for veterans, service members, and spouses; and an annual Spring and Fall Couples Retreat. To learn more about HIT, visit www.heroesintransition.org.