Giving Back to Amplify the Impact of FriendshipWorks
Frances Klimczak was raised in an environment where giving back and thinking about other people in the world is important. After serving in the Navy for eight years, and moved to Boston, she looked for a way to be of service that would bring her joy. As she searched for the right opportunity, she found FriendshipWorks and through the Friendly Visiting program met Lidia in September 2024.
"My friendship with Lidia has had such a positive impact on my life. She has been such a good friend and companion to me since I moved to Boston. Our time together stopped feeling like volunteer work a long time ago, so I felt called to do more. I sought out a position on the board to give back and amplify the impact of FriendshipWorks."
Frances brings a broad range of expertise to FriendshipWorks' board. She leads Government Partnerships at Lila Sciences, where she shapes strategy and relationships that bring transformative AI-for-science technology to federal agencies and global partners. She began at Lila as Chief of Staff during the company's growth from 30 to over 300 employees, implementing organizational design frameworks and managing investor relations that secured $200 million in seed funding. Before joining Lila, she founded Bridge Watch Consulting, a social-impact LLC focused on economic development and leadership consulting for non-profit and NGO executives, where she restructured regional organizations and led community planning initiatives.
In her eight years in the U.S. Navy, Frances served aboard the USS Halsey as the Gunnery Officer, commanding an MKVI Patrol Boat, and serving on the Chief of Naval Operations strategic action group at the Pentagon. She led sailors on two western Pacific deployments and provided critical operational perspective to senior leadership. Her navy experience taught her the undeniable value of mission-critical collaboration and high-performance teams. Frances holds an MPP/MBA from the Yale Jackson School and Yale School of Management, and an MA in National Security from the Naval War College. She received her BA in Mathematics with a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies at the College of the Holy Cross.
