Holly Hughes is SolSolution’s organizational center as our Administrative Assistant. Holly graduated in 2008 from Boston University with a B. A. in English while minoring in African Studies. Before joining the SolSolution team, she worked as a Development and Operations Manager at a non-profit mentoring service called Friends of the Children-Boston. Through her work there, Holly spent a lot of time working with Boston public schools, observing not only the lack of resources but also the real lack of focus on STEM education. After reading about SolSolution’s mission, she became very interested in new and innovative ways of delivering better education. At SolSolution she provides support in all areas, from general office operations to grant application writing. Although she has little background in solar energy, she is learning more and more everyday on the job, and it is a growing area of interest for her. Holly is a wonderful addition to the SolSolution team with her consistent communications that keep our team members on the same page and her vibrant personality that lights up the office.

Answers from Holly
Q: What do you enjoy most about working at SolSolution?
Holly: I would say that I really like being part of the team here at SolSolution. Just by the nature of the organization now, since we are just starting up, everyone who’s here is here because they are really passionate about what SolSolution does for our community and our world. Some of us are volunteers, are working in addition to going to school, or are juggling multiple jobs, but we all share this real dedication to SolSolution. I think it’s kind of rare to find that work environment where everyone is just so passionate, and it creates a really great feeling of motivation around the office. So yea, connecting with my fellow team members has definitely been the highlight.


Q: What is it you like to do for fun?
Holly: I don’t have a lot of free time these days, but when I do, I really enjoy reading. I really like going out and exploring Boston, so I like going to restaurants, museums, and wandering around the city. I’m also teaching myself to play the guitar, which is a sort of a slow process but gradually getting farther and farther. It’s a lot of fun.
I also love to travel when I have enough time, and I’m always sort of planning my next trip. I enjoy thinking about where I want to go and where I want to go next. I’ve traveled a bit in Central America, like Costa Rica and Nicaragua, which I absolutely loved even though I don’t speak Spanish. But I love the people down there, and the beaches are beautiful. I also went to South Africa during college for four months which was enough time to get comfortable and make it feel like a home. I worked in a children’s home in a township with for children who had been orphaned or abandoned and were suffering from HIV or TB.

Holly left SolSolution at the beginning of 2011 to pursue her passion for nursing. She is currently attending nursing school, and she hopes to continue being involved with SolSolution even while she is busy studying to receive her nursing qualifications.