Conference Co-Chairs

 

Diane Caldwell

 

Diane Caldwell has been a leader in the educational community for over twenty years serving dually as an Academic Support Administrator, as well as a supervisor of the Title 1 program for Medford Public schools. She has studied Elementary Education at Boston State College as well as completing the masters programs at Regis College in Special Education. Ms. Caldwell has an extensive background in education that has aided students from all walks of life in both primary and secondary levels of schooling. Throughout her career she has strove to better the learning experience of her students, always going the extra mile whether it was directing a school musical or implementing new reading programs.

 

Her successes have expanded well outside the traditional classroom. Ms. Caldwell has helped shape academic curriculums at large, as well as individual educational plans to meet the specific needs of students in both regular classrooms and special education programs. In addition to helping students, she has worked with institutions of higher learning such as Brown University, Fitchburg State, and Salem State College to help facilitate professional development for faculty and colleagues, the goal of which has always been to give teachers the best tools available in order to help students read and write more effectively and efficiently. Ms. Caldwell has been a leader in the Commonwealth in helping prepare students for MCAS testing, while simultaneously working to maintain a collaborative relationship with parents. Outside of the education arena, Diane Caldwell enjoys traveling, reading, and playing golf.

 

Shahid Ahmed Khan

 

Khan is a Pakistani-American who was educated at Punjab University and Western New England College. Aside from his job in the pharmaceutical industry, Khan is also a well-known political and social activist and a recognized authority on South Asian affairs. Some of the important positions that Khan has held include:  chair of the Pak-Millennium Conference, vice president of the Pakistani-American Congress, commissioner of the Governor of Massachusetts’ Asian American Commission, member of the board of trustees of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, national finance co-chair of the John Kerry for President Committee, and liaison to Muslim Americans and South–Asian American communities.

 

A strong believer in the change of policy through social change, Khan is also committed to creating a greater and positive understanding of Pakistanis amongst Americans and, of Americans amongst Pakistanis, to build the bridges of understanding between the two communities. This goal has been worked on through his peace demonstration in South Asia. Khan is also an avid supporter of the Democratic Party; he has helped senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign raise about one million US dollars and consistently reaches out to the American Muslim community to garner support for the Democratic Party. Khan’s work with the senatorial committee of the Democratic Party was rewarded with a plaque of honor, presented to him by US Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle.

 

Todd Patkin

President, Todd G. Patkin Companies

 

After graduating from Tufts University in 1987, Todd entered the family automobile parts business. For over 18 years, he along with his brother Roger and his father Steve (the founder) worked together and grew Foreign Autopart and later Autopart International into one of the premiere wholesale automobile parts businesses in the country. The company was sold in September of 2005 to Advance Autoparts enabling Todd to leave the company and put all of his time and energy into what he loves most...spending each day trying to help as many people as he can. Today, Todd runs the Todd G. Patkin Companies with investments in several different businesses many of which were started by friends who needed a little bit of help. In terms of Todd's charities, he focuses on inner city children, the State of Israel and how to facilitate more open dialogue through out America concerning the topic of depression. Todd is a cofounder of the Operatunity Performing Arts Center in Foxboro, MA, he funded Gary Marino's Million Calorie March from Florida to Boston and its now the executive producer along with Gary for Million Calorie March the movie. Todd also sits on many for profit as well as not for profit boards including the executive committee boards for both the Jewish National Fund locally and nationally, the New England Board of the Anti Defamation League and the American Friends Board for Yemin Orde. Todd has been married to and in love with Yadira since October 1991 and Todd and Yadira have Joshua an amazing thirteen-year-old son.

 

Empower Peace Staff

 

Conference Founder

 

Rick Rendon

Founder, Empower Peace

 

Mr. Rendon is the founder of Empower Peace and Senior Partner of The Rendon Group, a Boston based communications firm that specializes in public affairs campaigns. Empower Peace was founded on the premise that young people, through communication and the promotion of cultural understanding, could help pave the way for peace. Mr. Rendon holds strong to the belief that our future generation has the ability to effect change and that they hold the key to breaking down the cultural barriers that threaten to divide the Western, Muslim and Arab worlds.

 

Throughout his career, Mr. Rendon has taken great pride in creating and developing innovative community-based initiatives and social campaigns. Working with community leaders and activists, Mr. Rendon helped create and organize the world’s largest school-based racial harmony campaign. For seven years “TEAM HARMONY” brought over 15,000 middle and high school students from throughout New England to discuss the issues of hatred and prejudice and to develop programs to promote diversity and harmony in schools and communities region wide. Team Harmony’s keynote speakers have included former United States President Bill Clinton, United States Senator and former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, former United States Attorney General Janet Reno, and the Reverend Bernice King (daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.)

 

Mr. Rendon was also the creator and co-founder of the school-based program, “UNITED WE STAND FOR AMERICA”. This program was developed post 9/11 to provide youth with an opportunity to express their emotions and feelings in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Students from throughout Massachusetts were recruited to create individual messages of peace, hope, and patriotism on six-inch tiles of red, white and blue fabric. This fabric was then assembled to create a giant quilt of an American flag (nearly half the size of a football field). Over 700 schools and 50,000 students participated in this program.

 

Mr. Rendon, working with the Islamic Society of Boston, the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, and the Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes, developed the “OUTNUMBER THE HATE” campaign. This Massachusetts school-based campaign encouraged students to rally against hate, prejudice and intolerance experienced by Muslim and Arabs in the United States post 9.11. In response to the 1,700 hate crimes reported against Muslims and Arabs living in America, Massachusetts students responded by creating OVER 1,700 messages of respect, diversity and tolerance.

 

In addition to over twenty five years of experience as a senior communications consultant, Mr. Rendon served previously as a Public Information Officer for the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and as a member of United States President Jimmy Carter’s national political staff.

 

Conference Coordinator

 

Tricia Raynard

Executive Director, Empower Peace

 

Tricia Raynard has recently been appointed the Executive Director of Empower Peace and brings to the table more than fourteen years experience in the ever-changing information world of public and media relations. She has navigated projects from the brainstorming and planning stages straight through to the implementation of special event coordination, media advertising, and public education campaigns. As the Vice President of Public Relations and Special Events at The Rendon Group, she was instrumental in developing effective communication and special event strategies for all TRG clients including Merck, Time Warner, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.

 

Ms. Raynard specializes in developing large-scale public outreach campaigns at all levels from the local community upwards onto the international scene. As the Executive Director of Empower Peace, Ms. Raynard is responsible for further developing the educational programs currently offered, she oversees the broadcast media programs and works with the Empower Peace team to expand the footprint of this important program.

 

Before returning to TRG in 2000, Ms. Raynard was the Vice President of Public Relations at Hawthorne Associates, a public relations and marketing agency that specializes in the corporate training industry. While at Hawthorne Associates she was responsible for developing public relations programs, marketing events and promotional materials well-respected corporate clients including Arthur Andersen Virtual Learning Network, McGraw-Hill Lifetime Learning, The Gallup School of Management and PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning. She was also responsible for coordinating all trade show logistics for Hawthorne clients including booth design, securing show space, coordinating pre-show promotions and special events.

Claiming Your Seat at the Table

 

Victoria Budson

Executive Director, Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government

 

Victoria A. Budson is the founding Executive Director of the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  WAPPP analyzes cutting-edge issues as they impact women’s roles and lives. WAPPP conducts research, develops curriculum, and publishes materials focused on women and public policy.  While at the Kennedy School, Budson was founding Executive Director of the Council of Women World Leaders, a group of current and former presidents and prime ministers.  From 1999-2004, Budson served as a Kennedy School Ombudsperson.

 

Currently, Budson serves on the Board of Directors for the National Council for Research on Women (NCRW) and iVillage Cares.  The mission of NCRW is to harness the resources of its network to ensure fully informed debate, policies and practices to build a more inclusive and equitable world for women and girls.  iVillage Cares, a national advocacy program designed to build awareness and support for causes of concern to women through iVillage, at present is a frequent destination site for 27 million women. Budson has been a member of numerous other Boards of Directors including: the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Massachusetts National Abortion Rights Action League, the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, Women’s Legislative Network and Alliance, Massachusetts Coalition of Democratic Women, the Wellesley College Hillel Alumnae Board. Budson has served on the Steering Committee for the Massachusetts State Treasury’s Women and Money conference.

 

Budson speaks on various topics such as the future of feminism, gender and public policy, electoral politics and political action at institutions including Carnegie Mellon, Harvard University, Tufts University, Wellesley College, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val- Kill, and the Center for Women’s Policy Studies.  In 2002, she served as an advisor for the development of the United Nations’ University for Peace Masters degree program in International Peace Studies with specialization in Gender and Peace Building. Budson presented at the United Nations Beijing and Beyond International Women’s Conference. She is a frequent commentator for news publications, television, and radio programs.  Appearances include: Fox News Live, the Boston Globe, WGBH Boston, WSBK Boston, and Talk of the Nation and The Connection on National Public Radio.  She reviewed and edited the childbirth chapter for the 2005 edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves.

 

Before coming to Harvard, Budson was the Political and Community Affairs Director for Steve Grossman, President of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).  Budson has also worked extensively in Massachusetts’ politics, both as an activist and an elected official on the state and local levels.  As the elected Chair of the Massachusetts Coalition for a Democratic Future, the official statewide organization of young political activists affiliated with the Democratic Party, Budson grew the organization to over 2,000 members. She has held a seat on the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, which is the governing body for the state Democratic Party.  She served as Chair of the Wellesley Democratic Town Committee and as a member of the Wellesley Town Meeting.

 

In addition to her grassroots and electoral work, Budson is an active political consultant.  As Finance Director for Massachusetts State Senator Cheryl Jacques, she established one of the largest campaign accounts in the Massachusetts State Senate.  She also served as Finance Director for Massachusetts State Representative Rachel Kaprielian, and has worked with EMILY’s List, an organization that raises money for pro-choice, democratic women candidates.

 

Awards Budson has received include: the “Rising Star” award for her outstanding work to advance the political education of women from the Network for Women in Politics and Government at UMASS Boston, the Carol Moseley Braun Award from Mass Choice, and the Dean’s Award for Excellence at the Kennedy School.  Budson graduated Magna Cum Laude and with Departmental Honors from Wellesley College with a joint degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies.  As a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Mid-Career Masters in Public Administration Program, she received the Lucius N. Littauer Fellow award for her distinction in academics at the Kennedy School, her contribution to the Kennedy School and the greater Harvard community, and her potential for continuing leadership excellence.

 

Trailblazers – Pary I

 

Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley

Special Representative for Global Partnerships

Global Partnership Initiative, Office of the Secretary of State

 

Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley was sworn in as Special Representative for Global Partnerships in the Office of the Secretary of State on June 18th, 2009. She served as Senior Advisor under a former Secretary of State from 1997 – 2001 where she established and headed the Office of Media Programming Acquisition for the newly independent Balkan states. Ambassador Bagley also served as a Senate liaison for NATO Enlargement. From 1994 to 1997, she served as the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal. Upon her departure from Portugal, she received meritorious awards from the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, as well as the “Grand Cross of Prince Henry the Navigator,” the President of Portugal’s highest civilian commendation.

 

Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley has also received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Regis College in 2003 and the “Global Democracy Award” from the International Women’s Democracy Center in March, 2005, and she was also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in May, 2005.

 

As an attorney specializing in trade and international law, she was Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University in Washington until January 1993. She has held several other positions in the U.S. Department of State: Congressional Liaison Officer for the Panama Canal Treaties during the Carter Administration (1977 – 1979); Special Assistant to Ambassador Sol Linowitz for the Camp David Accords, (1979- 1980); and Congressional Liaison to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (1980 – 1981).

 

Ambassador Frawley Bagley is a 1974 graduate of Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, where she graduated cum laude with a B.A. degree in French and Spanish. She is a 1987 graduate of the Georgetown University Law School, where she obtained a J.D. Degree in International law. She also attended university and law school in France, Spain, and Austria, where she studied international trade law and public international law.

 

Ambassador Bagley is a member in good standing of the Massachusetts Bar and District of Columbia Bar.

 

Lynne Curran

Senior Director, Knowledge Management Unit

Organizational and Human Resources Development

ACCION International

 

Lynne  Curran has worked with ACCION since 1997, and is currently managing the organization’s Knowledge Management efforts, where she is responsible for internal capacity-building and other initiatives.  Ms. Curran is an accomplished professional with many years of experience in project management and managing teams. Previously, Ms. Curran was Project Manager of the ACCION CAMEL team, in which position she led ACCION CAMEL assessments of microfinance institutions worldwide, and was responsible for the financial analysis and performance monitoring of the ACCION Network of microfinance institutions. Ms. Curran has conducted training seminars throughout the world on a variety of topics related to microfinance, leadership, financial analysis, and more. Ms. Curran, who has authored numerous articles and publications, holds a B.A. from Tufts University and an M.A. from Lesley University. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

 

Jeanine Hall

VP; Business Development Officer, Citibank, N.A.

 

Jeanine Hall is a Vice President, Relationship Manager with the Commercial Banking Group for Citibank based in Boston. Jeanine is responsible for developing new business and managing relationships for small to mid size companies.  Among her responsibilities, Jeanine advises clients with regard to all aspects of financial services, including lending, trade services, cash management, and international services.  Jeanine started her banking career at Bank of America, as a Small Business Specialist in a Consumer Banking role and later was promoted to a Vice President of the Business Banking Group.

 

Jeanine enjoys working as a Volunteer Leader with Citibank, to help many area non-profits in the community.  Jeanine is especially proud and anxious to kick off a new partnership with Mass Mentoring this year.  She also works on the Development Committee for The Women’s Lunch Place and serves on the board of WorldBoston, a non-profit, non-partisan organization in Boston with a focus on international leaders.

 

Jeanine received her Bachelor of Science degree at Bridgewater State University and has been in the financial industry for 6 years.  Prior experience includes running a small business as Sales and Operations Manager for 9 years, which helps when advising her clients today.

 

Kerry Healey

Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan

 

Kerry Healey served as Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 2003-2007. Healey assumed a broad range of responsibilities in the Romney-Healey administration, including leading the administrations' successful efforts to strengthen drunken driving penalties, establish a witness protection and gang violence prevention program, increase penalties and supervision for sex offenders, and increase protections for victims of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence. Healey chaired the Governor's Council, the body responsible for the confirmation of judges; the Interagency Council on Homelessness; the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention; the Governor's Council on Sexual and Domestic Violence; the Seaport Council, a group responsible for funding port security and development of the maritime economy, and co-chaired the state's five Regional Competitiveness Councils. Healey served as the principal contact for municipal leaders in the Romney-Healey administration. She is most proud of her role in helping to found three Recovery High Schools to provide drug-free learning environments for students in recovery, and in reducing drunk-driving related deaths on Massachusetts' roads thanks to Melanie's Law.

Healey graduated from Harvard College in 1982, and was awarded a Rotary International Scholarship. She earned a Ph.D. in political science and law from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. In 1985, Healey was a visiting researcher in the International and Comparative Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School. She continues to pursue her interest in international affairs as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

For more than a decade, Healey worked as a law and public safety consultant at Abt Associates, Inc., in Cambridge, MA, conducting research for the U.S. Department of Justice related to child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, gang violence, victim and witness intimidation and the prosecution of drug crimes. Healey was elected Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party in 2001. Ms. Healey served as a fellow at Harvard University Institute of Politics last spring and as a visiting fellow at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership in the fall.

 In 2007, Healey served as a Senior Advisor for Governor Mitt Romney Presidential Campaign, putting together his teams of policy experts on domestic and foreign policy.

Most recently, Healey is currently working on the executive committee for the Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, a State Department Program led by Ambassador David Johnson, Coordinator, Counternarcotics and Justice Reform in Afghanistan.  In September 2008, Healey served as chair of the "core" committee for The Afghan Women Lawyers' Training and Empowerment Conference being held in California in January 2009 and visited Afghanistan in October 2008.

 

Arti Pandey

Program Director, Barakat Inc

 

Arti Pandey grew up in India and traveled to the United States to earn her Masters in International Educational Development and her Doctorate in Administration, Training and Policy Studies at the Boston University School of Education.  She wrote her dissertation on child labor and education in the carpet industry in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India.  She has worked with several non-profits and academic institutions in India, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the United States.  Arti is currently the Program Director at Barakat Inc., which is a non-governmental organization that operates within India, Pakistan and Afghanistan doing humanitarian work such as promoting girl’s and women’s literacy and other progressive programs of social change.

 

Professor Anita Raj

Boston University

 

Anita Raj, PhD, is Developmental Psychologist with 15 years experiencing conducting research on sexual and reproductive health/HIV/STI, gender-based violence, substance misuse and abuse and the intersection of these issues. This work includes research to support intervention development and implementation, as well as efficacy and effectiveness trials to evaluate behavioral interventions. She has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on more than 20 federally funded research studies, and she has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications from these efforts. Much of her work has focused on vulnerable populations including women, racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants in the United States, as well as lower income and health-compromised individuals in South Asia and Russia. Consistent with these research interests, she teaches a course on Public Health and Women and a second course on Race/Ethnicity and Health. She is also Faculty Advisor for PHAM (Public Health Alliance for Minority Students), the BUSPH student organization focused on supporting racial/ethnic minority students and BUSPH emphasis on research, programs and policies to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in health. Off campus, she is also an Advisor and Member of Saheli, a local community-based organization supporting South Asian women in crisis.

 

 

Mrs. President: Women and Political Leadership in Iran

 

Shahla Haeri

Director, Women’s Studies Program, Boston University

 

Shahla Haeri is the director of Women’s Studies Program and an Associate Professor of cultural Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at Boston University. She has conducted research in Iran, Pakistan, and India, and has written extensively on religion, law and gender dynamics in the Muslim world. She is the author of No Shame for the Sun: Lives of Professional Pakistani Women (Syracuse University Press in the US, and Oxford University Press in Pakistan, 2004), and Law of Desire: Temporary Marriage, Mut’a, in Iran (1989, 1993). She was involved in the University of Chicago’s multi-year program on global fundamentalism, Fundamentalism Project, which was funded by a John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur grant, and contributed an article to the second volume: “Obedience Versus Autonomy: Women and Fundamentalism in Iran and Pakistan” (1993).

 

She has been awarded several postdoctoral fellowships, including one at the Women’s Studies in Religion Program, Harvard Divinity School (2005-2006), Fulbright (1999-2000, 2002-2003), St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University (1996), Social Science Research Council (1987-88), Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women, Brown University (1986-87), and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University (1985-86).

 

Dr. Haeri made a short video documentary (46 min.) entitled, Mrs. President: Women and Political Leadership in Iran, focusing on six women presidential contenders in Iran in 2001. This documentary is distributed in the United States and Canada by the Films for the Humanities and Sciences (www.films.com, 2002).

Keynote Speaker

 

Farah Anwar Pandith

US Special Representative to Muslim Communities

 

Term of Appointment: 06/23/2009 to present

 

Farah Pandith was appointed Special Representative to Muslim Communities in June 2009. Her office is responsible for executing Secretary Clinton’s vision for engagement with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level. She reports directly to the Secretary of State.

 

From 2007 to 2009, Ms. Pandith served as the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia. Her focus was on Muslims in Europe and issues relating to countering violent Islamic ideology. Prior to joining the Department of State, she served as the Director for Middle East Regional Initiatives for the National Security Council. She was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy on “Muslim World” Outreach and the Broader Middle East North Africa initiative. She reported directly to the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy. Ms. Pandith served on the staff of the National Security Council from December 2004 to February 2007.

 

Prior to joining the NSC, Ms. Pandith was Chief of Staff for the Bureau for Asia and the Near East for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She worked directly for the Assistant Administrator for the bureau responsible for more than $4 billion in programs throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and Asia -- including Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza/West Bank. In 2004, she spent two months in Kabul, Afghanistan.

 

Ms. Pandith was Vice President of International Business for ML Strategies in Boston, Massachusetts from 1997 to 2003.

 

She received a Master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she specialized in International Security Studies, Islamic Civilizations and Southwest Asia, and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. She concentrated on the insurgency in Kashmir and has spoken on the subject in international and domestic forums.

 

Prior to graduate school, Ms. Pandith worked at USAID as the Special Assistant to the Director of Policy. She has been a consultant in both the public and non-profit sectors working for the City of Boston and an educational non-profit based in Washington, DC.

Ms. Pandith has served on several boards with a focus on international affairs including the World Affairs Council of Boston, the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs, and the British-American Project. She was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

 

Ms. Pandith received an A.B. in Government and Psychology from Smith College, where she was president of the student body. She has served as a Trustee of Smith College and alma mater Milton Academy. She is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

She was born in Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

 

The Art of Negotiation

 

Susan Hackley

Managing Director of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School

 

As the chief administrative and financial officer for PON, Susan Hackley oversees all operations for spearheading PON's interdisciplinary activities. She also manages the publication of a variety of books and teaching materials, including the monthly Negotiation newsletter and the quarterly Negotiation Journal. Susan has taught negotiation seminars in China, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain and Italy. Before joining PON, she worked in politics as policy analyst and served as communications director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. As a writer/photographer, she has had work published in National Geographic Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and may other publications. She also co-founded an Internet company, an e-philanthropy site dedicated to helping people connect to causes they care about. Susan has a masters in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School and serves as chair of the board of directors of the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

 

Tools and Tactics

 

Moderators:

 

Sheila Capone

Executive Director, Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus

 

Prior to joining MWPC, Sheila served on Hillary Clinton’s New Hampshire primary staff and helped Niki Tsongas become the first women elected to the 5th Congressional district in almost half a century. Capone-Wulsin also served as U.S. Senator John Kerry’s Political Director for four years. She began her political career as Director of Constituent Services for former U.S. Congressman Dick Swett (NH). Capone received her Bachelor’s Degree from Rivier College. She and her husband Winthrop, live in Lowell with their 4 year-old daughter Sophia.  They are occasionally joined by Sheila’s three older children, 25 year-old son Alexander who lives in New Hampshire, Christie, age 20, a junior at Smith College, and David, age 19, a sophomore at University of Hawaii.

 

Jane Christo

 

Jane Christo is affiliated with the Fletcher School’s Edward R. Murrow Center at Tufts University where she develops programs for journalist reporting in fledgling democracies and area of crisis. Before joining the Fletcher School, Christo served as General Manager of WBUR from 1979 to 2004, elevating Public Radio from alternative broadcasting to a nationally recognized, respected and influential source of news and information. Under her leadership, WBUR has become a major influence in Boston broadcast news; introducing original, innovative and award winning programming such as Car Talk (1992 Peabody Award), The Connection, and Inside Out (2003 RFK Journalism Award). During Christo’s stewardship, WBUR’s fundraising capability rose from less than $1 million/year in 1979 to $19.2 million in 2003. In May 2000, Christo was honored with Public Radio’s highest honor: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award. Drawing from her extensive experience in journalism, Christo has taken various measures to develop journalists from areas of political development and conflict. From 1992 to 2004, she directed the International Training Project, a program aimed at addressing the day-to-day challenges that confront journalists from Eastern Europe. The program covered topics such as reporting on human trafficking and reporting in areas of conflict. Expanding upon previous programs, Christo established the Covering Conflict program in 2003. Covering Conflict provides intensive training for journalists who cover persistent conflict and ethnic tensions in their home territories. Christo received her Bachelors Degree in English Literature from Boston University. She currently resides in Brookline, MA with her husband.

 

Jeanine Hall

VP; Business Development Officer

Citibank, N.A.

 

Jeanine Hall is a Vice President, Relationship Manager with the Commercial Banking Group for Citibank based in Boston. Jeanine is responsible for developing new business and managing relationships for small to mid size companies.  Among her responsibilities, Jeanine advises clients with regard to all aspects of financial services, including lending, trade services, cash management, and international services.  Jeanine started her banking career at Bank of America, as a Small Business Specialist in a Consumer Banking role and later was promoted to a Vice President of the Business Banking Group.

 

Jeanine enjoys working as a Volunteer Leader with Citibank, to help many area non-profits in the community.  Jeanine is especially proud and anxious to kick off a new partnership with Mass Mentoring this year.  She also works on the Development Committee for The Women’s Lunch Place and serves on the board of WorldBoston, a non-profit, non-partisan organization in Boston with a focus on international leaders.

 

Jeanine received her Bachelor of Science degree at Bridgewater State University and has been in the financial industry for 6 years.  Prior experience includes running a small business as Sales and Operations Manager for 9 years, which helps when advising her clients today.

 

 

 

Trailblazers – Part  II

Women From Conflict Areas Working Towards Peace

 

Lina Sidrys Nealon

Project Manager, Demand Abolition, Hunt Alternatives Fund

 

Lina Sidrys Nealon manages the Demand Abolition project at Hunt Alternatives Fund, a family foundation that advances innovative and inclusive approaches to social change at the local, national, and global levels. Demand Abolition supports the modern day slavery movement by combating the demand for sex trafficking through research, convening, and advocacy. Previously, Ms. Nealon served as policy specialist and trainer with The Institute for Inclusive Security, a research and advocacy organization that promotes the full participation of all stakeholders, especially women, in peace processes. Her work has led her to conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Liberia, and Israel/Palestine, where she has conducted workshops for leaders in government, law enforcement, and civil society. Ms. Nealon was instrumental in developing the newly launched Inclusive Security: A Curriculum for Women Waging Peace,a resource for policymakers and practitioners who want to advance women's inclusion in peace processes. Ms. Nealon’s dedication to eradicating slavery was inspired through her volunteer work with the Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers and with Lithuanian children’s rights organizations combating trafficking. She is a member of the Massachusetts Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce and the Suffolk County Demand Taskforce organized by the Support to End Exploitation Now Coalition. Ms. Nealon earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame and completed coursework at the Université Catholique de L'Ouest in Anger, France. Along with her husband, she has organized over 10,000 books to be sent to the University of Liberia library and to a girls school in Afghanistan that was once the largest Taliban madrassa in the country. Ms.Nealon is fluent in French and Lithuanian.

 

Ambassador Hunt Reception

 

Ambassador Swanee G. Hunt

President, Hunt Alternatives Fund

Chair, The Institute for Inclusive Security

 

Swanee Hunt founded the Women and Public Policy Program, a research center concerned with domestic and foreign policy, at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She teaches "Inclusive Security," exploring why women are systematically excluded from peace processes and the policy steps needed to rectify the problem. Additionally, she is the Eleanor Roosevelt Lecturer in Public Policy, core faculty at the Center for Public Leadership, and an adviser to "The Initiative to Stop Human Trafficking" at the Carr Center for Human Rights.

 

President of Hunt Alternatives Fund, she also chairs The Institute for Inclusive Security (including the Women Waging Peace Network), which advocates for the full participation of all stakeholders, particularly women, in conflict prevention and resolution. She has conducted trainings for women all over the world, including 70 of the highest-ranking women in post-war Iraq and 130 women leaders in Sudan.

 

Prior to her appointment as US Ambassador to Austria (1993-1997), she chaired and co-chaired mayoral and gubernatorial initiatives dealing with mental health, homelessness and affordable housing, and families services in Colorado. She was a key founder of the Women's Foundation of Colorado. Ambassador Hunt is active in Democratic politics and has supported hundreds of nonprofit organizations through her private foundation. She is a widely published columnist and has authored two books: the award-winning This Was Not Our War: Bosnian Women Reclaiming the Peace and a memoir, Half-Life of a Zealot.  Hunt is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of Crisis Group and USA for UNHCR.

 

Raised in Dallas, Texas, Hunt made her mark as a civic leader and philanthropist in her adopted city of Denver, where for two decades she led community efforts on social justice issues such as public education, affordable housing, and mental health services for two mayors and the governor of Colorado.

 

A photographer, she has had more than a dozen one-woman shows in five countries. Her musical composition, “The Witness Cantata,” has been performed in six cities. Hunt speaks frequently to conferences, and makes numerous radio and TV appearances annually. Hunt holds a BA in philosophy, two master's degrees (in psychology and religion), and a doctorate in theology. She is married to symphony conductor Charles Ansbacher. They have three children.

Trailblazers- Part III

 

Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral

Sheriff, Suffolk County Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

Andrea J. Cabral was elected on November 2, 2004 and sworn in on January 5, 2005 as the 30th Sheriff of Suffolk County. She is the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position.

 

Sheriff Andrea Cabral is responsible for the operation of the House of Correction, the Suffolk County Jail, the Suffolk County Community Corrections Center and the Civil Process Division. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department has more than 1,000 employees comprised of correctional officers, criminal justice professionals, caseworkers and administrative staff whose primary responsibility is upholding public safety and providing rehabilitative support for more than 2,400 offenders daily. The average operating budget for the Department is $130 million.

 

Sheriff Cabral brings an extensive legal background and a commitment to public safety as she begins her term as Sheriff.

 

In her 21–year career in public service, she has a demonstrated a commitment to public safety. Sheriff Cabral began her legal career in 1986 as a staff attorney at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department at the Charles Street Jail, working to prepare and argue motions for bail reduction for the Suffolk Superior Court. Subsequently, she served as an assistant district attorney at the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office from 1987–1991. Sheriff Cabral specifically litigated felony cases in Middlesex Superior Court seeking fair and appropriate sentences for all cases resolved by pleas and arguing pretrial motions for the Court. Sheriff Cabral served as Cambridge Jury Supervisor and also handled more than 500 cases per year at the Cambridge District Court in the adult and juvenile sessions and investigated, prepared and tried more than 250 misdemeanor and concurrent jurisdiction felony cases.

 

From 1991–1993, Sheriff Cabral served a variety of roles as an attorney at the Office of the Attorney General including work in the Torts Division/Government Bureau and the Civil Rights/ Public Protection Bureau. In the civil rights division, Sheriff Cabral successfully investigated six cases of alleged police misconduct and prepared reports for submission to the Attorney General and police chiefs accordingly.

Sheriff Cabral then began work at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1993 under then District Attorney Ralph C. Martin III. From 1993–1994, she was director of Roxbury District Court Family Violence Project. As director, she prosecuted domestic violence felony cases (including Suffolk County's first stalking case) and established new administrative policies and procedures for the processing of such cases in the Roxbury District Court. In March 1994, Sheriff Cabral became chief of the Domestic Violence Unit at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. She supervised district and superior court staff in preparation and prosecution of domestic violence cases as chief of the unit. Additionally, she actively investigated, indicted and prosecuted major violent felonies in Suffolk Superior Court. In 1998, Sheriff Cabral was promoted to Chief of District Courts and Community Prosecutions. In this position, she effectively developed policy, staff supervision, training case management and administration in Suffolk County’s eight district courts and the Boston Municipal Court. Sheriff Cabral also oversaw the staffing and supervision of all district court community prosecutions, which included the Safe Neighborhood Initiatives and Prosecutor in Police Stations (PIPS) Programs.

 

Sheriff Cabral’s published works include Obtaining, Enforcing and Defending x.209A Restraining Orders in Massachusetts and co–authored Same Gender Domestic Violence: Strategies for Change in Creating Courtroom Accessibility. She has also participated in several legal forums sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and the Boston Bar Association.

 

Sheriff Cabral is a graduate of Boston College (1981) with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Suffolk University Law School where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1986.

 

Kathryn F. Hubbard

Hubbard decided at a young age that traveling the world and learning about other cultures were priorities. When it came time for college, she decided on DePauw University as the place where she would continue her study of French because she wanted to attend a liberal arts school and study overseas. Hubbard's first job out of college was working for the international division of the Indiana Department of Commerce, and she later served as finance director for U.S. Senator Dan Quayle, and later as deputy chief of staff to Quayle when he became vice president. Hubbard's other roles include directing the national Council on Competitiveness, being director of development for the Hudson Institute and deputy convention manager at the Republican National Convention.

 

Kathy Hubbard became fascinated with the Middle East while serving as a U.S. State Department volunteer. "I was partially interested in the Middle East because that's where we have our greatest challenges. Islam is growing around the world. What we don't want to have growing is an extreme form of Islam." Of her work with Bridges of Understanding, she says, "Out of all this, you would hope one-on-one diplomacy would create a better attitude of understanding. We all in the end have the same aspirations for our lives: We want better lives for ourselves and our kids."

 

Kathryn Hubbard is a cofounder of the Bridges of Understanding Foundation, a non-profit, nonpolitical organization dedicated to fostering better understanding between the United States and the Arab world. Bridges of Understanding supports projects in the areas of education, health care and culture.

 

Mrs. Hubbard also serves on the Board of Trustees of DePauw University and currently chairs the Nominations and Trusteeship Committee for the University. She has also served on or is currently serving on the boards of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the National Museum of Art and Sport, the National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis, the American Pianist Association, DePauw University Alumni Board and Board of Visitors, the Indianapolis Ballet, the Executive Council of Foreign Diplomats and the Choice Charitable Trust. In 2005 Kathy received the Choice Honoree of the Year from the Choice Charitable Trust for her dedication to their foundation, which provides scholarships for low-income children to attend private schools.

 

In addition to her work in non-profits and in business, Hubbard has a long history of involvement in political activities, including fundraising and policy work for the Indiana Republican State Committee, Mayor Steve Goldsmith, Mayor Bill Hudnut, Senator Dan Coats, Congressman David McIntosh, Vice President Dan Quayle, President George H.W. Bush, and President George W. Bush.

 

She also worked for the International Trade Division of the Indiana Department of Commerce, where she was responsible for assisting companies in export development and in promoting Indiana as a location for foreign investment. Hubbard also worked at the Hudson Institute, a public policy research “think tank” organization, responsible for raising funds for national security, international and domestic policy research.

 

Hubbard graduated with a B.A. degree from DePauw University in 1974. She attended the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland from 1972-1973. She is married to Allan B. Hubbard; they reside in Washington, D.C. and have three children -- Will (21), Katie (19), and Sara (19).

 

In 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Hubbard to serve on the twelve-member J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

 

Liz Walker

 

Award-winning journalist and documentary producer, Liz Walker is Host and Executive Producer of WBZ 4's Sunday With Liz Walker, a half hour newsmagazine airing Sundays at 11AM presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The show, which focuses on the power of community, is an extension of Liz's new ministry. An ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a 2005 graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Walker has chosen to combine her communication skills with her spiritual passion to serve the world. Walker has been a television news journalist for 32 years, anchoring WBZ Television's evening newscasts for almost 20 years before stepping down to enter seminary and begin the ordination process.

 

In the summer of 2001, Walker traveled to war-torn Sudan with a group of local ministers including Rev. Doctor Gloria White-Hammond to investigate the genocidal slave trade in southern Sudan. Walker and Hammond were so outraged by the human rights atrocities in Sudan they co-founded "My Sister's Keeper", a grass roots initiative that advocates for the women and children who are trying to rebuild their country and their lives. Walker returns to Sudan often, most recently visiting the region of Darfur, where 250 thousand people have been killed and 1.8 million displaced in what is considered to be the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.

 

Walker shot her own footage during her trips to Sudan and was honored with the Edward R. Murrow Award for a News Story by the Regional Television Radio News Director's Association in 2002. In January 2002, she produced an independent documentary on Sudan entitled "In the Lion's Mouth " and is currently working on a second documentary about the humanitarian work of "My Sister's Keeper" founder Gloria White Hammond.

 

Recognized often for her exemplary work on the air and in her community, Walker received the Prestigious Governor's Award from the New England branch of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1997. In addition to her work in news, Walker has hosted and co-produced several documentaries for WBZ4, including "Friends Like These," for which she received recognition from the prestigious Gabriel Awards.

 

Liz has long been actively involved in WBZ4's public service campaigns and many community projects. In addition to her work with "My Sister's Keeper" Walker has joined the advisory counsel for the New England Chapter of the United Nations International Children's Education Fund. Liz has a special interest in the victims and survivors of domestic violence, and along with former state representative Marjorie Clapprood, helped found the Jane Doe Safety Fund, a multi-million dollar project to support domestic abuse shelters and safe houses around the Commonwealth. Liz helped create and lead WBZ Television's long-running "Stop the Violence" campaign, which put the breadth of the television station's resources behind an effort to increase awareness of violence issues in the home, in schools, and on the streets and was a cornerstone of the station's public service efforts for more than a decade. Walker continues to speak to young people around the region stressing the importance of education and setting goals to break the cycle of violence.

 

Liz began her broadcasting career in 1974 in her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, where she was the Director of Public Affairs for KATV. She later moved to KMGH-TV in Denver, where she served as weekend anchor and reporter, specializing in investigative consumer affairs and the court beat. Prior to joining WBZ4, Liz worked for KRON-TV in San Francisco as a reporter and early morning anchor, and host of the daily magazine program "Midday."

 

Liz has served on committees and boards of the Big Sister Association, Boston's Children's Museum, The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and the Pediatric AIDS Charitable Trust of Boston. She is co-founder of the Red Tent Interfaith Bible Study, an on-going dialogue between Jewish and African American Christian Women. She also spends much of her personal time speaking to young people about passion, purpose and community involvement. In addition she spends time helping to raise money and awareness for a variety of causes including HIV/AIDS, breast cancer prevention and homelessness and has been involved with numerous community groups such as the Project Hope Housing Project in Dorchester and the Newton Police Department Project D.A.R.E.

 

A graduate of Olivet College in Michigan, Walker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. She holds a number of honorary degrees from colleges and universities around the commonwealth, including Northeastern University and Bridgewater State University. She is also a member of the board of Trustees at Andover Newton Theological Seminary.

 

Walker is on the ministerial staff of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

 

Women2Women Women in Government

 

Moderator

 

The Honorable Joan M. Menard

Majority Whip, Massachusetts State Senate

 

Senator Joan M. Menard (D-Fall River) was elected by her colleagues to serve as Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts State Senate on February 12, 2009.

The Senator also serves on the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules, the Joint Committee on Election Laws, and the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.

 

Senator Menard was first elected to the Massachusetts Senate during a special election in December 1999, becoming only the 25th woman to serve in the legislative body's long and storied history. Senate President Robert Travaglini, recognizing Menard's ability as a leader, appointed her Majority Whip of the Senate in 2003. Prior to her Senate post, Menard served the 5th Bristol District for 21 years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

 

With 30 years of service as an elected official, Senator Menard has had a long and proud tradition of breaking gender-based barriers and advancing the cause of women in politics.

 

Menard became the first women to ever hold a leadership position in the 223-year history of the Massachusetts House of Representatives when Speaker Thomas McGee appointed her to the position of Majority Whip in 1984, making her the highest-ranking woman Democratic leader in Massachusetts. Menard continued her leadership role, serving as Assistant Majority Whip and Majority Whip for former House Speaker Charles Flaherty.

 

Menard continued to break barriers for women in politics in 1993 when she was elected the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Democratic Committee. In 1996, Menard was reelected as state chair, and in 1998 was elected as ASDC President and appointed as Vice Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee.

 

Among the issues paramount to Menard in her role as a state senator are childcare, education, disability pension reform, domestic violence, and senior pharmacy assistance programs.

 

Senator Menard served as President of the Greater Fall River League of Women Voters from 1974 to 1977. A former educator in the Somerset School System, Menard received a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1967 and a Master of Education degree in 1971 from Bridgewater State College. In 1993, she received a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Education Administration from Boston College. Menard was an elementary school and special education teacher from 1967 - 1974, at which point she was appointed Director of Special Education for the Town of Somerset, a position she held until she was elected to the House of Representatives in 1978 and began her career in politics.

 

Menard lives in Fall River with her husband Charles. They have two adult children, two grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

 

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll

Mayor, City of Salem

 

Kimberley Driscoll began her first term as Mayor of the City of Salem in January, 2006. She is the City’s first woman Mayor and prior to being elected served as the Deputy City Manager for the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts.  She also spent four years as Corporation Counsel to the City of Chelsea. Mayor Driscoll has an extensive background in planning and land use development, having worked as a real estate and commercial development attorney in private practice, as well as serving as the Community Development Director for the City of Beverly and as an Assistant Planner for the City of Salem. In addition to her appointive posts, Mayor Driscoll previously served two terms on the Salem City Council.

 

During Mayor Driscoll’s first year in office, she has worked on professionalizing all aspects of local government in Salem, including resolution of a looming multi-million dollar budget deficit.  She brings a wealth of municipal experience to the position and has initiated several projects aimed at enhancing Salem’s reputation as a wonderful community to live, work or visit.  Most notably, under the Mayor’s leadership the City has restored financial stability while embracing new projects and programs such as a city-owned ferry service to and from Boston; an updated community web site aimed at improving transparency and customer service; and a complete re-organization of city government aimed at reducing redundancies and streamlining operations.  The early success of these efforts has led to renewed interest and investment in Salem, both within the downtown and throughout the community.

 

Mayor Driscoll currently resides in Salem with her husband, Nick, and their three young children, Delaney, Ailish, and Nicholas.

 

The Honorable Kate Hogan

State Represenative for Massachusetts, 3rd Middlesex District

 

Kate Hogan, a life long democrat, was raised in West Lynn, Massachusetts and spent many years in Western Mass before settling in the 3rd district. Kate recognizes that her education at UMASS was an opportunity that would not have been available to the child of a working class family, if financial aide and loans were not available. Kate’s life lesson reinforces her belief that children are the hope for a better future and their success and achievements depend on a quality and accessible education at all levels of our public school system.

 

Representative Hogan has been appointed to co-chair the House of Representative's bi-partisan Elder Caucus, which advocates for seniors. During the recent budget debate, she advocated for restored funding for the Prescription Advantage program, as well as home care services for seniors and the disabled.

 

Committees on which Representative Hogan serves:

 

House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Joint Committee on Housing

House Committee on Personnel and Administration

 

Lora Pellegrini

Board President of Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus

 

Lora Pellegrini, a resident of Charlestown, oversees government affairs activities for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in the three New England states where the company operates.   Prior to joining Harvard Pilgrim in 1996, Ms. Pellegrini served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and on the staffs of former Governor Michael S. Dukakis and U.S. Senator John F. Kerry. Ms. Pellegrini was named a member of the Massachusetts Finance Steering Committee during Senator John Kerry's bid for President.   She also served on Shannon O'Brien's Finance Committee during her bid for Governor.

 

Keynote Speaker

 

Martha Coakley

Massachusetts Attorney General

 

Attorney General Martha Coakley has dedicated the last 20 years of her life to a career in public service.  Coakley has a strong history as an advocate—not only for individuals and communities, but also for the best interests of the Commonwealth at large.  Coakley brings to the Attorney General's office a diverse and extensive legal background, a proven track record of bringing people to the table to find effective solutions to the issues that face the Commonwealth, and a strong commitment to her role as a public servant.

 

Attorney General Coakley began her legal career in 1979, practicing civil litigation with the firm of Parker, Coulter, Daley & White and later at Goodwin Procter LLP, both in Boston.  While in civil practice, Coakley gained extensive experience in such areas as insurance defense, criminal defense, and large-scale construction litigation.  She joined the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in 1986, as an Assistant District Attorney in the Lowell District Court office.  In 1987, Coakley was invited by the U.S. Justice Department to join its Boston Organized Crime Strike Force as a Special Attorney.  She returned to the District Attorney's Office in 1989, and in 1991 was appointed the Chief of the Child Abuse Prosecution Unit, during which time she investigated and prosecuted hundreds of cases of both physical and sexual abuse of children, including Commonwealth v. Louise Woodward.  In December 1997, Coakley resigned her position to campaign for District Attorney in the 54 cities and towns of Middlesex.

 

In 1998, Coakley was elected Middlesex District Attorney.  During her 8 years as District Attorney, Coakley established herself as a passionate advocate for public safety, not only bringing justice to crime victims and their families, but also emphasizing the importance of working with community leaders, schools, and law enforcement in a variety of diverse and multi-faceted prevention efforts.  Under her leadership, the office's Child Abuse Prosecution Unit continued to serve as a national model for victim-centered prosecution of crimes against children.  Coakley was also responsible for extending that model to sexual crimes against adults, establishing the office's Adult Sexual Assault Division in 2002.  During her tenure as District Attorney, Coakley oversaw the successful prosecution of a number of high profile crimes, including the cases of several Catholic priests charged with sexually abusing children, the conviction of Michael McDermott on seven counts of first degree murder in connection with the workplace massacre at Edgewater Technologies in Wakefield, and the successful prosecution of Thomas Junta, the Reading father who fatally beat another parent at a youth hockey practice.

 

In January 2002, Attorney General Coakley completed a one-year term as the President of the Massachusetts District Attorney's Association, where she was at the forefront of statewide public policy discussion and initiatives to improve the criminal justice system and enhance overall public safety.  In recent years, she has continued to play an active role in advocating for legislative change on a variety of issues.  Coakley joined with her fellow District Attorneys and other members of the public safety community in urging the Legislature to provide additional funding for the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab for enhanced DNA analysis capabilities.  She also joined Senate President Robert Travaglini in advocating for changes in the law to streamline the approval process for academic and research institutions to conduct stem cell research.

 

Both during and prior to her tenure in public office, Attorney General Coakley has been involved in a number of community and professional organizations and boards.  She is a former president of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, and has served on the Board of Directors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  During her tenure as Middlesex District Attorney, Coakley served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to providing prevention and intervention resources and training to Middlesex school districts and communities.

 

Throughout her career, Attorney General Coakley has been honored for her work by organizations such as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and the Victim Rights Law Center.  In 1998, she was named Woman of the Year by the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and in November 2000, the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts honored Coakley with its coveted Leila J. Robinson Award for her contributions to the field of law.  In June 2002, the YWCA Boston selected Coakley as a member of its Academy of Women Achievers Class of 2002.  In January 2004, District Attorney Coakley received the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce's Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Management in Government.  And in May 2006, the Massachusetts Democratic Party with its prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Award honored Coakley.

 

Attorney General Coakley regularly presents trainings and instruction at conferences and seminars, both in Massachusetts and nationwide.  She has served as a guest lecturer for a number of colleges and universities, including Harvard University, Boston College Law School, and Tufts University.  She has also served as a guest lecturer for organizations such as the Columbia Law Review, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, and the Massachusetts Medical Society.  In January 2002, 2003, and 2006, she co-taught a winter study, "Law and Social Policy," at her alma mater, Williams College.  Coakley taught criminal trial advocacy courses at the Massachusetts School of Law during the Fall 2003 semester, and at Boston University School of Law during the Spring 2006 and Spring 2007 semester.

 

Martha Coakley received a B.A. degree, cum laude, from Williams College in 1975, and a J.D. degree from the Boston University School of Law in 1979.  Coakley resides in Medford, Massachusetts, with her husband, Thomas F. O'Connor, Jr.  In her spare time, Coakley is an avid reader, and enjoys downhill skiing, walking her Labrador Retrievers, Jackson and Beauregard, and kayaking with her husband on the Mystic Lakes.

 

Keynote Speaker

 

Niki Tsongas

Representative, United States House of Representatives

 

Niki Tsongas represents the Fifth Congressional District of Massachusetts which is made up of twenty-nine cities and towns including the old industrial cities of Haverhill, Methuen, Lawrence and Lowell in the Merrimack Valley, as well as the Boston suburbs of Concord, Acton, Wayland and Sudbury.  A resident of Lowell now serving her second term, Congresswoman Tsongas was elected to Congress in a Special Election in 2007.

 

The first woman from Massachusetts elected to the U.S. Congress in twenty-five years, Tsongas has dedicated herself to strengthening the health of our cities and has made accessibility a hallmark of her Congressional office.  With three offices in Lowell, Lawrence, and Acton, she has worked to make it as easy as possible for residents to connect with her about any issue of concern to them or to get assistance with problems they may have when dealing with federal agencies.

Congresswoman Tsongas serves on the House Armed Services Committee where she is working to ensure our servicemen and women have the equipment and protection they need.  She serves on the Military Personnel and Air and Land Subcommittees.  She also serves on the Budget Committee where she is focused on addressing the devastating deficits and debt created over the last eight years, while simultaneously shaping a national budget that will strengthen our economy and create jobs.

 

In 2009, Congresswoman Tsongas joined the Natural Resources Committee which oversees legislation related to domestic energy production, National Parks, rivers, forests, oceans and wilderness areas.  Tsongas serves on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee which works to expand and diversify our nation's energy portfolio.  She will also serve on the National Parks Subcommittee where she will work to support the success of the first urban national park in Lowell and expand this pioneering concept to other urban communities.

 

Niki Tsongas is known for her roots in the Fifth District and her years of public service to the region. The Lowell Sun described Niki Tsongas as having “experience, dedication and deep understanding of the 5th District as a whole.”

 

And, the chairman of Lowell Publishing Co. - who has been with the Sun since 1959 - wrote only a few weeks into her tenure, "she clearly recognizes the role she needs to play in stimulating the economy of the region and is focused on job development."

Tsongas grew up the eldest of four sisters in a military family, an experience that would shape much of her approach to life—teaching her the purpose of service and sacrifice, the importance of working for your community, and the value of family.

 

She was born April 26, 1946 in Chico, California. Niki's mother, Marian Susan Wyman, was an artist and copywriter. Her father, Colonel Russell Elmer Sauvage, served as a civil engineer in the United States Air Force and was a survivor of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

By the time Niki was 14, her family had been stationed at air bases all across the US and Europe, including California, Texas, Virginia, and Germany, where her father was part of the team that oversaw the build out of Ramstein Air Force Base—the very air base currently used to bring US soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

 

Niki attended an American high school in Japan while her father was stationed at Fuchu Air Force Base and then spent one year at Michigan State before attending Smith College in Northampton, MA.

 

In 1967, with her father now stationed at the Pentagon, Niki spent the summer between her junior and senior years in Alexandria, Virginia.  It was then that she met Paul Tsongas who was working as an intern for then Fifth District Congressman Brad Morse.

 

 “We knew we were going to get married within a month of meeting one another. But I had to finish college, and Paul had another tour in the Peace Corps to complete, and so I returned to Smith and Paul to St. Thomas to train volunteers.”

 

In 1968, inspired by the late John F. Kennedy’s vision for a new and better world, Niki found herself participating in American politics for the first time—as a volunteer for Eugene McCarthy’s campaign for president. She spent the winter months traveling throughout New Hampshire with the anti-Vietnam war candidate and fell in love with the positive approach of his campaign.

 

 “I just remember how great it was to see all of these people engaging in politics—the way everyone would gather in those New Hampshire homes to meet McCarthy and ask him their questions. It was a very personal and intimate approach to government.”

 

After graduating from Smith, Niki moved to New York City where she took a job as a social worker for the Department of Welfare. Paul meanwhile returned to Lowell where he started to work on his race for city council. However, the two could only take a year of the buses, trains, and planes between Massachusetts and New York to see each other, before they married in 1969 and took up permanent residence in Lowell.

 

Her introduction to the Merrimack Valley was described in the Boston Globe:  “Tsongas was an Air Force brat, a woman who grew up on three continents and had never seen an old mill town until [her husband Paul] took her to the Merrimack Valley to meet the family. She, too, would come to embrace Lowell, a city that embraced her as well. ‘To me, it was all new,’ she said. ‘But it's the only hometown I've ever had. It's a real community,’”

 

Niki took a job with the Catholic Charitable Bureau and helped Paul with his campaign for city council, which he went on to win and where he served until 1972. That year, Paul was elected Middlesex County Commissioner.

 

1974 would turn out to be a landmark year for Paul and Niki: they gave birth to their first daughter, Ashley, and Paul would run (and win) his race for Congress.

 

In 1978 Paul launched his run for the US Senate. With another 1-year-old in tow, their second daughter Katina, Paul and Niki won yet another improbable race. Paul thrived as a Senator, but in September of 1983 the Tsongas family was forced to rethink all their aspirations and face their toughest challenge when Paul was diagnosed with cancer.

Paul chose not to seek reelection in order to focus on treatment for his illness and spend more time with his young family. Leaving Washington, Niki attended law school and held the family together while pushing Paul to fight the disease. He wrote at the time, “Niki could be a tough battler in ways that her gentleness did not suggest.”

 

After a bone marrow transplant, Paul beat back the cancer. Five years later, in 1991, filled with new vigor, audacity, and inspiration, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States. Niki once again found herself back in those small gatherings in New Hampshire as she helped her husband run an inspired campaign that many observers say defined the national debate that year. Paul won primaries and caucuses in New Hampshire and nine other states before eventually losing the Democratic nomination to Bill Clinton.

 

Sadly, in 1996, Paul faced a second well-known fight this time with complications from cancer treatments, which he lost in 1997.

 

Inspired by their life together, Niki continued her dedication to public service, building on what she and Paul had accomplished. As a committed community leader in Lowell, actively serving on the Lowell Civic Stadium and Arena Commission which oversees the Tsongas Arena
and the LeLacheur Ballpark, the Lowell Plan and the Merrimack Repertory Theater, Niki continued to work for the revitalization of the city she has called home for 40 years.

 

Niki has a law degree from Boston University and started Lowell’s first all-female law practice. Prior to being elected to Congress, she was the Dean of External Affairs at Middlesex Community College, the largest community college in the Commonwealth.

 

In 2001, Niki was appointed by Congressman Marty Meehan to head up a foundation to provide educational funding for the children of the victims of the 9/11 tragedy. And she's been the member of numerous corporate and non-profit boards because of her strong belief that business must be constructively engaged in the fight for social and environmental justice.

 

But of all her accomplishments, Niki is especially proud of her three daughters, who like their parents, have also met the call of public service. Ashley works for Oxfam America. Katina spent two years working on the Barack Obama presidential campaign in New Hampshire serving as the state’s field director in the general election.  And, Molly is the Project Director of a campaign that advocates for national investments in clean energy.

 

Rock Concert Featuring Fairhaven

 

FAIRHAVEN

 

Growing up as two young musicians playing different instruments, Jared (drums) and Trevor (piano and guitar) Gould have been playing music together for the majority of their lives.  When they were young, they moved to Cumberland, Rhode Island to a street called Fairhaven Road (inspiration for the band name) where Jared met his lifelong best friend, Alan Connell.  Alan began playing guitar and singing and after a while, he, Jared, and Trevor became a solid three-piece group.  After years of experimenting with different bands and band members, the three-piece now known as Fairhaven recently acquired bass player Nick Pagano whose outstanding talents brought the band to a new level.

 

Keynote Speaker

 

James Roosevelt, Jr.

President and CEO, Tufts Health Plan

 

Mr. Roosevelt joined Tufts Health Plan in 1999 as senior vice president and general counsel and held that position until June 2005, when he became president and chief executive officer. As the general counsel, he presided over the legal department and the company's compliance, privacy and government relations functions.

 

Before joining Tufts Health Plan, Mr. Roosevelt was the associate commissioner for Retirement Policy for the Social Security Administration in Washington, D.C. He has also served as chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts Democratic Party and is co-chair of the Rules and By-laws Committee of the Democratic National Committee. Mr. Roosevelt spent 10 years as partner at Choate, Hall and Stewart in Boston. He is past chairman of the board of trustees for the Massachusetts Hospital Association, past president of the American Health Lawyers Association and past chairman of the board of trustees for Mount Auburn Hospital. Currently, Mr. Roosevelt serves as chairman of the board of directors for Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, and as a member of the board of directors and co-chair of the policy committee at America’s Health Insurance Plans. He is also a board member at Emmanuel College and the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, and is co-chair of the board of directors for the Tufts Health Care Institute. In November 2008, President-elect Barack Obama appointed Mr. Roosevelt to his transition team to co-chair a review of the Social Security Administration.

 

Mr. Roosevelt received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his A.B. with honors in government from Harvard College. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

 

Family Justice Center of Boston

 

Mission

The Family Justice Center (FJC) of Boston fosters collaboration in service to victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault. We provide a safe and welcoming environment where individuals and families benefit from the availability of services offered by diverse nonprofit and governmental partner organizations. We are committed to complementing and enhancing the health of victim service organizations throughout Boston. As a hub of cooperative activity, the FJC facilitates continuous learning and serves as a resource center for professional development. We strive to coordinate violence intervention and prevention services that are culturally responsive and accessible to all victims.

 

Vision

The Family Justice Center of Boston envisions justice for victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault.

 

Justice for victims will mean that:

 

* Police, prosecutors and service providers collaborate closely and offer coordinated responses which minimize additional trauma and promote the safety, dignity, well-being and rights of all.

 

* Law enforcement and criminal justice practices reflect a deep understanding of the dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault.

 

* Useful information about available services and support reaches everyone who needs it.

 

* Governmental and community-based organizations are culturally responsive; provide appropriate, accessible and equitable services to all who need them; and are accountable to the communities that they serve.

 

* There are no gaps in service or "cracks in the system".

 

* Victims are respected and are never blamed for the violence and abuse.

* Child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault are not socially tolerated.

 

* Rates of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault are reduced until we are able to stop these crimes entirely.

 

Setting Goals Interactive Workshop

 

Todd Patkin

 

After graduating from Tufts University in 1987, Todd entered the family automobile parts business. For over 18 years he, along with his brother Roger and his father Steve (the founder) worked together and grew Foreign Autopart and then Autopart International into one of the premiere wholesale parts businesses in the country. The company was sold in September of 2005 to Advance Autoparts enabling Todd to leave and put all of his time and energy into what he loves most… spending each day trying to help as many people as he can. Today, Todd runs the Todd G. Patkin Companies with investments in several different businesses many of which are ventures started by friends who needed a little bit of help. In terms of Todd’s charitable works, the focuses are on inner city children, the State of Israel and how to facilitate more dialogue through out America around the topic of depression. Todd is a cofounder of the Operatunity Performing Arts Center in Foxboro MA, he funded Gary Marino’s Million Calorie March from Florida back to Boston and is now the executive producer along with Gary Million Calorie March the movie. Todd also sits on many for profit as well as not for profit boards. Just a few of these are the executive committee boards for the Jewish National Fund both locally and nationally, the New England Board of the Anti Defamation League and The Friends of Yemin Orde Board. Todd has been married to and in love with Yadira since October 1991 and they have a thirteen-year-old son, Joshua.

 

 

Fun with Fashion

 

Sara Campbell

Fashion Designer, Sara Campbell LTD

 

A Massachusetts resident with California roots, Sara earned her degree in design from the University of California, Davis. She later moved to Boston for graduate school at Lesley College for a Masters in Art Education. It was in Boston where she met and was soon mentored by the late Corita Kent, an artist and educator whom she set up a private tutorial with, at Mass College of Art. Sara began her career in 1982 as a featured artist in a wearable art gallery and museum shows. This lead to the birth of a women artist mail order catalog, where Corita was an initiator, contributor, and partner on the project.  Sara's one-of-a-kind garments became a numbered, limited edition series.

 

Today, Sara creates, designs, and produces the line, Sara Campbell. The line represents a timeless and classic design element with contemporary fashion sensibilities, creating lifestyle collections of dresses, formal suiting, and sportswear for women with an ageless attitude and tireless spirit.

 

 A fashion designer, entrepreneurial business owner, wife, and mother of two young daughters, she is the constant supporter and advocate of working for the common good.  It is this spirit that is at the heart of events held at the retail store of Sara Campbell.  It is the core mission of the company to give back to the community.