- Executive Office of Education
Media Contact
Nicole Giambusso, Communications Director
BOSTON — Governor Healey has appointed four new voting board members to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE): Dr. Francesca Purcell, Dr. Marjorie Ringrose, Shannon M. Rudder, and student voting member Maria Renta-Marrero.
“Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities are essential to expanding opportunity for students and strengthening our regional economies,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “Francesca, Marjorie, Shannon, and Maria each bring valuable perspectives and a strong commitment to students. I’m grateful for their willingness to serve and look forward to working with them to build on the Commonwealth’s progress in making higher education more affordable, accessible, and connected to the opportunities of the future.”
“The knowledge, commitment, and diverse perspectives that our Board Members offer are critical to strengthening higher education in the Commonwealth,” said BHE Chair Chris Gabrieli. “New Board Members Purcell, Ringrose, and Rudder collectively bring a wealth of academic and leadership experience and are committed to strengthening public higher education in Massachusetts. We also welcome Member Renta-Marrero as the perspectives and experiences of our student representatives help ensure that the Board’s work reflects the needs and experiences of those we serve.”
“I am deeply honored to join the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and to serve the Commonwealth’s students and institutions,” said Purcell. “Throughout my career I have been committed to expanding educational opportunity, strengthening student success, and ensuring that higher education prepares learners for meaningful careers and engaged citizenship. I look forward to working collaboratively with fellow board members, campus leaders, legislators, and partners across the Commonwealth to advance a higher education system that is accessible, affordable, excellent, and responsive to the needs of every student.”
"Massachusetts colleges and universities are powerful engines of economic opportunity,” said Ringrose. “I am honored to serve on the Board of Higher Education and look forward to working with educators, employers, students, and communities to expand access to affordable post-secondary opportunities, including those aligned with the Commonwealth’s plentiful high-quality jobs and careers."
“Higher education is one of our most powerful tools for advancing opportunity, strengthening communities, and creating lasting change,” said Rudder. “I am honored to bring the perspectives and experiences of Western Massachusetts to the Board and to help ensure that students across the Commonwealth, regardless of where they live or where they begin their journey, have access to the resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive.”
“I am incredibly honored to serve and bring the voices, experiences, and needs of students across the Commonwealth to the Board of Higher Education,” said Renta-Marrero. “My own journey from community college to a four-year university and graduate coursework has shown me how important it is that students have clear pathways, support, and a voice in the decisions that shape their education. I look forward to working with my fellow student representatives and the Board to ensure students from all backgrounds are not only heard, but meaningfully represented as we work to make sure they have the opportunities and support they need to continue their education and achieve their goals.”
The BHE’s voting student member seat rotates among the Massachusetts higher education system’s three segments: community colleges, state universities and UMass, with one student serving as a voting member and students from each of the other segments serving as non-voting segmental advisors. Renta-Marrero was selected to represent public college and university students on the BHE through a vote of the Student Advisory Council, which is made up of student trustees and Student Government Association presidents from each public college and university in Massachusetts.
Greenfield Community College student Nathaniel Woodard and University of Massachusetts Amherst student Michael Borowski are serving as segmental student advisors for the 2026-2027 academic year. Woodard plans to earn an Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts with a concentration in political science and a minor in justice studies. Borowski is working toward a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy with an anticipated graduation of May 2028.
“Board Members Purcell, Ringrose, Rudder, and Renta-Marrero are proven and passionate leaders in higher education,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “I look forward to seeing how they apply their expertise to further advance our progress in academic success and workforce preparation for all students in the Commonwealth’s system of public higher education.”
BHE Members Purcell, Ringrose, and Rudder started serving on the Board in June. Student Segmental Advisors Woodard and Borowski officially began serving on July 1. Renta-Marrero will begin to serve in September.
The Board of Higher Education is the statutorily created agency in Massachusetts responsible for, among other things, defining the mission of and coordinating the Commonwealth’s system of public higher education and its institutions. The Board has 13 members who work to advance BHE’s strategic priorities that include Student Success and Financial Aid, Economic Mobility, Innovation, and Public Good.
Dr. Francesca Purcell is senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she teaches graduate courses on postsecondary education, state and federal policymaking, student access and success, and international higher education policy. She previously served as provost and chief academic officer at Massachusetts Bay Community College, vice chair of the North Shore Community College Board of Trustees, and DHE Associate Commissioner for Academic and P-16 policy. She has also served as the program director of education and the development of knowledge at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Purcell holds a B.A. from Amherst College, an M.S. from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. from Boston College.
Dr. Marjorie Ringrose is director of education for the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, where she directs philanthropic investments in high schools and higher education institutions and manages partnerships between schools and employers to increase postsecondary completion and access to high-quality jobs. Her work focuses on building partnerships among K-12 education, higher education, and employers, including initiatives such as Early College. Ringrose has also been appointed as the newest BHE member on the Early College Joint Committee (ECJC), the formal BHE partnership with the Board of Elementary and Secondary (BESE) that advises both boards and helps to govern the state’s Early College Initiative.
Shannon M. Rudder is president and CEO of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, where she leads one of the region’s longest-standing community-based organizations. Rudder brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit, education, and human services sectors. Prior to her current role, Rudder served as deputy director of Teach Western Mass and executive director of Providence Ministries, Inc. and MotherWoman (now the Women of Color Health Equity Collective). Rudder has also served as an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and Cambridge College and is active on several regional boards and advisory bodies in Western Massachusetts.
Maria Renta-Marrero, a business student at Westfield State University, was appointed as the voting student Board member. Renta-Marrero earned her Associate Degree in Business Administration from Springfield Technical Community College in 2025 and plans to receive her Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in entrepreneurship from Westfield State in 2027, and a Master of Business Administration in 2028. At Westfield State, she serves as treasurer of her graduating class, is a Commonwealth Honors scholar, and works as a peer academic advisor and transfer peer mentor to support Westfield students and help them achieve academic success. She is also president of the Research, Innovation, Design & Entrepreneurial (RIDE) Center, which connects students with community leaders to address complex problems through creativity and innovation.
###