Press Release  MCSW Announces the Commonwealth Heroine Class of 2023

Boston, Massachusetts — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ellen Moorhouse, Communications and Marketing Director, MCSW
Ellen.Moorhouse@mass.gov / (351) 220-8646

MA Women’s Commission Announces the Commonwealth Heroine Class of 2023 

Boston, Mass (May 18, 2023) - The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) will be celebrating the 20th Annual Commonwealth Heroines Class of 2023 on Friday, June 23, 2023, at the Massachusetts Statehouse in the Great Hall of Flags. Opening remarks will be made by MCSW Chairwoman Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith, followed by a special recognition of all 125 honorees.

“The Commonwealth Heroines are women who don’t make the news, but make all the difference in their communities,” said MCSW Chairwoman Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith. “Thousands of women in every community across the Commonwealth perform unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live. Commonwealth Heroines use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community. They are mentors, volunteers, and innovators - they are the glue that keeps a community together.”

Each year the Commission partners with state legislators to identify women who make outstanding contributions to their organizations and in their communities. Each legislator is encouraged to submit one woman from their constituency as a means of recognizing their invaluable efforts and extraordinary acts of service, who are making a big difference in their communities but not necessarily making the news.

We are proud to announce the following women as this year’s Commonwealth Heroines Class of 2023 and look forward to publicly recognizing them at our event on Friday, June 23nd, 2023: 

Melinda Alexander of Milton

Amy Barrett of East Bridgewater

Paulina Bastidas Yale of Revere

Rosa Bentley of Lynn

Anne Bergen of Franklin

Karen Blais of Auburn

Lee Blake of New Bedford

Mary Boyd of Bolton

Lara Brait of Marshfield

Julie Beennan of North Easton

Debora Bridges of Amherst

Franceana Brown of Springfield

Karen Buck of Malden

Anne Marie Burns of Peabody

Roberta Cameron of Medford

Maritza Cedeno of Leominster

Becky Coletta of Pembroke

Gay Corey of Dracut

Stephanie Crawford of Canton

Mary Cringan of Fitchburg

Maribel Cruz of Fitchburg

Bridget Curley of Linwood

Kristie Dean of West Bridgewater

Norieliz DeJesus of Chelsea

Justine DeOliveira of Edgartown

Mary Dionne of Springfield

Kathleen DiPasqua-Egan of Hanson

Kathleen Dunn of Plymouth

Terri Evans of Natick

Julie Fenn of Lexington

Maria Ferreira-Bedard of Fall River

Donna Flannery of Spencer

Joyce Flynn of South Yarmouth

Erin Forbush of North Adams

Tracy Fuller of Haverhill

Ellen Panarese Gibson of Newton

Sandra Giroux of North Billerica

Anabela Gomes of Brighton

Barbara Govoni of Hampden

Kavita M. Goyal of Andover

Amanda Grow of Norwood

Rev. Myrlande P. Guillaume-DesRosiers of Everett

Heather Hamilton of Brookline

Jeannie Hebert of Whitinsville

Karen Hinds of East Falmouth

Lisa Howard of Winthrop

Janet Jameson of Watertown

Shantell Jeter of Brighton

Dr. Jacqueline Johnson of Springfield

Kimberlee Johnson of Woburn

Robin Jorgensen of Malden

Kaye Kelly of Franklin

Stella Ko of Acton

Kathleen Kreatz of Medford

Vedna Lacombe-Heywood of Plymouth

Lori LaFrance of Ipswich

Chartis Langmaid Tebbetts of Cohasset

Erin LeBlanc of Millis

Diane Legg of Amesbury

Helen Lemoine of Framingham

Amy Shelter Less of Newton

Anika Lopes of Amherst

Enilda Lovo of East Boston

Katie Macdonald of Taunton

Stephanie Marchetti of Ashburnham

Lynn Margherio of Cambridge

Jenn Martin of Waban

Eileen Mathieu of Marblehead

Shawna McCloskey of Andover

Joan Medeiros of Fall River

Christine Menard of Harwich

Kristin Michel of Gloucester

Wendy Mickel of Westborough

Robin Joyce Miller of Mills

Sherri Minch of Plainville

Janice Mitchell of Holden

Lili Mitchell of Ipswich

Carla Monteiro of Dorchester

Vivien Morris of Mattapan

Julia Murphy of Boston

Beth Murray of Shrewsbury

Juliet Najjumba of Waltham

Karen Nascembeni of Lynnfield

Heidi Nortonsmith of Northampton

Carolyn Panofsky of Rehoboth

Maria Partida of Nantucket

Michelle Pateras of Quincy

Liliana Patino of Lynn

Debra Peczka DiGiulio of Revere

Carolyn Perkins of Groton

Domenica Perrone of Worcester

Sharon Potter of Westport

Suzanne Ranieri of Bellingham

Mary Redington of Berlin

Patti Rego of Fall River

Karen Riani of Holden

April Ricci of Hyde Park

Susan Riccio of Methuen

Kecia Rideout of Lynn

Kris Rodolico of Melrose

Anne Rousseau of Jamaica Plain

Karen Rousseau, PhD, RN of Chicopee

Sue Rushfirth of Sudbury

Liz Sandemann of Medfield

Patricia Sanon of Brockton

Lori Scales of Attleboro

Fran Schofield of Brewster

Jan Singer of Watertown

Lura Smith of Lowell

Christina St. Onge of Methuen

Mary Steele of Norton

Kennedy Steiner of Beverly

Emily Teller of Westford

Stacey Thompson of Lowell

Alanna Thompson of Lakeville

Susan Trotta Clark of Milford

Erin Truex of Salem

Cynthia Villanueva of Framingham

Marissa Walsh of South Boston

Susan Webb of Wellesley

Heather White of Westfield

Jeanne Widmer of Belmont

Susann Wilkinson of Somerville

Alma Wright of Dorchester

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) is an independent state agency legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. The MCSW provides a permanent, effective voice for the women of Massachusetts.

The MCSW invites all members of the community and all elected officials to attend and participate in our Commonwealth Heroines Celebration of the Class of 2023. The program book with bios of each Commonwealth Heroine will be available on our website for public viewing after the event concludes. For additional information regarding this event, please contact the MCSW at 617-626-6520 or email mcsw@mass.gov.

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) is an independent state agency created in 1998 to provide a permanent, effective voice for women of the Commonwealth and to promote their rights, opportunities, and equality for all. Follow MCSW on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn to learn more and get engaged.

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