A former resident welcomed as president of the board of directors is just one of many leadership additions at Girls Inc. of Lynn.
Kathleen Tucker, now a resident of Charlestown, returned to her roots to be named the local organization’s board president at their 77th Annual Meeting last week. A slate of new officers and board members were also announced during the meeting, many of them with embedded ties to the city.
“I am thrilled to lead a board that is dedicated to helping and inspiring other girls from Lynn,” Tucker said in a press release. “I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community I come from and to enrich the lives of young women and girls during a time when such support is essential.”
She said she looks forward to working with the community after-school program to expand the number of girls whom they inspire to be “strong, smart, and bold.”
The slate of new officers includes Terese Hoekstra as vice president, James Richard as treasurer, Alexa Abowitz as clerk, Candace Doucette as chair of the Nominating and Board of Development, Lynne M. Bohan as chair of the Strategy Committee, and Jennifer Hardy as chair of the Development Committee.
Joining the organization’s Board of Directors is Lynn Public Schools committee member Brian Castellanos, Diana Moreno, the AVP Membership Development Manager at Metro Credit Union, Amanda Marshall, the Operations Leader at GE Aviation, Martine Francois, the Director of TRIO Student Support Services, and Thomas J. Mercuro, the Senior Vice President of Eastern Bank.
“The new leaders on our board bring a broad range of talents to share,” said Deb Ansourlian, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Lynn. “We are so fortunate to have a strong board of directors to help guide our girls in a very complex world.
Not only did the organization welcome a handful of fresh faces to their Board of Directors, they also announced two young women as members of their Youth Board of Directors. Dayanna Estrada and Iwinosa Foster, both high school students in Lynn, were chosen to participate in decision-making for the organization.
Ansourlian said Girls Inc. of Lynn’s research-based programming is delivered by trained professionals who consistently focus on the development of the “whole girl.” Supporting, mentoring, and guiding young girls in an affirming, “pro-girl environment” is essential to their futures, she said.
“This year we will continue to help girls learn to value their whole selves, discover and develop their inherent strengths, and receive the support they need to navigate the challenges they face,” said Ansourlian.
