Women from Lynn, Peabody and Salem have been selected as 2021 Commonwealth Heroines by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW).
From Lynn, the city’s Public Health Director Michele Desmarais, Gregg House Director Kelly O’Connor and the Executive Assistant to the City Council Theresa (Terry) Young were honored.
Peabody’s Director of Health and Human Services Sharon Cameron and Salem State University visiting lecturer Gwendolyn Rosemond also received the distinction.
Each year, the MCSW partners with state legislators to honor women who make significant contributions to their organizations and communities through the Heroines awards.
The commission’s website describes Commonwealth Heroines as “the women who use their time, talent, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others and make a difference in their neighborhoods, cities and towns.”
Desmarais, who was recommended by state Rep. Daniel Cahill (D-Lynn), said she was honored to receive the award, but credited her team for their hard work in keeping Lynn safe during the “difficult and challenging time” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Public Health Division of Lynn has worked tirelessly during the pandemic in contact tracing, educating and scheduling and promoting vaccine clinics for the residents of Lynn,” Desmarais said.
Cahill said he nominated Desmarais because of her quick and dedicated response to keeping Lynn residents safe during the pandemic, even with very little resources.
“From day one, Michele has been engaged and required to coordinate the city’s response to the pandemic,” Cahill said. “Michele was leading the charge — from distributing personal protective equipment all the way to the vaccinations. She is a great representation that symbolizes hard work.”
O’Connor was recommended by state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) for her work overseeing a variety of services for families at Gregg House, including all-day childcare for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, and after-school and summer programming for older children.
The pandemic put both a financial and physical strain on Gregg House — a child care organization in Lynn — but O’Connor worked with her team to adhere to state and federal guidelines, including reduced classroom sizes, to meet the needs of Lynn families.
“I feel extremely honored to have been selected,” O’Connor said. “This is an amazing group of women who have done amazing things. The Massachusetts Commission for the Status of Women is invaluable to our work.”
Crighton said after years of working with O’Connor it was an honor to nominate her for the “well-deserved recognition” of being an unsung heroine.
“She has worked tirelessly and selflessly to help countless youth and their families for decades,” Crighton said. “Congratulations and thank you to Kelly, along with the other award winners, Terry Young and Michele Desmarais, for their dedicated service to our community.”
Young was recommended by state Rep. Peter Capano (D-Lynn), a former city councilor in Lynn, for going “above and beyond the call of duty in her everyday job,” whether it be handling constituent concerns, volunteering in the community or solving difficult problems without complaint.
Young is a lifelong resident of Lynn with over four decades of governmental and constituent-service experience. She spent nearly 10 years as a secretary for the Legislative Services Bureau at the State House before transitioning to the city’s Department of Community Development.
She has spent time working on improving and upgrading the city’s downtown area, and has worked for the City Council for the past 29 years.
“Theresa is always available to answer constituent questions off the top of her head and always with a smile,” Capano said. “Her dedication and hard work embodies the true meaning of the words ‘public servant.’”
In Peabody, state Rep. Thomas Walsh nominated Cameron as a Commonwealth Heroine.
“I am very proud and humbled to be recognized as a Commonwealth Heroine along with this outstanding group of women,” said Cameron. “I’m extremely grateful to Rep. Tom Walsh for nominating me for this honor, and to Mayor Ted Bettencourt and his administration for providing the support and resources needed to respond effectively to this emergency. This past year and a half has brought so much heartache and hardship to our community, and I feel privileged to be in a role to try to help.”
Cameron has been at the forefront of the city’s COVID-19 response, testing and vaccination programs. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Cameron has worked to oversee public health staff, assist the school system with reopening and contact-tracing procedures and has helped seniors and residents of all ages receive their vaccines.
Cameron said she is proud of the Peabody community as a whole, but feels particular pride for the city’s health department, whose response provided critical case management and contact tracing, eventually allowing students to return to school safely.
“Peabody Health Department staff worked around the clock throughout the pandemic to provide these critical services, and rose to meet every challenge with professionalism, compassion, energy and optimism,” Cameron said. “I am so proud to serve alongside them.”
On behalf of Salem, state Rep. Paul Tucker recommended Gwendolyn Rosemond, who works as a lecturer in the English department at Salem State University.
Rosemond arrived at Salem State in 1977 as the assistant director of the AID Program and Learning Center. In a career that spans multiple decades, she has held positions such as assistant director of minority affairs and associate dean of academic affairs.
In addition to being a lifelong educator, Rosemond is a writer, storyteller and performer who has appeared in “Tituba’s Tale,” a play that commemorates the Salem Witchcraft Trials. She was also a part of the inaugural production of “Letters from War” with the Salem Theatre Company. Rosemond is currently a member of Salem’s Race and Equity Task Force and is a leader on civil rights and women’s issues.
Rosemond graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bowling Green State University and conducted her doctoral studies at Vanderbilt and UMass – Boston.
The full list of 2021 Commonwealth Heroines can be viewed at www.mass.gov/doc/commonwealth-heroine-program-book-class-of-2021.
