LYNN — Magnolia Contreras is no stranger to receiving accolades.
The Vice President of Community Health at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Contreras was recently elected to the Board of Directors at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, a civic engagement organization dedicated to “responding to our region’s most pressing issues like housing stability, economic mobility, healthy child development and educational success.”
Social justice advocacy and volunteer work are at the core of Contreras’ impressive résumé.
While Contreras is part of a team that specializes in the early detection and prevention of cancer, she is also on the Salem State University Trustee’s Academic and Student Life Committee.
She said she is uniquely qualified to represent Lynn due to her extensive history in the city. In and out of college, she worked at Lynn Community Health Center as a social worker, and has been volunteering there for over 25 years.
Contreras said she aims to be a fighter for Lynn.
“The timing for me to join United Way is a little bit due to everything we have learned since the pandemic, the need for a community like Lynn to have champions at the right table to bring forward the priority needs of our community,” she said. “That’s what moved me when I was approached by the United Way, I felt like their impact I couldn’t feel during the pandemic, which is unacceptable.”
“The United Way is such an impactful organization that looks to partner with communities to address economic related issues, that allow people to thrive and live healthy supportive lives, and I just didn’t feel them during the pandemic in Lynn. I’m not saying that they haven’t done anything, what I think was different for me was the impact of it, that just lacked in my mind, which is what I want to elevate at the board,” she continued.
Contreras said she intends to spend her first year at United Way getting acclimated to the organization, while acting as a vocal supporter for the most important issues facing Lynn.
“The first year is always a learning year, especially at a big organization like this,” she said.“The important role that a board member has is to amplify issues. I aim to make sure that Lynn’s issues are always at the table at United Way,” said Contreras.
Dorothy Irrera can be reached at [email protected].
