LYNN — Earlier this month, Girls Inc. of Boston and Lynn appointed a new slate of officers and five new board members, including two teen leaders, Zainab Lawal and DeeDee Okusanya, to the board of directors.
According to a press release, Lawal, a senior at Lynn English High School and member of the National Honor Society, brings seven years of experience with Girls Inc. to her role. As a Teen Health Ambassador Peer Leader, senior mentor, and active participant in the Teen Leadership Academy and Project Accelerate, Lawal aims to provide a teenage perspective to enhance understanding.
Okusanya, a senior at Lynn Vocational Technical High School and a National Honor Society member, has been engaged with Girls Inc. since 7th grade. Contributing as a Teen Health Ambassador, Woke Women facilitator, and actively participating in initiatives like the Period Poverty Drive and Climate Change Project, according to a press release, Okusanya looks forward to leveraging her experience in the Teen Leadership Academy, Career Path, College Access Mentoring, and Project Accelerate to bring about positive changes.
“The girls are very special,” Director of Development and Communications Donna Crotty said. “They bring the voice of the girls we serve to the board. They’ll be speaking at every meeting and will be a part of all board meetings.”
The newly appointed officers also include Siobhan Kelly as president, who currently serves as the Marketing Director at Empower; Marcel Quiroga as vice president from TQM Wealth Partners; Eileen Wynne as treasurer, a former vice president and chief accounting officer at Analog Devices; and Diana Mandra as clerk, a senior vice president at Salem Five.
“We are keeping the girls at the center of the conversation,” incoming president Siobhan Kelly said in the press release. “We continue to build strong, smart, and bold young women supported by an outstanding staff, volunteers, and generous donors, and I am excited about this talented and diverse board that includes women across varied industries and backgrounds.”
