Ann Murphy, Board
President
Ann S. Murphy, a resident of Waltham, is a vice president in the communications practice at O’Neill and Associates. She brings to her role more than 25 years of experience in media relations ranging from print and broadcasting to government, political and corporate public relations. Women’s Business Boston listed Ms. Murphy on their “Top 10 PR Specialists” list in September, 2006. Prior to joining O’Neill and Associates, Ms. Murphy was the director of media relations at Cablevision. In this capacity, she served as the company’s chief spokesperson, coordinated media events with cable partners such as C-SPAN and Home and Garden TV, and supported marketing efforts to launch new products such as digital television, cable modems and other high tech options.
Board
of Directors:
Lora Pellegrini, a resident of Charlestown and MWPC Board Vice President, oversees government affairs activities for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in the three New England states where the company operates. Prior to joining Harvard Pilgrim in 1996, Ms. Pellegrini served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and on the staffs of former Governor Michael S. Dukakis and U.S. Senator John F. Kerry. Ms. Pellegrini was named a member of the Massachusetts Finance Steering Committee during Senator John Kerry's bid for President. She also served on Shannon O'Brien's Finance Committee during her bid for Governor.
Kate Anderson, a resident of Houghs Neck, is the MWPC Board Secretary. She serves as a Senior Policy Advisor to US Senator John Kerry in his Boston office. Prior to joining Senator Kerry's staff she was the Associate Director of Legislation and Government Affairs for the Massachusetts Nurses Association. She has served on the boards of the EMA Fund, the MWPC PAC, and the MWPC. Kate holds a Masters of Public Policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and a BA from Macalester College.
Alona Abalos,
Alona Abalos, is the MWPC Board Treasurer. A resident of Wakefield, Massachusetts, Alona is the Director of Corporate Programs for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She joined Blue Cross Blue Shield in 2000, first as a member of its Government Affairs team and then serving as the Chief of Staff for the Corporate Affairs Division where she managed an active and dynamic team consisting of internal communication, media relations, community relations, and government relations. Prior to joining Blue Cross Blue Shield, Alona served as General Counsel and Chief Policy Advisor to the Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader. Alona was born in the Philippines and grew up on Maui. She graduated with honors from Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences and received her law degree from Boston University School of Law.
Jennifer
Armini,
Jenny Armini is a writer and communications strategist. Her clients include higher education institutions, political leaders and private sector companies. Prior to breaking out on her own, she was the Director of Corporate Giving and Social Responsibility at The MENTOR Network, a national human services company based in Boston. She served as communications director for MassINC, the state's leading nonpartisan think tank, and as chief speechwriter to the Governor of Massachusetts. Jenny spent her early professional years as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill, writing speeches and legislation on issues ranging from Middle East peace to welfare reform. She earned her MPA from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she was named a Public Service Fellow and a Littauer Fellow. She holds a BA in Government from the University of Virginia. Jenny is active in civic affairs and serves on the boards of education-focused and women’s organizations.
Erin Blake, is a new board member and her biography will be posted shortly.
Jody
Dow, a resident of Brookline, is the Vice Chairman
of the Northeast Region of the Republican National Committee.
Ms. Dow is currently serving her sixth term as State
Committeewoman, and was the National Republican Committeewoman
from 1994 to 2001. Ms. Dow is a former GOP candidate
for Massachusetts Secretary of State. President of the
Brookline Women Republican Club, Ms. Dow has also served
as a Brookline Town Meeting Member and was the Chairman
of the Brookline Planning Board. Before Ms. Dow's political
involvement took center-stage, she was the Assistant
Director of the Affiliated Nursing School Program at
Children?s Medical Center in Boston, where she also
taught.
Joyce
Ferriabough a resident of Jamaica Plain, is a political and communicatin strategist, community outreach and crisis management specialist. She specializes in strategic multi-faceted campaigns of any kind where message crafting, strong writing skills, knowledge of media, and educational outreach and promotion are key. In addition to story and editorial placement, she has also produced television, radio, and print advertisement for a range of clients.
Mary Fifield, a resident of Jamaica Plain, is a former international journalist with an extensive background in politics, government, and public relations. Her successful career in journalism included positions with ABC, CNN, NBC, and CBS, where she produced the acclaimed Sunday morning news program "Face the Nation." In 1995, she founded the award-winning Mary Fifield Associates, which has a lengthy roster of large corporate, government, and not-for-profit clients.
Karen Grant,a resident of Malden, is the Vice President of Development & Communications at Peace Games. There she is responsible for creating and implementing the organization’s national development and communications strategy. Before joining Peace Games, Grant spent several years in state and national politics. She served as Deputy Executive Director and Communications Director of Boston 2004, Inc., the non-profit, non-partisan host committee for the 2004 Democratic National Convention and worked in press relations for a variety of candidates and elected officials. Prior to her work in the political arena, Grant organized special events for Children’s Hospital Boston. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Boston University.
Carolynn Jones, a resident of Medford, is the Principal in Carolynn Jones & Associates, a human resource consulting practice. She has worked with a wide range of organizations in high tech, financial services, higher education, health care, software, social services, manufacturing, life sciences and federal government agencies. Ms. Jones prior experience includes HR management and consulting positions with Digital Equipment, Human Resources Research, Wellesley College, and State Street Boston Corporation. She also has taught on college and secondary school.
Andrea Kramer, a resident of Cambridge, is a partner with Sullivan Weinstein & McQuay in Boston, specializing in commercial and employment litigation. She also in an adjunct professor at Brandeis University, where she teaches a course on sex discrimination law. Before law school, Ms. Kramer served as the assistant to Department of Revenue Commissioner Ira Jackson. Ms. Kramer is treasurer of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts and serves as co-chair of its amicus committee, and she is on the steering committee for MassGAP. Ms. Kramer has served on the finance committees of Governor Deval Patrick and Attorney General Martha Coakley and chaired an issues committee on courts and judicial system for Shannon O’Brien during her bid for Governor.
Dolores
Mitchell, a resident of Watertown, is the Executive
Director of the Group Insurance Commission. Ms. Mitchell
served as the Boston Director of the Katharine Gibbs
School and has also worked as a consultant and legislative
liaison for a number of organizations. Ms. Mitchell
is a member of a number of professional and community
organizations, including the Massachusetts Health Data
Consortium, of which she is Vice President.
Pam Nourse, a resident of Acton, is the Co-Chair of the MWPC Political Action Committee. She is the Director of Institutional Advancement for Germaine Lawrence, Inc., where she oversees development, advocacy, marketing and volunteer management. She previously was the Vice President for Public Affairs and Information for Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and the Executive Director of Mass. Choice, now known as NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts. Ms. Nourse also served as Commissioner for the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. She chaired the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Issues under Governor Weld and is a past chair of the Massachusetts Coalition for Choice
Laura O'Brien, a resident of Boston, is the Director of Corporate Communications at Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (NYSE: AMG), an asset management company. Prior to joining AMG, Ms. O’Brien served as press secretary for Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and as deputy press secretary for Governor Mitt Romney. She has also held communications roles at New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. and Barnes & Noble, Inc. Ms. O’Brien received a B.S. in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Natasha
Perez is a new board member and her biography
will be posted shortly.
Ayanna
Pressley , a resident of Boston,
is Senator Kerry's Political Director. She is the liaison to Massachusetts elected officials and candidates, as well as Democratic Party and committee organizations. Her role also includes coordinating outreach to local constituencies such as African Americans and women, and representing the Senator at events and meetings around the state. Prior to joining Senator Kerry's campaign staff in 1996, Pressley served as the Social Security Liaison for Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II. She has been a member of Kerry's Senate staff team for over a decade, and has assumed several roles during her tenure. She previously served as Kerry's Scheduler in Washington DC, and as the Massachusetts Constituency Director for his Presidential campaign.
Lauren
Stiller Rikleen, a resident of Framingham, is a partner
at Bowditch & Dewey, LLP. Prior to heading up the
environmental practice group of Bowditch & Dewey,
the largest Massachusetts law firm outside of Boston,
Rikleen served as an attorney for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Office of the
Attorney General. Rikleen has helped found two nonprofit
organizations dedicated to serving those in need: the
Women's Independence Network, which established the
only shelter for victims of domestic violence in Boston's
western suburbs, and MetroWest Harvest, which transports
donated food to shelters and pantries.
Jan Saragoni, is a Boston native with more than twenty years experience in business development, media relations and marketing. Before starting her firm, Saragoni & Company, Jan was Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, spearheading domestic and international advertising, public relations and promotional campaigns for the Hynes Convention Center. She was Director of Communications for the Massachusetts Department of Public Works and was an assistant press secretary in the communications office of Boston Mayor Kevin H. White. Jan holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Amherst College and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University’s J.F.K. School of Government.
Alexandra
Zaroulis , a resident of Newton, has over 14 years experience in the public and private
sectors working in politics, public relations and journalism.
In 2000, she served on the Gore/Liberman Campaign Communications
staff in both the Midwest and New Engalnd regions.
MWPC
Staff
Sheila Capone-Wulsin, Executive Director
sheila@mwpc.org
Priti Rao, Associate Director
priti@mwpc.org
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