Hampden County Commission on the Status of Women

This month, we’re spotlighting our Hampden County Commission on the Status of Women (HCCSW), which was founded in 2016 with a mission to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls in Hampden County. Since its initial launch, HCCSW has maintained a strong relationship with community partners and state legislators, advocating for regional priorities and resources that improve the lives of its constituents. HCCSW Commissioners continue to serve their cities and towns in a variety of ways.

Recent Highlights

In 2023, HCCSW hosted a series of conversations with coalition partners to discuss legislative advocacy, both locally and at the state level – with a March spotlight event, “Women Who Tell Their Stories” featuring five prominent women leaders speaking about their work in the community serving women and girls. HCCSW also hosted their annual legislative breakfast at Chicopee Public Library on Saturday, June 10th where they engaged in thoughtful conversations with state legislators regarding their regional priorities.

In 2024, HCCSW co-hosted several intimate gatherings across Hampden County, partnering with a variety of community organizations focused on serving women and girls. This gave the commission an opportunity to hear directly from their constituents about issues that mattered to them. HCCSW also participated in a women’s history month event in Springfield where they tabled and met with attendees to discuss legislative issues and matters of importance to them.

In 2025, HCCSW hosted a “Women in Leadership” virtual lunch series where they invited several women leaders to talk about their work and the journey it took to get there, including the trials and tribulations. The commission also hosted their annual legislative breakfast on Friday, June 6th at Holyoke Community College where they featured a panel discussion with community leaders on legislative advocacy work related to HCCSW’s regional priorities.

Learn more about the 2025-2026 Legislative Priorities of this region:

Current HCCSW Commissioners

2025 HCCSW Commissioners: Nicole Coakley (Springfield); Nicole Esposito (Longmeadow); Magdalena Gomez (Springfield); Rachelle Hannoush (West Springfield); Vanessa Martinez (Holyoke); Jennifer McNeill (West Springfield); Ariana Nunez (Springfield); Cori Rolland (Southwick); Sasha Viands (Holyoke).

For more information about the commission: Hampden County CSW

Above & Below:
Hampden County Commissioners Sasha Viands, Vanessa Martinez, Cori Rolland, and Magdalena Gomez join community partners and state legislators for their annual legislative breakfast in June 2025 at Holyoke Community College.

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Hampden County Commissioners Nicole Coakley and Magdalena Gomez attend community events on behalf of HCCSW with opportunities to network and share information regarding the commission’s work.

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Hampden County Commissioners Shanique Spalding, Tara Marshall, and Nicole Coakley present HCCSW’s regional priorities to their state delegation for discussion at their annual legislative breakfast held at the Chicopee Public Library in June 2023.