Each year, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) partners with state legislators to identify women who make outstanding contributions to their organizations and communities. The MSCW is honored to announce the full slate of 2026 awardees and their nominating legislators.

Elected officials are encouraged to submit one woman from their constituency as a means of recognizing their invaluable efforts and extraordinary acts of service, who are making a big difference in their communities but not necessarily making the news. This year, the Class of 2026 Commonwealth Heroines is comprised of a historic 147 women from across the state, the largest class awarded to date by the MCSW. These women are leaders in industry, business, nonprofit, advocacy, and more, and their work truly makes a difference in our local communities all across the state.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

Barnstable County (4)

Diane Chamberlain, South Dennis
Nominated by: State Senator Julian Cyr

Shareen Davis, Chatham
Co-nominated by: Senator Julian Cyr and State Representative Hadley Luddy

Nell Fields, East Falmouth
Nominated by: State Representative David Vieira

Emily Stephens, Marstons Mills
Nominated by: State Representative Steven G. Xiarhos

Berkshire County (4)

Abigail “Abby” Allard, Pittsfield
Nominated by: State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier  

Patti Messina, Cheshire
Nominated by: State Representative John Barrett 

Alison Peters, Hinsdale
Nominated by: State Senator Paul Mark  

Jenny Schwartz, Great Barrington
Nominated by: State Representative Leigh Davis 

Bristol County (13)

Denise Barbosa Lane, North Easton
Nominated by: State Senator William Driscoll 

Rosemary Gill, Dartmouth
Nominated by: State Representative Antonio Cabral 

Michelle Hamilton, Foxborough
Nominated by: State Representative Michael Chaisson 

Cynthia “Cindy” Brogan, Taunton
Nominated by: State Representative Lisa Field 

Rebecca Frias, Assonet
Nominated by: State Representative Carole Fiola 

Leslie Kola, Raynham
Nominated by: State Representative Dennis Gallagher 

Joanne Roche, Mansfield
Nominated by: State Representative James K. Hawkins 

Keyanna Jones, New Bedford
Nominated by: State Representative Christopher Hendricks 

Frances Kelley, Swansea
Nominated by: State Representative Steven Howitt 

Wendy Morill, New Bedford
Nominated by: State Representative Christopher Markey    

Lisa Feitelberg-Costa, Westport
Nominated by: State Representative Steven Ouellette 

Jenny Mello Reis, Somerset
Nominated by: State Representative Justin Thurber 

Rachel Resendes, Fall River
Nominated by: State Representative John R. Gaskey 

Essex County (20)

Gayla Bartlett, Danvers
Nominated by: State Representative Sally Kerans

Anne Boris, Salem
Nominated by: State Senator Joan B. Lovely

Darby Connolly, Lynn
Nominated by: State Representative Daniel Cahill

Dianne Connolly, Haverhill
Nominated by: State Representative Ryan Hamilton

Grace Connolly, Newburyport
Nominated by: State Representative Dawne Shand

Ellen Crawford, Lynnfield
Nominated by: State Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

Deborah Ann Eskenazi, Peabody
Nominated by: State Representative Thomas Walsh

Devan Ferreira, Haverhill
Nominated by: State Senator Pavel Payano

Kim Hearst, North Andover
Nominated by: State Representative Adrianne Ramos

Audrey S. Jiménez, Lynn
Nominated by: State Representative Sean Reid

Wendy Joseph, Lynn
Nominated by: State Senator Brendan Crighton

Lori Marenda-Lang, Salem
Nominated by: State Representative Manny Cruz

Nancy Marino, Beverly
Nominated by: State Representative Hannah Bowen

Christina Minicucci, North Andover
Nominated by: State Senator Barry Finegold

Erin Padilla, Haverhill
Nominated by: State Representative Andy Vargas

Ruth Pino, Gloucester
Nominated by: State Senator Bruce Tarr

Shannon Scully, Andover
Nominated by: State Representative Frank Moran

Nancy Stehfest, S. Hamilton
Nominated by: State Representative Kristin Kassner

Heidi Whear, Swampscott
Co-nominated by: State Representative Jenny Armini and Senator Brendan Crighton

Bonnie Zahorik, Andover
Nominated by: State Representative Tram Nguyen

Franklin County (1)

Carol Hillman, New Salem
Nominated by: State Representative Aaron Saunders 

Hampden County (6)

Xiomara Albán DeLobato, Wilbraham
Nominated by: State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo Jr. 

Jynai McDonald, Springfield
Nominated by: State Senator Adam Gomez 

Charlene M. Naylor, Springfield
Nominated by: State Representative Bud L. Williams 

Gladys Oyola-Lopez, Springfield
Nominated by: State Representative Carlos Gonzalez 

Bonny Rathbone, Palmer
Nominated by: State Representative Todd Smola 

Carla Sarno, Springfield
Nominated by: State Representative Orlando Ramos 

Hampshire County (4)

Kate DiSanto, Southampton
Nominated by: State Senator John Velis 

Elizabeth A. LaFond, Granby
Nominated by: State Senator Jacob Oliveira 

Britt Ruhe, Granby
Nominated by: State Representative Mindy Domb 

Lexi Walters Wright, Florence
Nominated by: State Representative Lindsay Sabadosa 

Middlesex County (34)

Susan Abramson, Burlington
Nominated by: State Representative Kenneth Gordon 

Tina Alu, Cambridge
Nominated by: State Senator Sal DiDomenico 

Francesca Arsenault, Acton
Nominated by: State Representative, Danillo, Sena,  

Laurie Bent, Weston
Nominated by: State Representative Alice Peisch 

Susie Chhoun, Lowell
Nominated by: State Representative Tara Hong 

Theresa Clawson, Tyngsboro
Nominated by: State Representative Colleen Garry 

Marcia Cooper, Newton
Nominated by: State Representative Greg Schwartz 

Jeanne Craigie, Stoneham
Nominated by: State Representative Michael Day 

Sarah Donnelly, Natick
Nominated by: State Representative David P. Linsky

Andrea Dunne Adrian, Framingham
Nominated by: State Representative Priscila Sousa  

Brynn Durno, Pepperell
Nominated by: State Representative Margaret Scarsdale 

Laurel Farnsworth, Newton
Nominated by: State Representative Amy Mah Sangiolo 

Barbara Fenby, Marlborough
Nominated by: State Representative Danielle Gregoire 

Lisa Gibalerio, Belmont
Nominated by: State Representative Dave Rogers 

Tanya Howard, Medford 
Co-nominated by: State Senator Patricia Jehlen and State Representative Sean Garballey 

Vineeta Kumar, Lexington
Nominated by: State Representative Michelle Ciccolo 

Thao Lan, Lowell
Nominated by: State Representative Vanna Howard 

Denise Lauers, Somerville
Nominated by: State Representative Christine Barber 

Dr. Patricia Kelly Luoto, Hudson
Nominated by: State Representative Kate Hogan 

Zeyneb Magavi, Cambridge
Nominated by: State Representative Steve Owens 

Samantha McGarry, Framingham
Nominated by: State Representative Jack Lewis 

Frances Nwajei, Medford
Nominated by: State Representative Paul Donato 

Valerie Opara, Lowell
Nominated by: State Representative Rodney Elliott 

Elvira Pinjic, Everett
Nominated by: State Representative Joe McGonagle 

Stacey Raffi, Holliston
Nominated by: State Senator Karen Spilka 

Leela Ramachandran, Acton
Nominated by: State Senator James Eldridge 

Patricia Reppucci, Westford
Nominated by: State Representative James Arciero 

Louise Rice, Cambridge
Nominated by: State Representative Mike Connolly 

Sarah Rosenberg, Cambridge
Nominated by: State Representative Marjorie Decker 

Teresa Gentile Sauro, Newton
Nominated by: State Representative John Lawn 

Maura Sullivan, Waltham
Nominated by: State Representative Tom Stanley 

Jeanette Velasquez, Weston
Nominated by: State Senator Mike Barrett 

Tania Vitvitsky, Sudbury
Nominated by: State Representative Carmine Gentile 

Anna Winter Rasmussen, Concord
Nominated by: State Representative Simon Cataldo 

Nantucket County (1)

Brooke Mohr, Nantucket
Co-nominated by: State Representative Thomas Moakley and State Senator Julian Cyr

Norfolk County (10)

Lynne Abbott, Walpole
Nominated by: State Representative John Rogers 

Kerri Berry, Randolph
Nominated by: State Representative, Richard Wells 

Ellen Burns, Wellesley
Co-nominated by State Senator Cynthia Creem and State Representative Alice Peisch 

Candice Hartford, Cohasset
Nominated by: State Senator Patrick O’Connor 

Kristie Henriksen, Quincy
Nominated by: State Representative Bruce Ayers 

Karen Johnston, Weymouth 
Nominated by: State Representative James Murphy 

Caleigh Keating, Franklin
Nominated by: State Representative Jeffrey Roy 

Eileen Kelly, Quincy
Nominated by: State Senator John Keenan 

Leandra McLean, Sharon
Nominated by: State Representative Ted Philips    

Linda Polach, Needham
Nominated by: State Representative Josh Tarsky 

Plymouth County (13)

Kaitlyn Baker, Whitman
Co-nominated by: State Senator Michael Brady & Representative Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida 

Sophia Bethoney, Duxbury
Nominated by: State Representative Kenneth Sweezey 

Ann Cambra, Rochester
Nominated by: State Senator Michael Rodrigues 

Jill Fearons, Mattapoisett
Nominated by: State Representative Mark Sylvia 

Nancy Gardner, East Bridgewater
Nominated by: State Representative Alyson Sullivan Almeida 

Debra Garland, Brockton
Nominated by: State Representative Michelle DuBois 

Lorren (Lorri) Gibbons, Cohasset
Nominated by: State Representative Joan Meschino 

Katherine Jackson, Plymouth
Nominated by: State Representative Michelle Badger 

Jeanne Kling, Halifax
Nominated by: State Representative Kathleen LaNatra    

Carol Mattes, Hanover
Nominated by: State Representative David DeCoste    

Jacquelyn Rose, Bridgewater
Nominated by: State Representative Rita Mendes   

Susan Runne, Pembroke
Nominated by: State Senator Dylan Fernandes 

Liz Wiley, Wareham
Nominated by: State Senator Kelly Dooner

Suffolk County (21)

Asmaa Abou-Fouda, Revere
Nominated by: State Senator Lydia Edwards 

Edith Alexander, Roslindale
Nominated by: State Representative Russell Holmes 

Maria Blasi, South Boston
Nominated by: State Representative David Biele 

Meri Bond, Roslindale
Nominated by: State Representative Rob Consalvo 

Catrina Cooley-Flagg, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Chynah Tyler 

Amy Epstein, Winthrop
Nominated by: State Representative Jeffrey Turco 

Sasha Goodfriend, Jamaica Plain
Nominated by: State Representative Samantha Montano 

Barbara Groover, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Christopher Worrell 

Edna Hall, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid 

Lori Hooley, Charlestown
Nominated by: State Representative Daniel J. Ryan 

Andrea Howard, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Kevin Honan 

Yvette Jarreau, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative John Moran 

Ruth Khowais, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Jay Livingstone 

Kristen McDonnell, West Roxbury
Co-nominated by: State Representatives William MacGregor & John Rogers 

Glenola Mitchell, Mattapan
Nominated by: State Senator Liz Miranda 

Tracy Nowicki, Chelsea
Nominated by: State Representative Judith Garcia 

Jane O’Reilly, East Boston
Nominated by: State Representative, Adrian Madaro 

Eileen Ryan, Watertown
Nominated by: State Senator William Brownsberger 

Minnah B. Sheikh, Revere
Nominated by: State Representative Jessica Giannino 

Katherine Tallman, Boston
Nominated by: State Representative Tommy Vitolo 

Nicola Truppin, Boston
Nominated by: State Senator Nick Collins 

Worcester County (16)

Jill Ashton, Clinton
Nominated by: State Representative Meghan Kilcoyne 

Suchira Channoi, Worcester
Nominated by: State Representative David LeBoeuf 

Claire Freda, Leominster
Nominated by: State Representative Natalie Higgins 

Patricia (Pat) Freiss, Leominster
Nominated by: State Senator John J. Cronin 

Karen Henderson, Westborough
Co-nominated by: State Representatives Kate Donaghue and Hannah Kane 

Theresa Hicks, Uxbridge
Nominated by: State Senator, Ryan, Fattman 

Kelly Hitt, West Brookfield
Nominated by: State Representative Donald Berthiaume 

Lori Hout, Douglas
Nominated by: State Representative Joseph McKenna 

Deborah Johnson, Dudley
Nominated by: State Representative John Marsi 

Anahit Marutyan, Worcester
Nominated by: State Senator Robyn Kennedy 

Tracey Philips, Hopedale
Nominated by: State Representative Brian Murray 

Victoria Selser, Sterling
Nominated by: State Representative Mike Kushmerek 

Karen Spencer, Uxbridge
Co-nominated by: State Representatives Michael Soter and Joseph McKenna 

Karen Swindell, Milford
Nominated by: State Senator Becca Rausch 

Theresa Thompson, Gardner
Nominated by: State Senator Peter Durant 

Shannon Wall, Shrewsbury
Nominated by: State Representative Hannah Kane