WORCESTER—Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) elected nine new members, including one girl member, to the Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting June 23, 2024, including several with Worcester roots and connections.
New board members and officers are:
- Elizabette Batista of Ludlow is the superintendent of public works for the City of Chicopee and a Massachusetts registered professional civil engineer. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University. She serves as President of the Board for the Portuguese Community Cultural Association and is an active Board member for the Gremio Lusitano (Portuguese) Club.
- Jennifer Cluett of Charlton is the associate vice president for Enrollment Management & Dean of Admissions at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where she is responsible for the recruitment and enrollment of new undergraduate students. She serves as a member of the University’s inaugural Staff Council. Jennifer was a Girl Scout and served as a Brownie troop leader while a college student at Bowdoin College.
- Meagen Donoghue is executive director at the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority where she works across public, private, and corporate sectors to improve conditions within the community. She serves as board president for the Massachusetts Economic Development Council; a board member for Making Opportunity Count; and alumni board member as well as an alumni admissions volunteer at Elmira College. She holds a Master’s of Regional Planning from UMASS Amherst, a Masters of Science, Higher Education from Syracuse University and a BA from Elmira College.
- Jessi Kirley of Easthampton founded JKirley Collective from her passion to create workplaces of dignity and high performance. She is a leadership coach, culture Strategist, an Everything DiSC authorized partner and a trained emotional intelligence and mental fitness coach. She earned her BA from Smith College and her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMASS Amherst.
- Cortney Lima of Pawtucket, RI, is the associate director of admission, DEI coordinator at College of the Holy Cross where she is responsible for initiatives and programming that support marginalized populations through the college admissions process. She is a presenter on college access for first-generation students at the New England Association for College Admission Counseling Annual Meeting Conference and at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, Guiding the Way to Inclusion Conference. She earned a mathematics degree from Assumption College and a Master’s of Higher Education from Northeastern University.
- Kimberly McCullen of Sutton is workforce development specialist at College of the Holy Cross where she provides organizational development support to meet the College’s needs with a specific focus on DEI. She develops strategies for innovation and engagement with employees and community partners. McCullen serves on the board of Sophia’s Fund and is a volunteer lead counselor at Camp Sunshine, a retreat for families who have a child with a life-threatening illness. She holds a Master’s of Science degree from Northeastern University and a certificate in diversity and inclusion for HR from Cornell University.
- Christopher Schwantner of South Hadley is chief engineer of television for New England Public Media (WGBY-TV) in Springfield. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from SUNY Plattsburgh. Schwantner previously served on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts and on the realignment committee that merged the three central and western Massachusetts Girl Scout councils to form the current organization.
- Stefanie Silva of Worcester is Director of Programs and Events for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Stefanie attended Worcester Public Schools and continued her education at Westfield State and Worcester State University. She serves on the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women for the City of Worcester.
- Finn Albiston of Shrewsbury is a Girl Scout senior who began Girl Scouts as a Daisy. They enjoy working with younger Girl Scouts and help with younger troops assisting leaders with events in their community. Finn is a member of GSCWM’s Girl Advisory Board, and a member of their communities’ Older Girl Council. They have earned numerous leadership awards including Leadership in Action, the Torch Award, and the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award having completed over 250 hours of community service in 2024. They are a Bronze and a Silver Award Girl Scout.
GSCWM’s new board members were elected to serve a two-year term.
GSCWM Board officers include:
President/Board Chair: Nicole Messier, program manager, Raytheon Technologies
First Vice President: Christine Cassidy, senior vice president and Chief Communications Officer, Fallon Health
Second Vice President: Roberta McCulloch-Dews, vice president of marketing, Greylock Federal Credit Union.
Secretary: Sheryl Zarozny, vice president advisory Client Partner, Optum.
Treasurer: Ryan Matson, Insurance Producer, Braley & Wellington Insurance Group.
“With such a wide array of perspectives and knowledge, our Board is better equipped to support and empower young girls in our community, nurturing the strong female leaders of our future,” said Messier in a statement. “It’s a privilege to be part of a Board that values diversity and dedication. The unique insights and expertise of each member are key to our mission of advancing Girl Scouts and supporting the development of all the girls and families we serve.”
The Girl Scout mission is to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.”
