Sandra Pimentel
Sandra Pimentel is an Account Director, with over 15 years of experience in selling market research and consulting for pharmaceutical companies, HR software and Life Science Data Management and Analytics. Sandra is passionate about sharing her knowledge and experiences with young women. She has worked with the Big Sister program for five years. She has changed her career path a few times throughout her career and is in a unique position to mentor other women through that process. She is excited to help other women learn the skills necessary to network, make connections, support each other and progress in their chosen careers. Her track record as an experienced sales executive with expertise in marketing, negotiating and closing deals, and providing exceptional client service is the exact skill set you want in a mentor! Sandra believes that when women support each other, incredible things can happen.
Ivonne-Marie Mendoza
With over 16 years of versatile experience in wealth management and strategy, I am a First Line Risk Manager at Citizens Private Wealth, a leading provider of holistic financial solutions for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. I have a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University. I am passionate and committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives. I participate in programs that expand the visibility and representation of the Hispanic community in the financial profession. I am also a mentor, a board member, and a leader for various internal and external organizations that support the empowerment and advancement of women and people of color. For my contributions and achievements in the industry, I was recently named one of ALPFA’s 2022 Latina Rising Stars.
Jordan Davis
Born and raised in Connecticut, currently residing and working in Massachusetts full-time as a Crisis Clinician in the Emergency Department. Graduated from University of Connecticut with a degree in HDFS in 2019 and completed MSW program at University of Saint Joseph in 2021. Has years of experience working in different areas relevant to social work. Passionate about helping the community and addressing minority mental health.
Jada Curtis
Jada Curtis serves as the AVP, Dir of Loss Prevention for The TJX Companies, a fortune 100 organization and the parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGood, Homesense, and Sierra. Jada brings extensive experience in retail operations, supply chain, safety, and security. With a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Wayne State University in her hometown of Detroit, MI. Throughout her career, she has worked in various states, offering her life experiences and expertise through numerous transitions, challenging roles, building strategies and initiatives across the country.
Jada is passionate about philanthropy and enjoys devoting her time supporting at-risk-youth. She serves as Board Chair for the GRYD Foundation of Los Angeles, volunteering her time with HANDY Foundation of Ft Launderable, and YOVE Foundation of Miami. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones and traveling with world.
Amma Ababio
Amma Ababio, MPH (she/they), is a project-based consultant at Harvard University who focuses on building organizational capacity. She was in the Harvard class of 2019 and studied History and Science with a focus on cognitive science. In 2022, Amma completed her master’s in public health at Boston University’s School of Public Health. In May of that same year, she opened AQ Creations Studio with her sister. The organization’s mission is to make affordable Black art to increase art accessibility, especially for people who are low income.
Liz Ramos-Prosser
Liz has been with TJX Companies for close to 25 years. In that time, she has held a variety of roles in different business functions, including buying, planning, operations, logistics, business development, and now product compliance. Liz’s has built her career and reputation on a strong sense of integrity, adaptability, and understanding of the people and the business. Liz has a strong passion for developing and coaching individuals, demystifying corporate jargon in a way that allows associates to understand where they can navigate corporate culture while staying true to themselves.
Lauren Reznick
Lauren Reznick (she/her/hers) is Legal Counsel to the Land Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court. In this role, she advises the Land Court Chief Justice and administrators on a range of legal matters impacting the court, including pending legislation, the adoption of new court rules and standing orders, strategic planning, new technology implementation, and litigation involving the court. Lauren is also a current Board member of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, an independent civic real estate entity that works in the public interest to implement creative development projects and initiatives that promote social equity and environmental sustainability. Prior to joining the Land Court in 2015, Lauren’s career included eight years of private sector legal practice in civil litigation and intellectual property, and a stint prosecuting criminal cases as a Special Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County. She also served as a Judicial Law Clerk at the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington D.C. Lauren graduated magna cum laude from Boston University School of Law and received her B.A. from the University of California Davis.
Virginia H. Johnson
Success-driven legal executive and team leader with over 20 years of broad-based corporate expertise. Pragmatic, business-minded attorney and advisor to C-suite and board of directors. Collaborative partner to the business who drives transformational projects and operational improvements to optimize opportunities, mitigate risk and grow organizations. Intellectually curious problem-solver who operates with a sense of urgency, creativity and agility. Motivational, high-EQ people leader skilled in guiding, empowering, and recognizing staff performance.
Margaret Waters
Margaret Waters is a writer and editor with many years of experience working at small software startups, larger software companies, non-profits, and universities. She currently works at BlueConic, a Dutch-Boston marketing data privacy startup. She studied history at Yale and has a master’s degree in Irish literature from Trinity College Dublin. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she lives in Belmont with her husband, her Dutch dog Max, and two young-adult children. Her interests include baking, reading, writing, travel, and community work for social justice.
Orianna Olivero-Casso
I am a Senior Vice President and Director of Traded Market Risk at Citizens Financial Group (CFG), reporting directly to the Head of Market Risk. I joined Citizens in 2019 as a Vice President within the Traded Market Risk team, focusing primarily on second line of defense oversight of Citizens’ Commercial Banking trading desks. My responsibilities were expanded in 2022 when I assumed the role of Director. I am based in Westwood, MA.
Before joining CFG, I worked at Santander Bank, N.A. in various risk management areas, including Enterprise Risk Management (2012-2014), Market Risk (2014-2018), and Fraud Risk/Model Validation (2018-2019).
I hold a BA in Economics from the Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo, and master’s degrees in Applied Economics from Universidad Catolica Santo Domingo and in Mathematical Finance from Boston University. I earned the FRM certification in 2014 and the CFA designation in 2018.
Personally, I have been a big sister to a younger brother and sister for most of my life, starting when I was three years old. More recently, I embraced the joy and challenge of motherhood, becoming a parent to three-year-old boy and girl twins. These experiences have made mentoring relationships feel especially natural to me.
Christina Bryant
With over 20 years of experience in the healthcare insurance industry, I am a results-oriented change agent who thrives in challenging and fast-paced environments.
Bettina Nherisson
I am passionate about empowering young minds and dedicated to nurturing both confidence and resilience in our future leaders. Growing up I lacked a true figure that I felt I could open up to and be inspired by so it means a lot to be able to be what I needed for others growing up. I’m commute to fostering growth, self-discovery, self-love and a positive mindset with every interaction. I hope to be an inspiration as well as a warm cup of love to all I cross paths with.
Lauren Abbott
Hi! I work as an HR Associate acting as a liaison for the business line and HR supporting people strategies and initiatives such as restructures, talent and succession planning and DE&I. Female empowerment is one of my greatest passions. Outside of the office I’m a cat mom, fitness enthusiast- I love pickle ball/tennis, and avid health and wellness fan.
Sarah Murphy
Sarah Murphy is an intellectual property lawyer representing clients across a broad range of industries. Ms. Murphy has worked on patent matters involving a wide range of technologies, including medical devices, software, systems engineering and data storage. She has also provided patent portfolio support to our Mergers and Acquisitions practice and as a CIPP/US, has leveraged her background in US privacy law to aid our clients.
Ms. Murphy was a law clerk for The Honorable Jonathan A. Kobes of United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 2022–2023. During law school, she completed a judicial externship for to the Honorable Scott L. Kafker of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. She was previously a teaching assistant while at Boston College Law School and an intern at Global Patent Solutions, LLC, where she conducted prior art, patentability, invalidity and landscape searches for a wide variety of technologies.
Beth Gibbons
Director of Public Relations and Community Relations at Encore Boston Harbor
Laque Duren
I believe life is a journey, I’ve traveled throughout the U.S. bringing motivation to thousands of students, helping young adults and women create a vision for the future.
I received a degree in makeup application from Charles Revson of New York, which qualified me to instruct others with makeup consultation and application techniques. After furthering my education in fashion and modeling, I went to several industries and received a degree that allowed me to teach modeling and personal development. I then became the owner and manager of a fashion, hair, and makeup boutique. I trained with the Girls Coalition of Boston on how to prevent teen prostitution and exploitation of girls. I’ve worked with teen mother programs, women in prison and various outreach programs. I traveled state-wide working with colleges, vocational and high schools, teaching personal development.
My passion is to help bring restoration to the lives of the many young girls and women, who are being exploited, by promoting self-worth and rebuilding self-esteem. As a motivational speaker, I have committed myself to helping individuals reach their full potential. I believe it is important for one to recognize that they have choices. I motivate my students to take personal responsibility for their lives. Helping each one to put their lives in perspective and focus on the possibilities instead of the disappointments is a challenge that I, through my own journey, have come to embrace.
My goal is for those to internalize the belief that, “It is never the stimulus, it is always the response.”
Janet Freed
The infectious enthusiasm of Janet Freed, Senior Vice President of Talent at Allen & Gerritsen (A&G), has cemented her as the beating heart of our thriving and growing A&G community. From her bubble-machine-fueled dance parties to her unwavering dedication to building a nurturing, inclusive environment, Janet sets herself apart as a truly exemplary leader. The magic she exudes while enriching A&G’s workplace culture embodies A&G’s “Yes &” attitude perfectly. With Janet, not even the sky’s the limit; anything feels possible for ourselves and our clients in our shared pursuit of purpose.
Toni Grimm
Toni Grimm joined TFC Financial Management in 2021. Toni works closely with a select group of the firm’s clients and their families, providing comprehensive financial planning advice and experienced guidance. She participates in the firm’s financial planning and portfolio review process.
Prior to joining TFC Financial Management, Toni was the Director of Financial Planning, Divorce Planning and a Client Advisor at Sandy Cove Advisors, LLC, where she worked with high-net-worth individuals and families to develop and implement comprehensive financial and investment plans. She also provided direction relative to divorce planning, which included providing guidance and support prior to and following a divorce.
Toni’s previous experience also includes working as a Senior Sales Associate at BNY Mellon Wealth Management, which consisted of servicing clients and prospects, providing support to sales officers with high-net-worth clients, and analyzing prospect portfolios.
Toni received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Lehigh University. Toni is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner, as well as a CERTIFIED DIVORCE FINANCIAL ANALYST™. Toni is a member of the Boston Estate Planning Council and the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts.
Toni lives in Hingham with her four children who are in various stages of going away to school. She enjoys the Cape in the summers and the occasional winter trip to Naples, Florida. Toni was a volunteer coach for Hingham Girls Youth Lacrosse for 10 + years. She is active with Big Sister Boston, currently a mentor to a Big Sister and serving on the Director’s Advisory Board.
Cicily Shaw
Dr. Cicily Shaw, an ordained minister, has worked in higher education and at the secondary school level for nearly 30 years. She currently serves as the Co-Director of College Counseling at Thayer Academy. Previously, she was the Founding Director of College Counseling at Boston Trinity Academy, a position she held since 2004. Before her tenure at Boston Trinity Academy, she held various roles in the undergraduate admission offices at Boston College, Bryant University, and Lesley University. As a first-generation college student, Cicily is deeply grateful for the opportunities she has received and considers it a blessing to give back, emulating the support her counselors provided her. She holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University, a Master of Divinity from Boston University, a Master of Science from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Stonehill College.
Dr. Shaw is the founder of College Possible LLC, a company dedicated to assisting students and families with the college application process. Through her organization, she also collaborates with schools and community organizations to support college access initiatives and acts as a strategic partner. An accomplished author, Dr. Shaw contributes her insights and experiences to the field of college counseling and admissions.
Dr. Shaw’s dedication to college access is not just a passion but a driving force in her professional life. She has been a member and leader of both the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the New England Association for College Admission Counseling, where she currently serves as President, leading an organization of over 4,000 members. Her past roles include board chair of College Visions in Providence, Rhode Island, a scholarship reader for the Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship, and a reader and interviewer for the Gates Scholarship Program. Her active involvement in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she mentors young women of color, further demonstrates her commitment to educational equity.
Ling Zeng
Ling is a Chief Legal & Administrative Officer Omega Therapeutics. Specialties include general corporate and board secretary, corporate governance and board representation, public company regulations, FDA and other pharmaceutical regulations, mergers and acquisition, securities regulations, corporate finance, executive compensation, employment law, quality.
Kimesha Janey
Kimesha is a high-integrity realtor with a specialty in business credit and small business consulting. Alongside her analytical acumen is a track record of helping clients obtain five to six figure capital for their businesses and investments.
She is the Founder of Financial Growth Strategies and thus utilizes the vast knowledge she has garnered in her role as CEO. She understands it is imperative that real estate investors and business owners have a quick and easy access to capital, so she is working alongside Abel Funding to best suit her client’s needs.
While she offers financial solutions for real estate transactions, small business loans and lines of credit, she establishes long-term relationships with each client and ensures a hassle-free experience. She holds a degree in business from Johnson and Wales University.
Joanna Snyder
I am a museum professional with 15 years of experience with expertise in operations and logistics along with event planning and nonprofit/museum management. My current role allows me to work with the communities in Boston in a way that creates a sense of belonging and welcome within the museum. My educational background is in art history, art business and art ethics, all of which I am still keenly interested and consult in.
Dr. Charmain Jackman
Dr. Charmain Jackman, an award-winning psychologist, author, Tedx Speaker, leadership coach and CEO/founder of InnoPsych, is a champion for inclusive mental health and psychological safety in the workplace. Dr. Charmain leverages her experiences with burnout and racial stress to elevate conversations about healthy soul-care practices and to inspire others to take daily actions to prioritize their mental health through joy and mindfulness. Dr. Charmain is the creator of the My Time To Thrive card deck, an interactive tool that reduces stress and fosters healthy coping patterns. Dr. Charmain has participated in competitive accelerator programs including Goldman Sachs Black in Business, Babson Women Innovating Now (WIN) Growth Lab, MassChallenge Health Tech, and EForAll and has led InnoPsych as a prize winner for pitch competitions including EforAll Winter 22 (1st prize), 2019 Citizens Bank Community Champion (2nd prize), and 2019 Roxbury Innovation Pitch Night (3rd Prize). She has received several awards for her impactful work including City of Boston’s 2021 Black History Month’s Innovator of the Year and has been featured on prominent media outlets including New York Times, NPR, PBS, Oprah Daily, Essence, and the Boston Globe. She is mom to two wonderfully creative children.
