7.0
LEADS
Fellows
Summary
Kristin Batstone, MBA
Executive Director, The Women’s Center
Kristin Batstone is the Executive Director of The Women’s Center, a nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the 13 cities and towns of Massachusetts’ SouthCoast. A believer in trauma-informed, people-centered systems, Kristin has led the 53-year-old agency through major transition—overhauling its programs and clinical practices, creating its first leadership team, and relocating both its headquarters and shelter to more welcoming, client-focused spaces. Kristin previously led operations and development at the Immigrants’ Assistance Center in New Bedford and ran her own business consulting with mission-driven organizations through periods of growth and change.
She holds a BA in Sociology and History from Gordon College and an MBA from UMass Boston. She’s also trained as a birth doula through DONA International, with a special focus on maternal health equity.
Kristin lives in New Bedford with her four young adult kids and their energetic German Shepherd. Outside of work, she likes cycling, kayaking, or enjoying live music—and she’s always on the lookout for someone game to practice her beginner Spanish with.
Sherry Ellis, LICSW ACSW
CEO, Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Inc. (SSTAR)
Sherry Ellis is the CEO of Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Inc. SSTAR houses a Federally Qualified Health Center, an Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, an Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Clinic, a methadone Opioid Treatment Program, a buprenorphine Office based Opioid Treatment Program, a Detox, a Residential, a Domestic Violence Program, a Mobile Van, an HIV/Hepatitis and AIDS Prevention and Treatment Program and other prevention and social service programs. Ms. Ellis has over 35 years’ management experience in nonprofit health care and community behavioral healthcare including 15 years in senior management with extensive work in health, mental health and substance use disorder.
Ms. Ellis has been an adjunct faculty member for The Boston College School of Social Work for the last fifteen years. She has served on committees both for the Association of Behavioral Health and for The Executive Office for Health and Human Services representing the needs of the behavioral health service providers across the system. She serves on the Board for the Association of Behavioral Health and for the BACO ACO. Her work in the field has emphasized a strong commitment to high risk, high need populations with a focus on integrating whole health solutions.
Sherry resides in Easton, Massachusetts. She has two children, a son John and a daughter Kristin. She enjoys spending time with her family, walking and traveling and enjoys playing pickleball multiple times per week.
Sherry Ellis holds a Bachelor of Arts and an MSW degree from Boston College. She is clinically trained and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and is also a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers.
Jennifer Ferland
Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, New Bedford Public Schools
Jennifer Ferland is the Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships for New Bedford Public Schools. New Bedford is the 8th largest district in the state, located in southeastern Massachusetts, and serving almost 13,000 students. Jennifer currently oversees approximately $50M in grants that includes Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) construction projects, federal entitlements, out of school time programming, and nutrition services. She has spent almost 25 years in the district having previously worked at the Parenting Teens Program, as the Grants Facilitator, and as the Director of Supplemental Services. Jennifer holds MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education licenses as a business teacher, Supervisor/Director, Assistant Superintendent/Superintendent, and School Business Administrator. She is a Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official and a member of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials. Jennifer is the Chair of the New Bedford Education Foundation, a member of the Executive Committee of the Greater New Bedford Youth Alliance, and sits on both the Education Committee of One Southcoast Chamber and the Greater New Bedford Opioid Task Force.
Originally from New Jersey, Jennifer has made the Southcoast her home for the past 30 years. She is married with two adult children. Her daughter is completing her Masters of Art in Teaching and her son is a welder. She spends her spare time with her family and her two dogs.
She has a BA in psychology from UMass Amherst, a Master of Public Policy from UMass Dartmouth, and is currently writing her dissertation for a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Lesley University.
Shannon M. Finning
Director, Employee & Labor Relations and HR Business Partners, Southcoast Health
Shannon Finning serves as the director, employee & labor relations and HR business partners, at Southcoast Health leading labor and employee relations strategy for Southcoast Health’s 8,000-employee system, overseeing complex investigations, negotiating and honoring collective bargaining agreements, and providing HR guidance and support to leaders in collaboration with executive leadership. She directly supervises the HR business partner, labor relations, and employee relations teams, while advancing academic partnerships through the establishment of a university relations function. Prior to joining Southcoast Health in 2022, she served as a passionate, results-driven educator with more than 20 years of professional experience in public and private higher education settings culminating in serving as the chief student affairs/experience officer at three institutions. During her tenure in higher education, she served institutions including Bridgewater State University, Bryant University, Clemson University, Drexel University and UMass Dartmouth.
Shannon lives in Mattapoisett with her husband, Michael, son, James, and two English bulldogs. When not working in or serving the community, Shannon can be found supporting local, club and collegiate sports teams and traveling the globe. Her family has visited all 50 states and is working their way through an impressive international travel plan.
She is also active in the community serving on the Greater New Bedford Workforce Board, Mattapoisett Elementary School Council and volunteering with MA Special Olympics and has previously served as a member of the Mattapoisett and Old Rochester Regional Union 55 School Committees and on the Board of Directors for the Springfield Boys and Girls Club.
Shannon graduated from Clemson University with a Ph.D. in educational leadership, earned a master of education degree in counseling from Bridgewater State University, and graduated from Bryant University with a bachelor of arts degree in communication. She is also a graduate of the Harvard University Leadership & Management Institute.
Dottie Fulginiti
Senior Vice President and Deputy Director of Operations in the Community Development Division at MassDevelopment
Dottie Fulginiti is Senior Vice President and Deputy Director of Operations in the Community Development Division at MassDevelopment where she helps lead efforts to invest in housing, infrastructure, and economic revitalization across Massachusetts.
Dottie also serves as Chair of the Easton Select Board bringing over a decade of experience in public service.
With deep experience in local government, housing, economic development, and public finance, she’s passionate about building strong communities through strategic investment, effective partnerships, and practical leadership that gets results.
Dottie serves on numerous board and committees such as the Easton Commission on Disability,
Chair of the Easton Shovel Town Cultural District, Easton Wings of Hope – reducing youth substance use, BioConnects NE, the Bristol County Advisory Board, MBTA Advisory Board and Brockton Area Transit Board.
Dottie has lived in Easton for 31 years with her husband, Gerry Fulginiti. They have two children: Jarrod, a U.S. Navy veteran who served six years as a nuclear mechanic, and Victoria, a 911 communications specialist.
Dottie studied at New England School of Design and Northeastern University where she focused on finance.
Abigail Hevey
Co-Director, Coastal Foodshed
Abby is currently the Co-Director of Coastal Foodshed, the local food hub serving the Southcoast. As a co-founder of the organization, Abby rejoined the organization in 2020 and has focused on the organization’s strategic development, writing grant proposals and helping to build programming to further the organization’s mission while aligning with the priorities of funders. Over her career, Abby has specialized in writing and managing grant applications from private, state, and federal funders as an employee and consultant for a number of nonprofits working across various causes. Abby is also a Trustee for the Millicent Library in Fairhaven.
Raised on a small farm in upstate New York, Abby now lives in Fairhaven, MA with her husband Ben, son Sawyer, daughter Tess, and cat Toby. When not working, Abby enjoys watching movies with her kids, reading, and baking.
Abby graduated with a Master’s in Professional Writing from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Abby is also a graduate of Leadership Southcoast’s Class of 2020.
Lisa M. Jones, MD, MBA, FACOG
Chief Executive Officer, HealthFirst Family Care Center
Lisa M. Jones, MD, MBA, FACOG currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at HealthFirst Family Care Center in Fall River. Prior to coming to HealthFirst in 2024, Lisa served as the Chief Medical Officer at Duffy Health Center in Hyannis from 2021-2024, and leadership roles, including Chief Quality and Compliance Officer at New Bedford Community Health from 2006-2021. Lisa is a Board-certified Obstetrician Gynecologist and former high school teacher who believes that the intersection of business, healthcare and education can make a real difference in the lives of underrepresented and marginalized communities.
Lisa is a resident of Somerset where she lives with her husband Mark, her two stepchildren (when they aren’t at college) and her 14-year-old rescue pup, Pepper. In her free time, Lisa believes that a well-lived life should include travel, sunshine, friends, good food and good books. Her free time reflects that belief.
A graduate of University of Michigan with degrees in biology (BS) and education (MA), Lisa attended Michigan State College of Human Medicine and recently completed her MBA from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Jason P. Lanagan
President, Lanagan & Co., Inc.
Jason Lanagan is the President of Lanagan & Co., Inc., a development and brokerage firm anchored in New Bedford’s Whaling National Historical Park, where he oversees development strategy, brokerage operations, and property management compliance. Prior to starting the firm, Jason developed a series of hospitality related properties that ignited his passion for historic adaptive re-use development. His volunteer activities include founding the SCBA, serving on the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s Public Policy Committee, chairing the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford’s property Committee, and serving on DATMA’s Board of Directors.
Jason presently resides in Fairhaven MA with his family, Kayla, Alice, and Oscar. He enjoys cycling and being on or close to the water.
Jason has a Bachelors of Science in Finance from the University of Massachusetts.
Jordan Latham
Vacant Property Development Manager, City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing and Community Development
Jordan Latham is the Vacant Property Development Manager for the City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing and Community Development, where she leads an initiative to return vacant and distressed properties to productive use. Described as “part investigator, part case worker,” she works across city departments and with property owners, developers, and community partners to reactivate long-abandoned or tax-delinquent properties as part of the City’s broader housing strategy. Her prior roles include Research and Communications Director for State Representative Antonio Cabral (D–New Bedford) and Director of Advocacy and Resource Development at YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, a role she began while completing doctoral studies at Boston University. She also worked as a teaching fellow, research assistant, and adjunct instructor during her graduate education. Since moving to New Bedford in 2013, Jordan has served on numerous public boards, volunteered with local organizations, and was appointed to the Plymouth County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. In 2021, she co-founded ELECT SouthCoast, a volunteer-led initiative advancing women’s political leadership in elected and appointed office. Her civic contributions have been recognized with the SouthCoast Five Emerging Leaders award (2019) and the 10th Bristol District’s Commonwealth Heroine award (2025).
Since 2018, she has lived in Rochester with her husband, Hunt, and their children, Archer and Andie. A lifelong athlete, Jordan plays in soccer and softball leagues and coaches her daughter’s soccer team. When not on the field or out for a run with her dog Ripley, she’s often at her family’s restaurant, Sixes & Sevens.
Originally from Manchester, New Hampshire, she holds an AB in History from the University of Chicago, an MA in American Studies from UMass Boston, and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Boston University, where she pursued a PhD in American and New England Studies.
Darcy H. Lee
Executive Director, Samaritans Southcoast
As Executive Director of Samaritans Southcoast, Darcy H. Lee oversees all operations, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, grief support programs, and strategic efforts to prevent suicide, provide compassionate crisis care, and support healing after loss. She leads a team of 70 staff, interns, and volunteers, manages budgets and fundraising, builds key community partnerships, ensures compliance with crisis intervention standards, and advocates for equitable mental health resources across southeastern Massachusetts. Previously, Lee worked at the John F. Kennedy Library and Foundation, serving as Press Aide to U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, before building a career in fundraising and consulting for organizations such as Clark University, Orchard House, Pilgrim Hall Museum, and the Women’s Fund of SEMA. She also led Mayflower RSVP as Executive Director. An author of two books, including the award-winning Ghosts of Plymouth, Massachusetts (2017), Lee co-chairs the Norfolk County Suicide Prevention Coalition, serves on the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention, and is Assistant Governor for Area 7 of Rotary District 7950. Her affiliations include the Rotary Club of Fall River, the National Association of Crisis Organization Directors, and the New Bedford Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She resides in Fall River, Massachusetts, where she enjoys golfing, playing pickleball, reading, volunteering in her community, and attending the theater and symphony performances. Lee loves to laugh and believes a day without laughter is a day wasted.
Lee holds a BA in history from Marymount College at Fordham University, attended Clark University for graduate studies, and is currently working toward her Master of Science in Psychology at California Coast University.
Daniela F. Melo
Executive Director, Samaritans Southcoast
Daniela Melo is Chair of the Board and Co-Founder of The New Bedford Light, an innovative nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism serving the greater New Bedford area. She is a political scientist and senior lecturer in the Social Sciences Division [CGS] at Boston University. Daniela is also a frequent contributor of political analysis on US domestic and foreign policy to media in Portugal. She is the lead co-editor of two books, and author of various academic articles on Iberian politics.
She grew up in Portugal, from where her family emigrated to the United States in 1998 into the city of Central Falls, RI. Daniela has lived in New Bedford with her husband, the historian Timothy D. Walker, since 2008. They have a delightful 6 year-old son, Sebastian. In her free time, Daniela enjoys traveling, putting together big family gatherings with abundant Portuguese food, and playing with her son.
Daniela graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Ph.D. and a Master’s in Political Science. She is also a graduate of Connecticut College, where she pursued B.A.s in International Relations and in Italian.
Helena L. Moronta
First Vice President Community Relations Officer, BayCoast Bank
Helena Moronta is the First Vice President and Community Relations Officer at BayCoast Bank, bringing over 20 years of experience in the financial sector. With a strong focus on business development, community engagement, and policy implementation, Ms. Moronta has earned a reputation for strategic leadership that drives both organizational growth and community impact.
In her current role, she oversees the bank's community relations initiatives, serving as a key liaison between BayCoast Bank and a wide range of stakeholders, including nonprofit organizations, government entities, businesses, and local leaders. Her efforts are centered on cultivating long-term, trust-based partnerships that align with the bank’s mission to foster economic mobility and promote community resilience. Ms. Moronta's leadership ensures that all community engagement strategies are aligned with the bank's core values and strategic goals, strengthening the bank’s presence and positive influence across the region.
Beyond her professional role, Ms. Moronta is a dedicated advocate for community service, education and youth empowerment. She actively contributes to several boards and committees, including Project GOAL, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, The San Miguel School, United Way of Rhode Island, Boys & Girls Club, The Rhode Island Foundation ELI, The SHARE Foundation, the Rhode Island Bankers Association, and the Massachusetts Bankers Association. Additionally, she dedicates her time to volunteering with the Special Olympics, HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center, Camp BraveHeart, and Weekend of Hope and Healing.
Ms. Moronta resides in Cranston, RI, with her husband. Outside of her professional and community commitments, she enjoys traveling to broaden her global perspective and finds joy in hosting intimate gatherings, where she shares home-cooked meals with loved ones. A passionate dancer, she believes in the power of movement as a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries.
Moronta holds a foundational background in finance from the University of Rhode Island and has completed advanced leadership training at Cornell University, Brown University, and Babson College. These educational experiences have further developed her expertise in leadership, organizational growth, and financial strategy.
Sarah W. Rose
Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Greater New Bedford
Sarah W. Rose is the Chief Impact Officer at United Way of Greater New Bedford where she serves as a member of the leadership team and oversees grantmaking and programs. Sarah works with the board and community partners to spearhead strategic initiatives to enhance community capacity across several key impact areas. She develops new initiatives that enhance ongoing programs and secures financial resources needed to further this work.
Prior to her current position, Sarah was the Director of Engagement at the SouthCoast Community Foundation and Vice President of Education and Programs for the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Sarah earned a BA from Wheaton College, MBA from New York University Stern School of Business, and MAT from Simmons University. She is on The Bristol Community College Advisory Board, Massachusetts Early Childhood Funder Collaborative Steering Committee, and serves on the Board of Directors of Island Health Project and Henry L Ferguson Museum.
Naomi Slipp
Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for Chief Curator
Director of Museum Learning at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
A museum professional with diverse experience in exhibition curation, academic publishing, higher education, and strategic visioning and implementation, Naomi Slipp is passionate about interdisciplinary storytelling, leveraging collections to connect with diverse audiences in meaningful ways, and inspiring connections between past and present. As the Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for Chief Curator and Director of Museum Learning at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Slipp is a member of the senior leadership team and directs all activities related to collections, curatorial, and museum learning for the organization. At NBWM, she has curated several special exhibitions including Turn the Tide: Courtney Mattison (2021), Re/Framing the View: Nineteenth-Century American Landscapes (2022), A Singularly Marine & Fabulous Produce: The Cultures of Seaweed (2023), and The Wider World & Scrimshaw (2024).
Slipp holds a PhD from Boston University and MA from the University of Chicago, is trained as an art historian, and has published and presented widely on diverse topics for different audiences. Prior to joining NBWM, Slipp served as the Executive Editor of Panorama: the Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art, worked at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; MFA, Boston; Roger Williams University; Boston University Art Gallery; Terra Foundation for American Art; and Harvard Art Museums, and was, most recently, a tenured Associate Professor of Art History at Auburn University at Montgomery, AL, where she taught classes and directed the Southern Studies Conference, managed the University Gallery and art collection, and coordinated the Museum Studies Program.
Slipp grew up on the coast in Bristol, RI. That proximity to water has had a fundamental impact and shapes her connections to the Museum’s collections and communities. She lives with her husband, five-year-old son, and twelve-year-old cat in Fall River, MA. She enjoys the outdoors, visiting museums, and reading.