If you missed the event, HERSTORY: How far have we come?, you can catch the short film we showed about the challenges we’ve overcome and the very real threats to women’s rights we face.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 20 at 7 pm when Leading Ladies celebrates Women’s History Month again, this time with The Cabot and two commissioners of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, Sara Stanley, executive director of HAWC, and Nicole McClain, councilor at large for the city of Lynn.
Registration is free, but requested.
Nicole McClain
Nicole is a wife, mother and lifelong resident of Lynn. She is a veteran, having served 11 years in the Army National Guard with deployments to Iraq in 2004 and 2008. A community advocate and entrepreneur, Nicole owned and operated Rising Stars Childcare Services, a home-based
early education service for six years, ran for local political office in 2021 and was recently sworn in as the first Black American Woman to become a Councilor At Large in the City of Lynn. She is currently working with New Lynn Coalition as the Lynn Community Enrichment Program Coordinator.
Nicole is also the Founder and President of North Shore Juneteenth Association, a non-profit organization. North Shore Juneteenth Association is a group of community leaders seeking to create awareness about the Juneteenth holiday, educate the broader community about positive aspects of African American culture, and work toward dismantling racism using events and programming as a tool for change. Her organization has organized numerous community events and collaborated with many other community organizations to produce positive outcomes and vows to always be a force for positive change.
Nicole has a bachelor’s degree in Early Education. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Boston College in Educational Leadership and Policy.
Sara Stanley, Esq.
Sara Stanley, Esq. is deeply committed to social justice and has dedicated her career to ensuring that everyone can live free from fear of violence and have equitable access to opportunity and wellness. She is the Executive Director of Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC), a non-profit serving survivors of domestic abuse in 23 cities and towns on the North Shore. Sara joined HAWC in 2015 as Attorney Director of Legal Programs, was promoted to Deputy Director in 2017 and took the helm as Executive Director in 2018. While in law school and private practice, Sara took on pro bono cases with the Women’s Bar Foundation Family Law Project and other legal aid agencies leveraging the law to empower the most disenfranchised members of our community. She began her career as a member of the Attorney General’s Honor Program of the Department of Justice and served as a judicial law clerk for the Executive Office of Immigration Review.
In 2023 she served on Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s Transition Team. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Jane Doe Inc., was appointed to the Essex County Commission on the Status of Women in 2021 and serves on the advisory committee of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce’s THRIVE initiative for women.
Sara lives in Rowley with her husband, Joe, and their two children, Jack (12) and Avery (8).Sara enjoys running and coaching youth basketball. She is happiest when exploring national parks and enjoying live music with her family and friends.
Sara obtained her juris doctorate from Suffolk University School of Law in 2007 and received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Haverford College in 2002.
Emmy Award winning Lifestyle Host and TV Personality, Anna Rossi
brings an authentic connection to food, travel and the art of gathering to viewers. As a network talent, food writer & recipe developer, brand ambassador, and spokesperson, her work is immersive and inviting. From an early kick off on reality TV on MasterChef USA, she is now a decorated home cook with original recipes featured around the country. Well fed, and with a passion for design and travel, she is based in New England with her husband and two adorable kids. Catch her on NBC as Host of The Chef’s Pantry and The Hub Today.