Board of Directors

Officers
Carmen Amaral, President

Cynthia Cummings, Vice President

David Millett, Treasurer

Marcy Wintrub, Clerk

Directors
Shawndrae Barreto, Chair, Events Committee & Governance Committee

Meg Steinberg, Chair, Grants Committee

Members

Bettina Borders, Founder & Member at Large

Cecilia Brito, Member at Large

Jennifer Clarke, Member at Large

Mandi Costa, Member at Large

Melissa Costa, Member at Large

Yvonne Drayton, Member at Large

Colleen Millet, Volunteer Coordinator

Jacqueline Ramos, Member at Large

Neal Weiss, Member at Large

Staff

Christine Monska, Executive Director

Christine is the Executive Director of the Women’s Fund SouthCoast in New Bedford where she increases opportunities for women and girls to become economically independent, access education, and advocate for solutions to issues in their community. She brings fourteen years of senior leadership experience in government, higher education, and nonprofit sectors where she has focused on advancing inclusive leadership for women, particularly those with marginalized identities. Christine worked across Massachusetts on various initiatives for women, girls and gender expansive people. In 2020 she was appointed to the MA Commission on the Status of Women by the Caucus of Women Legislators. She currently serves as Secretary and Chair of the state-wide Girls Empowerment and Leadership Initiative.

Prior to joining the Women’s Fund SouthCoast, Christine designed and led the Young Women’s Initiative, a policy advocacy and leadership development program for young women in Springfield which was a local implementation of a national program stemming from the White House Council on Women and Girls. Christine was also the District Director for former Senator, Ben Downing where she also sat on the regional commission on the status of women and served as a Board Member for Berkshire County Action Council and Shout Out Loud, a small nonprofit addressing human trafficking. Most recently, Christine was Youth Leadership Programs Manager for The Clubhouse Network, a collaboration with the MIT Media Lab located in Roxbury, MA. In this role, she oversaw operations and managed grants focused on leadership development and advocacy training in communities that lack representation. Before that, Christine was Continuing Education Advisor at Bard Microcollege, the nation’s first college for low-income women who experienced disrupted education and Program Officer for The Women’s Fund of Western MA.

Christine holds a B.A. in Government from Smith College, a M.S. in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Law and Human Rights from New York University, and holds Certificates in Financial Accounting, Economics for Managers and Business Statistics from Harvard Business School, a Paralegal Certificate from Boston University as well as a Certificate in Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times from George Washington University where she sits on the Advisory Council.

cmonska@womensfundsouthcoast.org

Makenzie Lennington, Assistant Director of Development

Makenzie works to implement the Fund’s strategic planning required to accomplish it’s advancement and fundraising goals. She joined the Women’s Fund in July of 2021, bringing with her a profound commitment to her community and a fervent advocacy for women, reproductive rights, racial justice, and the LGBTQ+ community. Makenzie works closely with community partners to be a powerful voice for education, advocacy, and awareness regarding opening opportunities and access for all people on the SouthCoast.

Prior to joining the organization, she spent two enriching years teaching English in SouthEast Asia. This unique opportunity allowed her to immerse herself in different cultures and gain a broader perspective on global issues.

Makenzie also has a strong background in corporate and social hospitality sales. Her expertise in this field has honed her interpersonal and negotiation skills, enabling her to build meaningful partnerships and collaborations that benefit her work at the Women’s Fund.

mlennington@womensfundsouthcoast.org

Keyanna Jones, Special Projects Summer Intern

Keyanna Jones, a senior at New Bedford High School, is extremely
passionate about community engagement to disband the disparities
facing youth. Through her positions as co-chair to the Mayor’s Youth
Council, vice chair to the NBHS Student Advisory Council, and member
of the NB Votes: Youth Empowerment Program, she has devoted her time
to speak up and fight against pressing concerns, including economic
inequalities, education enrichment, and social justice.

Keyanna aspires to get a career in public policy and advocacy to
stimulate change throughout her community and beyond.

Keyanna joins the Women’s Fund SouthCoast as a Special Projects
Intern. She will work on building a community resource table, youth
empowerment initiatives, and other projects that align with her career
goals and interests.