Robert F. Rivers

Prabal Chakrabarti

Senior Vice-President, Regional and Community Outreach Department, Federal Reserve Bank Boston

Prabal Chakrabarti is Senior Vice-President at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in the Regional and Community Outreach department, with a mission to improve the economic well-being of low and moderate income people. He oversees a department that focuses on revitalizing smaller cities through the Working Cities Challenge, improving household financial stability, and increasing employment opportunities for all.

Previously, Prabal was at the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, where he led a research effort under Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter to measure economic competitiveness in America’s inner cities. He served in the U.S. Treasury in economic policy and he co-wrote a UNDP report Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor.

Prabal holds graduate degrees from MIT and Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar, and a B.S. from the University of Illinois, where he was a Truman Scholar. He serves on the boards of the Children’s Investment Fund and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Board.

Betty Francisco

General Counsel, Compass Working Capital

Co-Founder, Latina Circle and Amplify Latinx

Betty Francisco is an entrepreneur, angel investor, business executive, attorney and community leader. Currently, Betty is the General Counsel at Compass Working Capital where she serves as the organization’s chief legal advisor. She has over 20 years of experience advising health and fitness businesses, life sciences, and technology companies in the areas of legal, compliance, risk management, operations, and human resources. Most recently, Betty served as the CEO and Founder of FitNation Ventures, a business and legal consulting practice focused on advising health and fitness companies, and which launched Reimagine Play, a startup that offers fitness programming for children and families in Greater Boston. Previously, she served as EVP, General Counsel for Sports Club/LA and Reebok Sports Club/NY, a fitness brand acquired by Equinox Fitness. Betty began her legal career as a Senior Business Law Associate at Edwards Wildman, one of Boston’s largest law firms representing start-ups, corporations and investors. Betty is also an investor with Pipeline Angels, a network of new and seasoned women investors focused on creating capital for women social entrepreneurs. 

Betty is also a dedicated community leader who has been involved with a number of non-profit and civic leadership organizations. She is the co-founder of Latina Circle/Amplify Latinx, a Boston-based social venture focused on increasing Latinx civic engagement and leadership representation. She serves on the boards of directors of Beth Israel Lahey Health, Roxbury Community College, YMCA of Greater Boston, and the Board of Corporators of Eastern Bank. She is also a member of the Investment Committee of Boston Impact Initiative Fund and the Advisory Council of The Capital Network. Betty obtained her J.D. and M.B.A. from Northeastern University, and her B.A. in History from Bard College. You can learn more about Betty at http://bettyfrancisco.com

Juana Matias

COO, MassINC

Juana Matias, joined MassINC in 2019, as Chief Operating Officer. In this capacity, Juana oversees the development, marketing and policy efforts of the organization, while supporting President, Lauren Louisan Grogan, with the overall management of the organization.

The Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth (MassINC) is a rigorous nonpartisan think-tank and civic organization. We focus on putting the American Dream within reach of everyone in Massachusetts using three distinct tools; research, journalism, and civic engagement. Our work is characterized by accurate data, careful analysis, and unbiased conclusions. The measure of our success is the extent to which our efforts affect the direction and development of public policy in Massachusetts.

Prior to joining MassINC, Juana served as the State Representative for the 16th Essex District, becoming one of the first Latina immigrant women elected to the Massachusetts State House. During her time at the State House, Juana sponsored key legislation to make college affordable, protect immigrant rights, promote access to minority owned and women owned businesses, address inequities in our public school systems, and expand opportunities for working class Americans. During her time as a State Representative, Juana launched a congressional race and became the first Latina to run for Congress in Massachusetts.

Juana graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2009, with Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Criminal Justice. In 2014, she received a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School. After graduating from law school, Juana dedicated years of her career to public service by enlisting in AmeriCorps as a Justice AmeriCorps Legal Advocate. There she sought humanitarian based immigration relief for unaccompanied children in removal proceedings. Prior to her service with AmeriCorps, Juana served the Merrimack Valley region as a social worker, where she assisted families and children who had suffered abuse and neglect by providing them with a wide range of support and social services. This experience further instilled in her, that through service to others, she could have a positive impact in the lives of ordinary people, especially those in need.

Juana believes we need to continue to fight to elect servant leaders who represent people over politics, and country over party. Her commitment and passion lies in working to eradicate racial, social, and economic inequities and ensure that every person has an opportunity to achieve the American dream. 

Lane A. Glenn, PhD

President, Northern Essex Community College

Dr. Lane A. Glenn is President of Northern Essex Community College (NECC), with campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Dr. Glenn is focused on student success and is passionate about finding ways to help students achieve their educational goals, especially students who are underprepared for college.  In addition, he is a strong advocate for colleges and universities as engines of economic and workforce development—particularly in Massachusetts Gateway Cities.

As a researcher, author and consultant, Dr. Glenn has also helped advance community colleges through his involvement on numerous regional and national boards. He is the chairman of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s Task Force on Statewide Assessment; was appointed to the STEM Advisory Council by the Massachusetts governor; and chairs the International Advisory Board of the Chair Academy, an organization that provides leadership development programs for college and university leaders around the world.

Dr. Glenn has been described as “optimistic thought leader” who actively promotes the community college mission in a number of publications, on social media, and through his blog, “Running the Campus.”  In 2018, he was named the “Pacesetter of the Year” for his higher ed advocacy efforts by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.

He holds a PhD in Theater from Michigan State University, a master’s degree in Speech from Oklahoma State University, and a bachelor’s in English from Northeastern State University.   He is proud to say he started his education at Rose State College, a community college in Midwest City, Oklahoma.

Julieann M. Thurlow 

President and CEO, Reading Cooperative Bank (RCB)

Julieann M. Thurlow is the president and CEO at Reading Cooperative Bank (RCB) in Reading, Mass. She joined the bank in 1993 and rose through the lending ranks to become its president in 2006. At that time, the bank had four branches and $237.6 million in total assets. It now has assets of $580 million and eight branches. Thurlow is responsible for the strategic direction and management of the Bank. In 2014, Julie was named to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Community Advisory Council. She is a former trustee for the Cooperative Bank Employee Retirement Association and the Massachusetts Bankers Association’s Federal Liaison Committee.  She is a board member of the American Bankers Association and presently serves on its government relations council and membership council, having previously served on its professional development council, mutual advisory council and the financial task force for regulatory reform. She serves the local banking industry as a member of the board of the Cooperative Central Bank, and is chair of its finance and audit committee. Thurlow is also a director at Atlantic Community Bankers Bank, which provides correspondent and other innovative services to banks and credit unions. She was a founding member of BancAlliance, Inc. In 2014 and 2017, she was named by American Banker magazine as one of the top 25 Women to Watch in Banking. In addition, she  has earned a spot on the Commonwealth Institute’s Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts for the last four years running. Thurlow is the president of the Reading Cooperative Charitable Foundation and is active in identifying and supporting organizations and projects that improve the quality of life. In addition to receiving an MBA from the Charles F. Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University, Fairfield, Conn., she completed advanced studies at the Stonier National School of Banking, the Massachusetts School of Financial Studies and Harvard Business School’s Division of Continuing Education.

Café Azteca

At Cafe Azteca, they take pride in their exceptional, home-made, authentic Mexican cuisine. They travel to Mexico to bring back new recipes and techniques for your dining experience. They serve lunch and dinner or stop in and enjoy a refreshing margarita. Take-out and catering services also available.

Japu Restaurant

Japu it’s a family owned restaurant.  Their food is ‘Nikkei style’. The NIKKEI cuisine was born as a result of the fusion of Japanese recipes and traditions with Peruvian ingredients. You will find a complete menu including different ingredients and techniques. They also serve a variety of delicious cocktails.

Don Matias Fusion Cuisine

Don Matias Fusion Cuisine is a family restaurant, with a fusion of Caribbean flavors and a mix of different culinary cultures. Their Chef is an innovator that has worked in the development of many restaurants in NY City. The best experience of flavors of Latino dishes is at Don Matias Fusion Cuisine.

Tu Kasa Restaurant

Tu Kasa Restaurant is a family owned and operated restaurant. They serve all your favorite, authentic Dominican and Puerto Rican meals. They also bring in some South American and Caribbean flavors to their cuisine.  Go and  taste for yourself the Merrimack Valley’s best Caribbean food.  

Icelso Vegetarian Restaurant

Icelso vegetarian Restaurant is a place that offers the best quality to their customers. The food is completely healthy and free of preservatives. Everyone can enjoy their meals with natural and fresh ingredients.