Meet The Team

George A. Ramirez is the Executive Director of the Lawrence Partnership. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and Suffolk University Law School. He lives in Lowell, MA with his wife Kathleen.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Karina Calderon received formal training as an IT Technician and was three years into a degree as an architect at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra prior to making the journey to the United States in pursuit of more opportunities for herself and her young daughter. Like so many aspiring first-generation immigrants, Karina brought with her a basic grasp of the English language, limited personal networks, and a whole lot of ambition, resilience and work ethic. Those ingredients have proven a successful combination. Beyond initial work in the service industry, Karina began her career in the mortgage industry, which brought her to the Lawrence community. Despite strong performance and a growing loan portfolio, the recession of 2008 required Karina again to make a career pivot. Ultimately, Karina decided to apply her skills to the health care distribution industry, starting with Conlin's Pharmacy and Home Medical Equipment in 2012. Karina grew with the company and ultimately helped establish a new role managing referrals and partnership. Through her work at Conlin's she worked closely with a broad diversity of healthcare institutions throughout the region and helped develop new business relationships for the company. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Karina always kept close to heart the idea that education is the key that opens all doors. While working full time and raising a family, she continued her education, gaining formal education in Computer Drafting and Design as well as a degree from the Business Transfer Associates program at Northern Essex Community College. "In addition to being driven to accomplish for myself, I always know that the example I set for my daughters is a lasting one," Karina reflects. "They see my work ethic, my commitment and positive attitude, and they see the limitlessness of my aspirations. I want to inspire them to also know that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to." Karina's high aims will continue through her work at the Partnership. We are grateful to bring Karina's passion, skills and community-spirit to the Partnership as we scale our impact and capacity to generate IDEAS, compel ACTIONS, and invite INVESTMENTS to support the Lawrence economy and its residents.

Genesis Duran is a long-time resident of Lawrence, having lived here for over 20 years. Her passion for making a difference in people's lives and educating others led her to start her professional career in education. After working in the field for many years, including a period teaching English as a second language in China, she decided to shift her focus to business administration. However, her love for her city and her desire to serve others never waned. Eventually, she joined the Lawrence Partnership team, where she proudly serves as a Staff Associate. With an associate degree from Northern Essex Community College and an Early Childhood Director Certificate from the same institution, Genesis is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. Her academic pursuits continue to be driven by her aspiration to make a positive impact in her community.