Massachusetts Public Health AllianceKeynote Speaker
Reggie Ramos, Executive Director at Transportation for Massachusetts
Reggie Ramos is leading into action T4MA’s strengthened commitments to transportation justice and equity. Reggie believes deeply that transportation can be a democratizing tool for social change.
Prior to joining T4MA in 2023, Reggie served in roles at the MBTA and the Institute for Human-Centered Design in Boston, launching expanded Fairmount Line service and free bus projects and contributing to subway, light rail, and commuter rail station design to ensure access for people with disabilities.
Reggie was previously the Undersecretary of Transportation for the Republic of the Philippines, where she led multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects, including the expansion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which sees more than 10 million passengers annually, and the Philippines’ first automated fare collection system. She was also a lead negotiator at the Paris Agreement at COP21. She holds a juris doctorate from Ateneo de Manila University and a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Housing Justice Panel discussion
Carolyn Chou, Executive Director at Homes for All Massachusetts
Carolyn Chou is the Director of Homes for All Massachusetts, a coalition of tenant organizing and housing justice organizations across Massachusetts. At HFA MA, Carolyn supports building and organizing infrastructure across the state and building the power of tenants and working-class homeowners to advocate for the housing policies that will keep them in their homes and stabilize their communities. Prior to her time at HFA MA, Carolyn spent 10 years as Executive Director of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), where she supported the leadership development and organizing around housing and immigration. Through her work at AARW, Carolyn supported building the leadership capacity and organizing of Vietnamese American young adults in Dorchester, the heart of the Vietnamese community in Boston. Alongside the young adult organizers, Carolyn has helped build the Dorchester Not for Sale formation in the neighborhood, which brings together a diverse set of neighborhood residents to fight for good jobs, truly affordable housing, and equitable planning. Carolyn is a queer, mixed-race, Chinese American organizer, living in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.
Kelly Turley, Associate Director at the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Kelly Turley (MSW/MA) has been an advocate with and for people experiencing homelessness and poverty since 1997. She joined the staff of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in 2002, where she has served as the Associate Director since 2017. At the Coalition, Kelly convenes and collaborates with various stakeholders to develop public policy strategies to create access to homelessness prevention benefits, safety net resources, and affordable housing opportunities for families with children, unaccompanied youth, and adults throughout the Commonwealth. Her work focuses on expanding equity, dignity, and opportunity in state-funded housing and cash assistance programs and on upholding the human right to housing. Ms. Turley is a long-time human rights activist, serving in volunteer leadership positions with Amnesty International USA and Students for a Free Tibet International.
Sharon Cho, Director of Dudley Neighbors Inc (DNI)
Sharon is the Director of Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI), a nationally recognized community land trust founded by the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) to ensure development without displacement, permanently affordable housing and community control of land in the Dudley neighborhood of Boston.
Sharon brings deep experience in the anti-displacement and community land trust movements and has worked at a number of Roxbury and Dorchester-based organizations including Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC), the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), and the Boston Neighborhood Community Land Trust (BNCLT). Prior to DNI, Sharon worked in affordable housing development and managed over $40 million in projects throughout Dorchester. As a Dorchester resident, she organizes with Dorchester Not 4 Sale alongside other community members for housing justice, good jobs and neighborhood stability.
Sharon holds a B.A. from Tufts University and has completed graduate coursework in Tufts’ Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning program.
Etel Haxhiaj, Worcester City Councilor and Senior Policy Manager at the National Health Care for the Homeless Council
Etel was re-elected to a second term in the Worcester City Council to represent District 5 in Worcester. She is the first Albanian-born immigrant in Massachusetts and Worcester to be elected. She has advocated for the unhoused community, a livable climate, affordable housing, road and traffic safety, and accessible government. Etel’s life story is similar to the story of others who fled violence and poverty. She has called Worcester home since 2001, arriving as a young adult with her parents after fleeing Albania’s political upheaval in 1997. As a new American with the opportunity to complete her undergraduate and graduate studies in Community Development and Planning at Clark University, she has chosen a life of service, investing back in the city she calls home and where she is raising her two boys. For the past 23 years, she has served the Worcester community as a youth mentor, served residents in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, supported families in public housing and family emergency homeless shelters, organized mothers to fight for a livable climate, and advocated for homelessness prevention policies. Most recently, as Policy Manager for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and Director of Public Education and Advocacy for Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, she has advocated for national, state, and local affordable housing and homelessness prevention policies. She also supported the founding of the Worcester Together Affordable Housing Coalition and co-led the campaign for Worcester to adopt its first Inclusionary Zoning ordinance.
Jeneczka Roman, Assistant Director of Advocacy and Communications, MPHA
Jeneczka Roman is the Assistant Director of Advocacy and Communication at MPHA. She joined the organization in 2020, after graduating from Boston University School of Public Health with a dual concentration in Community Assessment, Program Development, Implementation and Evaluation, and Health Law and Policy. Jeneczka brings to her work a commitment to racial justice and systems-level change through community power building and coalition building.
Conversation with the Commissioner
Dr. Robert Goldstein, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, was appointed Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) by Governor Maura Healey in April 2023. A physician specializing in infectious diseases, Dr. Goldstein oversees a workforce of more than 3,200 individuals committed to health equity and dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of people across the state, preventing illness and injury, and maintaining strong and vibrant communities. This work is carried out through a network of bureaus and offices responsible for priorities that include maternal and child health, nutrition, infectious diseases, injury prevention, climate and environmental health, substance use disorders, emergency preparedness and response, and problem gambling. In addition, DPH licenses health professionals and health care facilities, and operates the state public health laboratory and four public health hospitals.
Dr. Goldstein previously served as Senior Policy Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he focused on public health emergency response, infectious diseases, and strategic policy initiatives. Prior to his work at CDC, he founded and was Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Transgender Health Program, a clinical resource offering a safe and affirming environment for the transgender and nonbinary community. His clinical interest involved caring for those living with and at risk for HIV, an experience that continues to drive his passion to identify and eliminate barriers to equitable access to care. Dr. Goldstein is a graduate of Tufts University, where he also earned his MD and PhD.
Oami Amarasingham, Deputy Director, MPHA
Oami Amarasingham joined MPHA as Deputy Director in 2022. Before coming to MPHA, Oami most recently served as Deputy Legislative Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts, where she led the organization’s legislative work on criminal law reform. Prior to that, she was the Advocacy Director of the ACLU of Maine, where she worked to pass first-in-the-nation privacy laws, expand access to abortion care, and advance public health-centered drug policy. Oami is an attorney and alum of Northeastern University School of Law.
Unveiling MPHA’s 2025-2026 Policy Agenda
Alexis Walls, Campaign Director, MPHA
Alexis Walls is a public health professional passionate about partnering with communities to create positive, systems-level change. She works as the Campaign Director at MPHA, where she fosters relationships with community-based partners to help shape MPHA priorities, build capacity for local policy change, and advocate for transportation justice. Prior to joining MPHA, Alexis coordinated substance use prevention initiatives designed to build a healthier future for Boston youth. Alexis graduated from Boston University School of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.
Liz O’Gilvie, Director at Springfield Food Policy Council and Gardening the Community
Gardening the Community Interim Director is a food policy activist and produce farmer. While developing 40 Acres Farm as a cooperatively-managed venture, Liz serves as the director of the Springfield Food Policy Council. She is also a member of the Advisory Boards of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, Massachusetts Farm to School, and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists Transformative Farm Bill Campaign Committee. Supported by Liz’s leadership, the Springfield Food Policy Council serves as a partner, advisor, and driving force behind efforts to build a healthier food system in Springfield and Hampden County.
Paula García, Senior Bilingual Energy Analyst and Energy Justice Lead at Union of Concerned Scientists
Paula García is a Senior Bilingual Energy Analyst and Energy Justice Lead in the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She evaluates energy resource and climate solutions in the electricity sector and works to further public understanding of clean energy technologies, policies, and markets. Paula is committed to advancing energy justice and sustainable development through her work.
Ms. García has broad experience as a researcher and analyst interacting with a variety of stakeholders, including government, community-based organizations, private sector, and international nongovernmental organizations. She came to UCS from Oxfam America, where she conducted research used to design an investment fund to support entrepreneurship initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean. As a consultant for Meister Consultant Group, she provided the Colombian government with information about how to develop renewable energy on a large scale.
Ms. García holds an MA in sustainable international development from Brandeis University and an industrial engineering degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, where she is originally from. She serves on the Boston Area Solar Energy Association’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Viviana Abreu-Hernández, President at Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center
Dr. Viviana M. Abreu-Hernández has a deep appreciation for the state as the structure that will support needed social change. Originally from Quebradillas in northwestern Puerto Rico, Viviana ventured from her small town to attend University of Puerto Rico San Juan, and then went on to Purdue University. From her experiences came a deep understanding of social injustice and the need for purposeful interventions to transform oppressive structures.
Viviana has a long history of serving populations that are often overlooked in policymaking. Her career has focused on critically examining the systems that reproduce racial and social inequities, while advocating for and implementing policies that improve professional, economic, and social opportunities for working families.
Viviana comes to MassBudget from Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) in Worcester, where she served as Vice President of External Affairs. In her role, she oversaw the development, communications, community engagement, grants, and government relations departments. Fueled by her passion for advocating for the population QCC serves, she developed strategic partnerships with governmental agencies, elected officials, corporations, community and faith-based organizations, grantors, and funders.
She is an active member of the Worcester community. She is on the Board of Directors of the Worcester Public Library Foundation and is Co-chair of the YWCA’s Tribute to Women Planning Committee. She is also an active member of the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts, the Latino Empowerment and Organizing Network (LEON), The Forum, and PEAS (Pursuit of Equity Accountability and Success, Latinx Students in Massachusetts Schools).
She has taught courses in political science at both the University of Puerto Rico and Purdue University. At Purdue, she was the proud recipient of two teaching awards. She has published numerous articles on topics such as international relations, peace studies, and higher education public policy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Puerto Rico and earned a master’s degree and a PhD in political science at Purdue University.
Shin-Yi Lao, Commissioner of Health and Human Services, City of Newton
Shin-Yi Lao is the Commissioner of Health and Human Services for the City of Newton, MA. She joined the department in 2016 and has served in multiple roles including Public Health Nurse and Director of Public Health Services. Shin-Yi is the incoming Chair of the Massachusetts Large Cities Health Coalition and serves on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Health Officers Association. She has a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University where she studied health law and social and behavioral sciences. She also has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate certificate in local government leadership and management from Suffolk University. Prior to starting her career in local public health, Shin-Yi worked in research, health care, and program management.
Student Session: Pathways to Reproductive Justice Advocacy
Carrie Richgels, Policy Manager, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund
Carrie Richgels is the Policy Manager at Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts. Her work focuses on expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care, creating equitable pathways to programs and services, and making sure the highest standard of care is available to all. She comes to this work with a background in HIV, LGBTQ, and harm reduction advocacy. Driven by the philosophy of “nothing about us without us,” she strives to empower those with lived and living experiences to participate in policy work. Her most joyful policy and advocacy moments come from supporting someone in the state house for the first time and leaving with them calling it “the people’s house.”
Debi Amburgey, Graduate student at Boston University and Co-President of the Reproductive Justice Student Alliance
Debi Amburgey is a graduate student at Boston University (BU), pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Health Policy & Law. She serves as the Co-President of the Reproductive Justice Student Alliance and has a longstanding passion in advocating for equitable access to reproductive care. With their experience as a Lead Volunteer at Planned Parenthood, Debi assisted in organizing community events and driving voter participation during the 2020 election cycle. As a public health professional and reproductive rights advocate, they are committed to advancing policies that expand access to high-quality care for all communities.
Maia Raynor, Maternal and Child Health Policy and Program Manager, MA DPH
Maia Raynor is the Maternal and Child Health Policy and Program Manager at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. From her experience organizing successful legislative campaigns in Massachusetts, providing direct care to clients as a doula and lactation counselor, and evaluating health interventions and programming as a consultant and researcher, Maia unlocked core insights about leveraging the mechanisms of power to deliver for communities of color. She is happiest when pursuing justice for those most directly impacted by systemic barriers. She is a policy wonk, project manager, doula, and organizer fueled by the desire to address and dismantle systems of oppression within institutions. Maia is a lover of Beyonce and bell hooks who lives in Boston, MA with her dog.
Kate Forrest, Coalition Coordinator & Policy Analyst, MPHA
Kate Forrest is MPHA’s Coalition Coordinator and Policy Analyst. Kate holds an MSW from the Boston College School of Social Work. She is a former MPHA policy intern. Prior to joining our team, she served as an Advocacy and Legislative intern with PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending preventable stillbirth.
You must be logged in to post a comment.