The Nominating Council is thrilled to introduce to you the Junior League of Boston’s 2019 Leadership Slate!  Please join us in congratulating these accomplished women who will lead our League in 2020-2021. Throughout this year’s nominating process, we were impressed by the energy, grace, and commitment of the entire applicant pool.  We are confident that, with this group at the helm, our League will continue to live its mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Congratulations, ladies!

Get to know the Slate below!

Board of Directors

President-Elect, Kathleen Riley

Kathleen’s years at JL Boston have been, in her own words, incredible. From her very first placement in Foster Care review up to her present year as a new sustainer, she has learned about herself, met incredible women, and helped the League grow. She believes it has been a privilege to serve in every role.

Kathleen joined the Junior League of Boston in 2006, and has served as a Membership Advisor, Placement Manager, Director of Training, and Director of Community Service. Outside of her service to the League, Kathleen works as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer.

Treasurer-Elect, Kathryn Gridley

Kathryn is currently completing her first year as an active member with JL Boston. She had knowledge of the JL growing up, as her family was involved in their local Houston chapter, and was drawn to join when she moved to Boston from Los Angeles almost 2 years ago. Her original motivation to join was spurred by my desire to get involved in volunteer efforts in the community as well as expand her personal and professional network – little did she know the experience would lend itself to so much more! The experience she’s gained throughout her new member year, and the continued growth and inspiration she’s received into her first active year, has fueled her desire to seek a leadership position and take more ownership in an organization that has given and continues to give so much to her. She is so grateful to be surrounded by so many women of diverse backgrounds and experiences that ALL have something to bring to the table! She supports JL Boston in having a seat at the table when it comes to community initiatives and advocacy, but she wants us to BE THE TABLE! Kathryn is passionate about making JL Boston the advocacy leader for women in our community!

Secretary-Elect, Celeste Scott-Walker

Celeste is from Antigua, W.I. In the winter of ’79, she immigrated to Connecticut with her family and is a naturalized American Citizen. A graduate of Simmons College with a B.A. in English and Public Relations, Celeste works as an HR professional at Tufts University.

When not fundraising for the League in her current role as Director of Fund Development, you can find Celeste executing milestone events for her clients as the Creative Director of Dream Imagine Studios – Heirloom Weddings & Special Events.

She has been married to her husband, Eric Walker for 17 years and they enjoy antiquing, cooking, golfing and most importantly spending time with their nieces and nephews.  Celeste is honored to be a member of the Junior League of Boston not only because of the impact it makes in our community, but also the impact it has on our members’ lives. She wants her nieces to learn the importance of serving others and giving back to the community; being a member of the League allows her to set that example for them to be the next generation of female civic leaders.

Director of Nominating-Elect, Sarah Given

Sarah has been a member of JL Boston since 2012. Most recently, Sarah served as Secretary from 2018-2019. She has been actively involved in the Community Council and has been a chair for multiple projects including the Germaine Lawrence Run Club, Done in a Day, and Learning Circles Charlestown. As a member of Research and Development, she was instrumental in creating the Healthy Choice Initiative. She appreciates the opportunity JL Boston has given her to expand outside of her comfort zone and build new skills.

Sarah graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in Latin American Studies and earned her Masters of Science in Nursing from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a focus on adult and women’s health. She completed a Fellowship in Palliative Care through Harvard Medical School. Sarah currently works as a nurse practitioner in Palliative Care at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Sarah lives in Wellesley with her husband, two very active toddler sons, and mini goldendoodle. When not wrangling toddlers, she enjoys going for long runs and baking cookies.

Board Member at Large, Kirsten Alexander

Kirsten joined the Junior League of Boston in September 2001 because she’d been on the board of a failing non-profit startup and wanted to see how this organization had survived and thrived for so long. It’s been an incredible experience—from helping to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to starting projects and delving into the finance and strategy councils. Kirsten has learned so much from the organization and the brilliant women involved in it, as well as life lessons from the girls and women she worked with as a direct service volunteer. Kirsten has been on the board twice—first as Director of Community during the 125th anniversary year and then as Sustainer Director. The last few years she’s been focused on other things, including getting married, and has missed a more day-to-day connection with the League. She looks forward to being able to reconnect, share her Junior League experience, and professional expertise in the Greater Boston non-profit sector.

Board Member at Large, Marie Schmidt

Marie has been in the Junior League of Boston since 2012. During that time, she has been involved in both community and internal placements. During her provisional year, she participated in Strong Women, Strong Girls, and in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, Marie volunteered with Done in a Day. In 2013-2014, and later in 2016-2017, Marie served on Strategic Management and Planning, which she eventually led as Director in 2017-2018. This year, Marie serves as the Strategic Research & Analysis Lead, where she conducts research in support of goals specified by League leadership.

Professionally, Marie is a research psychologist and currently a Senior Interviewer and Market Research Associate at the Center for Strategy Research, a full-service market research firm specializing in both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a BA in Psychology and English. Marie has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School. Active in community service, she has served on several school and community boards and have led three Girl Scout troops. Marie lives in Walpole, with her husband Doug, their three daughters, and their 14-year-old English Cocker Spaniel.

Executive Vice President-Elect, Lyn Huckabee

Originally from Southern New Jersey, Lyn has called Boston home since 2000 and has been a Junior League of Boston member since 2004. She studied mechanical engineering as an undergraduate and law as a graduate. Professionally, she utilizes her technical and legal proficiency by advancing energy efficiency policy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her JL Boston leadership roles have included chairing too many community projects to list, transfer and new member advisor, and, most recently, Vice President of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking from scratch, yoga, and bad jokes.

As EVP, Lyn will also sit on the Executive Management Team.

Executive Management Team

Vice President of Community Service-Elect, Kendrice Newman

Kendrice’s passions in life are math and kids. She’s been lucky enough to be able to pursue these two passions through her career as a teacher and volunteer work as a part of the Junior League of Boston. Kendrice loves organization, hiking, and reading books. Her ideal day has her finishing everything on her to-do list, cooking dinner, and hanging out with friends or family in her living room.

Vice President of Fund Development-Elect, Kate Ziegler

Kate Ziegler is the Operations Supervisor at Mintz Levin and also a Boston-based Realtor, investor, and entrepreneur. Born and raised on a farm in rural Pennsylvania, she has made Boston home since attending Northeastern University to study International Affairs and Art. The daughter of a contractor, Kate grew up in roofing and construction, and now owns and manages multi-family properties in Jamaica Plain and Roslindale, where she lives with her partner, Jack Romano. Kate works as a Realtor with Arborview Realty, specializing in helping buyers find homes that fit their unique needs in a competitive market, without leaving the communities they love. She and Jack also run the design firm, Union Jack Creative. A member of The Junior League of Boston, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Leadership Alumni Council, Women’s Lunch Place Young Professionals Network, the Alliance for Business Leadership, and the Mayor’s Late Night Task Force, as well as a mentor with Northeastern’s Honors Alumni program, Kate is committed to seeing all of Boston thrive.

Vice President of Membership Elect, Fallon Cassidy Parker

As Massachusetts native, Fallon spent her first 18 years living on the Cape (year-round!), and came to Boston to pursue her undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. She’s been in Boston ever since, living in the Back Bay, Roslindale, and South Boston where she currently resides with her husband. They enjoy long walks to Castle Island and have been known to make occasional stops at Trillium and Nero where they get our craft brew and espresso fixes, respectively.

For work, Fallon puts her psychology degree to good use as a UX Researcher at Liberty Mutual. She designs and runs studies to learn what customers and potential customers want from an insurance carrier. Furthermore, she puts these skills to use internally to analyze and improve some internal service processes. Since joining the League in 2014, Fallon has been involved in placements including the Gala & Bachelor Auction Committee, Training Council, Strategic Research and Analysis Council and also served as a New Member Advisor for 2 years. During her time off, Fallon and her husband love to travel and explore new places and experience new cultures. This year, they checked out Malta, Greece, and Spain.

Vice President of Placement-Elect, Sam Larsen

Sam is originally from a small beach town in Southern California and moved to North Carolina to attend college at Wake Forest University. She moved up to Boston for work after graduation and has loved everything New England has to offer. This is Sam’s first year as an active member, and she has spent the last two years on the Signature Events Committee helping plan Moonlight Masquerade and Raise for the Roses. She currently works at Steelcase as a workplace consultant where she consults on how space shapes the workplace experience in terms of attracting and retaining talent, employee satisfaction, creating collaboration and creativity, and more. In the little over two years Sam has lived in Boston, she’s explored all that New England has to offer from lobster rolls in Kennebunkport to clam chowder on the Cape to oysters in Newport and have fully converted to cheering for all Boston sports teams. On the weekends, you can find Sam in Beacon Hill admiring all the adorable dogs, meeting up with friends to try a new restaurant or recipe, or taking long walks around Boston.

Vice President of Training-Elect, Caitlin Berger

Caitlin began her JLB career in 2011 right after her graduation from Boston College. After serving her provisional year working with Learning Circles in Allston, she transferred to the New York City League. At the NYJL, Caitlin worked with women on interpersonal skills at the Bayview Correctional Facility as well as developing a new placement with the Woman’s Prison Association in the East Village. In 2014, Caitlin moved back to Boston continuing her career in the JLB on Community Council leveraging our relationships with our community partners to host Impact Nights where education on an issue was paired with service. She then served as Transfer Manager continuing the JLB tradition of providing a welcoming landing base for all transfer members new to our league and the city. For the last year, she has served as the the chair of the Jeremiah Program working to expand our impact with the crucial organization fighting to end the cycle of poverty by empowering both single mothers and their children with the tools to pursue higher education. Professionally, Caitlin is a project manager for large scale residential construction and design projects at Koo de Kir, an Interior Design firm in South Boston.

Other Slated Leaders

New Member Program Manager-Elect, Avery Russell

Avery Russell has been a member of the Junior League of Boston since 2014. She is a floral designer and has my own studio, Floral Fleurt. Avery is also an avid volunteer in Boston, particularly at Women’s Lunch Place every Tuesday morning, and Perkin’s School for the Blind. She loves reading, flowers, entertaining, stationary, and her sweet yorkie, Mickey.

Member of Nominating Council, Anamarie Farr

Anamarie Farr has been an AJLI member since 2009 and transferred from the DC league to JL Boston in 2013. She has previously served as Secretary to the Board of Directors, Community Adviser to the Community Council, and chair and a professional mentor for Strong Women, Strong Girls. Anamarie works as an executive assistant for Kirkland & Ellis, a law firm based in Boston’s Back Bay. Anamarie loves rooting for her hometown team the Oakland A’s, riding her Peloton, and traveling. She is currently working on her WSET sommelier certification series.

Member of Nominating Council, Madeleine Kuhn

Madeleine joined the Junior League of Boston to get involved in community projects and meet people outside of work. She has been a member for three years and has had amazing experiences both in her placement and participating in social and training events. She’s looking for an opportunity to give back, as well as gain more leadership experience and get more hands-on experience participating in Junior League operations.

Madeleine has taken leadership roles in the past, as president of the Students for Quality Health Care while completing her MPH at BU, and serving as chair of communications for the Boston Children’s Young Professionals post-graduation. She found both experiences to be incredibly rewarding and helped her go out of my comfort zone in a supportive environment. Both experiences also taught her how to balance my career and extracurriculars and prioritize her own desires with those of the organizations she served.

Madeleine loves to add a bit of creativity to everything she does, whether it’s updating her Etsy watercolor postcard page or learning a new cookie recipe. She likes a challenge, whether it’s taking on her first position as a supervisor on Tufts Transplant team this year or playing tennis.