Public Matters - Class of 2009

MERCY ANAMPIU is the Community Outreach Coordinator/Health Worker at Lowell Community Health Center (LCHC). She developed LCHC’s first 12-member African Advisory board and instituted in-house interpreter training for all LCHC staff. Mercy is also responsible for all health promotion activities within LCHC. She is an active participant in many community committees and organizations including the Community Health Network (CHNA 10) Cultural Competence Sub-Committee, “Africa 102,” and Lowell World AIDS Day. Mercy is fluent in Swahili and has been a resident of Lowell since 2001.

KELLIANN BZEMORE is a registered nurse with a specialty in maternal health care for Home Health, VNA in Lawrence. She manages a caseload of patients, providing daily/weekly visits and coordinates care with physicians/specialists, family advocates and social workers. For many years, Kelliann worked at Lowell General Hospital in their pediatric and mother/infant unit. She is the co-founder of It’s All About the Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization serving the needs of local children since 1998 by providing emergency clothing, food and school essentials. The Foundation brings “Christmas” to over 300 children each year. Kelliann is also instrumental in Friends of Shedd Park, an organization started in 2005 committed to fostering community enjoyment of and raising funds for the park. Kelliann resides in Lowell.

ANNE-MARIE BISSON is Assistant Vice-President/Community Education at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union (JDCU). In her position at JDCU, Anne-Marie works to improve financial literacy by partnering with local schools, community groups, and social service organizations such as Girls, Inc., Lowell Catholic High School, Lowell Senior Center, and CMAA. She leads JDCU’s National Endowment for Financial Education at Lowell High School, where JDCU has a fully functioning bank. Anne-Marie is a Lowell native with strong family ties to the City.

RICHARD CHÁVEZ is Vice President/Commercial Lending at Enterprise Bank and Trust Company. Richard solicits and develops new customer leads, and works on referral networks and business relations to meet sales objectives of the Bank. He has worked in rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Tavares, Florida. His prior banking experience includes positions at First Essex Bank in Lawrence and at Grove Bank in Chestnut Hill. He volunteers for numerous nonprofit organizations including but not limited to Big Brother Big Sister, Lowell Small Business Assistance Center, Lowell Community Charter School, and the Lowell Rotary. Richard is the producer and director of a Latin American radio program on WUML 91.5. Richard lives in Dracut.

JAMES COLEMAN was President and Director of the American Textile History Museum (ATHM) when he participated in Public Matters.  Jim is a global textile and apparel sourcing and operations professional, with an expertise in product development and international sourcing. Prior to joining ATHM, Jim was a technical consultant to Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute of Boston and from 1994 to 2004, served as president of Forte Cashmere Company in South Natick and Woonsocket, RI. He is a nationally- and internationally-recognized expert in the cashmere industry. His vast international business experience includes establishing a joint venture cashmere facility in now-democratic Mongolia and hiring and training staff at US headquarters of the Forte Cashmere Co. in Beijing, China. He lives in Holliston.

CONNIE COLOM was the Executive Director of the New England Quilt Museum (NEQM) when she participated in Public Matters. Among the numerous projects Connie undertook at the museum are: a re-banding of the museum; an upgrade to the museum’s computer systems; management of the Lowell Quilt Festival; and development of a plan to complete a redesign of the exhibition and staff space. Prior to coming to the NEQM, Connie was the Executive Director of the Lynn Museum and Historical Society where she oversaw the conversation of the former Lynn Heritage State Park Visitor Center into the new home the museum and historical society. Connie lives in Marblehead.

SUZZANNE CROMWELL was Project Assistant to Cultural Organizations of Lowell (COOL) in 2009. She provided support and assistance with marketing, outreach, and publicity for the variety of city-wide cultural development projects presented and/or produced by COOL. Suzz was instrumental in the success of the 2008 Massachusetts Poetry Festival, the first state-wide festival of its kind. Her prior position was as Senior Center Program Coordinator at the Belmont Council on Aging. While in Belmont, Suzz was the host of a local TV magazine program for the Belmont Media Organization called Meet Belmont. 

THOMAS GOLDEN has been a leader of the community for many serving as the state representative of the 16th Middlesex District of Lowell and Chelmsford.  He has served on the Public Safety, Energy, Banks and Banking, Revenue, and Healthcare Committees. He is currently serving as the Chair of the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading.  He served as the Chair of the Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and on the Board of Directors of the Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council. He assisted the local Veterans Administration Hospital in making improvements to their facility; and has contributed to urban revitalization plans, such as the Recreational Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Additionally, he supports the Career Center of Lowell, Riverwalk for Autism, youth baseball, the local Boys and Girls Club and many other organizations. Tom is a resident of Lowell.

MORGAN HOUGH was the Media Relations and Marketing Assistant to the Office of Public Affairs and also the Assistant to the Executive Director of Community Relations at UMass Lowell in 2009. In both of these capacities, Morgan wrote and distributed press releases to print and broadcast media. Her responsibilities included organizing and overseeing advertising campaigns; writing for UML website and the Shuttle; and maintaining a new student website. She was selected as the 2007 Emerging Writer of New England for Lowell Celebrates Kerouac.  Her many volunteer activities included committee work on the Urban Village Art Series, Tales for Tots, and Book Buddies. 

JAMES O'HEARN, in 2009, was a financial consultant at Enterprise Bank and Trust Company where he assessed and analyzed client accounts to provide investment allocation recommendations as well as educating new and existing clients on investment options suitable to their needs. Jamie participated in Enterprise Bank’s leadership development program, acquainting himself with strategic projects and business initiatives through one-on-one interactions with senior level executives and members of the board of directors.  Jamie has volunteered as a fundraiser and organizer for numerous committees. Among these are: Youth Professionals of Greater Lowell; Destination Education, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell; Vegas Night, Lowell Transition Living Center; Meet the Author Night, Pollard Memorial Library Foundation; and Winterfest. Jamie is a resident of Lowell.

THERESA PARK is Director of Economic Development, Division of Planning and Development for the City of Lowell in 2009. Theresa prepared and implemented the overall economic development strategy for the city. She conducted business retention and recruitment efforts to promote economic diversification and job growth. Prior to working in Lowell, Theresa was the principal planner for the city of Newton and worked for many years as a program manager for Cambridge Business Development Center. She holds a masters degree in Urban and Region Planning from George Washington University and has participated in numerous conferences as both a panel member and presenter. Theresa resides in Lowell.

SONITH PEOU is the Program Director of Metta Health Center (West Meets East Center), a program of Lowell Community Health Center. Since immigrating to American in the early 1980s, Sonith has worked in Revere, Lawrence and Boston assisting Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants adjust to new personal and professional experiences. Serving in his current capacity since 2000, Sonith has brought much-needed health care services to thousands of underserved populations in Lowell. The Metta Health Center incorporates western health care services with eastern concepts of healing and treatment by placing western health care providers together with bilingual/bicultural health care professionals. Sonith immigrated to the United States in the early 1980s and lives in Saugus.

PAUL SCHOR is an associate at Gallagher & Cavanaugh, LLP and handles civil litigation, intellectual property, and commercial real estate transactions for both businesses and individuals. Prior to joining the law firm of Gallagher & Cavanaugh, Paul was assistant City solicitor for the City of Lowell engaged in all facets of municipal representation including litigation, economic development, and land-use. Prior to embarking on a career in law, Paul was a marketing and management consultant as well as a teacher in the Wayland public school system. In 1993, Paul founded City Mountain Teams, Inc., a nonprofit organization responsible for expanding national parklands/Urban Teen programs for the Washington, D.C. public school system. He served as president of the City Mountain Teams until 1997. Paul resides in Lowell.

ANNE SHEEHY has worked for the Lowell Public Schools for many years in various capacities including library media specialist, classroom teacher, and technology specialist for elementary schools. In 2009, Anne was the District Wide Instructional Technology Specialist for the Lowell Public Schools. Her responsibilities included grant writing, planning and implementing professional development for teachers, and serving as liaison between district technology specialists and central administration. Anne has her master’s in education in instructional technology from Salem Sate College. She is a resident of Lowell.

DIANE TESTA was the director of the Revolving Museum in 2009.  She managed all marketing and communication, increased the museum’s annual operating budget, advocated for an admission-free policy that resulted in a 300% increase in gallery attendance, oversaw the redesign and implementation of the museum’s website, and initiated staff growth from two FTEs to six FTEs. Diane has held a variety of positions in both the business and nonprofit worlds. She managed all administrative functions for 4Culture, a preeminent public art agency in Seattle, WA. She also was the president of Washington Concrete Construction, Inc., Bremerton, WA from 1992- 2003. 

MARYANN ZUJEWSKI is Educational Specialist at Salem Maritime National Historic Site and at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. As a member of Public Matters 2009, Maryann was a Park Ranger at the Tsongas Industrial History Center (TIHC) at Lowell National Historical Park. In that capacity she researched, prepared, and presented a full range of on- and off-site curriculum based, hands-on education programs as well as presents a variety of interpretive offerings including walking tours, boat tours and costumed interpretation. She has also worked as a Park Ranger at Saugus Iron Works National Historical Site and in education programs at The Bostonian Society and for the Doyon Elementary School in Ipswich. Maryann lives in Haverhill.