Boston Public Health Commission Hosts Black Women’s Health Conference at Boston University to Address Critical Health Concerns

Boston Public Health Commission Hosts Black Women’s Health Conference at Boston University to Address Critical Health Concerns  

Registration is now open for EmpowerHer on October 4 

BOSTON – September 23, 2024 – Mayor Michelle Wu, the City of Boston, and the Boston Public Health Commission are hosting a one-day conference focused on addressing health inequities impacting Black women. The EmpowerHer Black Women’s Health Conference is on October 4, 2024, at Boston University from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The event is free of charge, and all are encouraged to attend, but people must register online at boston.gov/empower-her.

The conference will specifically address maternal morbidity, and the impact of breast cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health disorders on Black women. EmpowerHer hopes to raise awareness of these issues, decrease disparities, and increase access to resources for women, and this inaugural conference will start a broader women's health initiative in Greater Boston. 

Black women face higher rates of morbidity and mortality from many disorders compared to women of other races and ethnicities. According to recent data from the Boston Public Health Commission, in 2023 Black women in Boston had more than twice the mortality rate for diabetes and breast cancer compared to white women and experienced a 54% higher premature mortality rate than white women. In 2021 preterm births were nearly double among Black residents (13.8%) compared to white residents (7.1%). Black women also had higher rates of mental health-related emergency department visits, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. These disparities include increased morbidity and mortality during pregnancy compared to non-Black women. 

“As a woman and as a mother, I know how critical it is for women to have access to healthcare,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We must prioritize initiatives that improve healthcare for Black women, and I hope this conference will help us better support Black women and reduce persistent inequities.”  

“Though Black women in Boston have experienced some improvements in health outcomes, stark disparities still exist in many areas, including maternal morbidity, cancer mortality and deaths due to diabetes,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston. “This is unacceptable. The EmpowerHer conference is a call-to-action to address persistent inequity and improve overall health and wellness among Black women like me.” 

EmpowerHer will feature panel discussions, keynote presentations, and networking opportunities. The president of Boston University, Dr. Melissa Gilliam, will serve as this year’s keynote speaker. 

“It is an honor for Boston University to host this critical conference that highlights the importance of advancing health equity for Black women and their families. I want to thank Mayor Wu, the City of Boston, Dr. Ojikutu, and the Boston Public Health Commission for their commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Together, we aim to empower our community through shared knowledge and action,” said Dr. Melissa Gilliam, President of Boston University. 

“As the curator of the EmpowerHer Black Women’s Health Conference, I am deeply committed to creating a space where Black women can come together to celebrate, learn, and empower each other,” said Melissa Hector, Director of Equitable and Strategic Initiatives at the Boston Public Health Commission. “This conference is not just an event, it’s a movement to elevate the voices of Black women in health and wellness and drive meaningful change in our communities and beyond.” 

“Get Konnected! is proud to be a community partner of the Boston Public Health Commission. I want to applaud Dr. Ojikutu, Melissa Hector, chair of the EmpowerHer planning team, and the Commission for their visionary leadership in creating this inaugural Black women’s health conference. This is a powerful step toward empowering, educating, amplifying, and elevating Black women to take full responsibility for their health and well-being in all areas of their lives," said Colette Phillips, founder of Get Konnected!. 

WHO endorses dual-stain cytology (CINtec PLUS) testing in its cervical cancer prevention guidelines, advancing patient care and underlining Roche’s role in pioneering cervical cancer solutions

WHO endorses dual-stain cytology (CINtec PLUS) testing in its cervical cancer prevention guidelines, advancing patient care and underlining Roche’s role in pioneering cervical cancer solutions

 

• Roche’s CINtec PLUS Cytology is the only FDA-approved and CE-marked dual-stain test to triage human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive cervical cancer screening test results
• Dual-stain biomarkers aid in detection of cervical precancer and may reduce the number of women who undergo unnecessary colposcopy procedures while allowing earlier intervention for those who are at higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
• This recognition follows the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP)’s recent inclusion of dual-stain testing in cervical cancer screening guidelines, as well as other WHO prequalifications of Roche’s cobas HPV test
  

Basel, 23 September 2024 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the World Health Organization (WHO) has included dual-stain cytology testing in its cervical cancer prevention guideline.¹ The Roche CINtec® PLUS Cytology test is the only FDA-approved and CE-marked dual-stain test that helps identify human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive individuals who are most at risk of developing cervical precancer and cancer.

The WHO joins the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP), which in March also updated its cervical cancer screening guidelines² to include dual-stain as a triage test for HPV-positive individuals. If the dual-stain test is positive, the patient is at higher risk of having or developing precancer or cancer, and clinicians should recommend immediate colposcopy. However, if the dual-stain test is negative, the risk of precancer is low and individuals may follow up by retesting at a later time to determine if their body has taken care of the infection and eliminated the risk on its own. This may result in fewer women unnecessarily undergoing colposcopy procedures.

“Adding dual-stain cytology to the WHO guidelines further reinforces the value of our biomarker-based CINtec PLUS Cytology test to identify patients with an elevated risk of cervical cancer,” said Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics. “HPV infections can cause cervical cancer, a potentially deadly disease that is highly preventable. Consequently, it is critical to determine who is most at risk.”

The CINtec PLUS Cytology test can simultaneously detect when two biomarkers (p16 and Ki-67) are present within the same cell – a strong indicator that it is undergoing transformation and may turn cancerous. By identifying those individuals who are at higher risk of developing cervical disease, CINtec PLUS Cytology helps provide labs, clinicians and patients with important information to guide patient management. This could reduce the number and frequency of follow-up visits, saving worry, time and money. The test can be performed using the same liquid sample that is used for HPV or Pap cytology testing, eliminating the need for additional or repeat sample collection.

The revised WHO guidelines represent an important step forward in achieving the organisation’s three cervical cancer elimination goals³, and a catalyst for ensuring that 90% of those identified with cervical disease receive appropriate treatment. With the recent news that the WHO has awarded prequalification designation to the cobas® HPV test on the cobas 4800, Roche’s entire portfolio of HPV tests on the 4800, 5800, 6800 and 8800 systems is now WHO prequalification-approved for both clinician-collected and self-collected samples.

About the Roche Cervical Cancer Portfolio
HPV is the known cause of more than 95% of all cervical cancers.⁴ Roche’s cervical cancer portfolio includes the cobas HPV test, used for primary screening and co-testing. While Pap cytology can potentially detect abnormalities in the cervix, cobas HPV detects 14 types of high-risk HPV genotypes that put patients at higher risk of developing cervical cancer. It includes results for HPV 16, HPV 18 and 12 other high-risk pooled genotypes.³

The HPV self-collection solution is approved for use with Roche's cobas HPV test. The cobas HPV test runs on the cobas 4800 and the fully automated cobas 5800/6800/8800 Systems, which offer the fastest time to results, providing up to 96 results in about three hours, and 384 results for the cobas 6800 System and 1,056 results for the cobas 8800 System in an eight hour shift. The portfolio also includes CINtec PLUS Cytology, the only FDA-approved dual-stain cytology product and CINtec Histology, the only FDA-cleared p16 biomarker technology that can help pathologists confirm the presence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions. The CINtec PLUS Cytology test can run on the BenchMark ULTRA IHC/ISH system. In countries accepting the CE mark, the CINtec PLUS Cytology test can be used to triage HPV-positive results.

The IMPACT trial, used to validate the clinical performance of the Roche cervical cancer portfolio, had representation from diverse patient segments, including 21 percent Black, 24 percent Hispanic-Latino and 0.3 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native participants.⁵ This diversity was critical to accurately assess the performance of the cobas HPV test and dual stain cytology in patient populations with higher incident rates of HPV. Learn more now: http://diagnostics.roche.com. 

Roche is piloting a disease management software called navify® Cervical Screening. It aims to support health systems to increase adherence to clinical guidelines, reduce under- and over-testing and optimise healthcare resources with an organised approach to screening.

Methuen市長Neil Perry辭世 麻州長發文哀悼

 Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll Issue Statement on Passing of Methuen Mayor Neil Perry 

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll issued the following statement on the passing of Methuen Mayor Neil Perry: 

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mayor Neil Perry and the Methuen community. Mayor Perry was a wonderful and caring person, and a strong and courageous leader. He believed in and gave so much to his community. He will be deeply missed. Our administration is prepared to support the City of Methuen during this difficult time.” 

第16屆波士頓亞美電影節訂10月17日開幕 10/26 特別放映「INTERIOR CHINATOWN」

波士頓亞美電影節創辦人甄翠嬿(左)和副主任陳曉瑩(右) 宣佈第16屆影展訂
10月17日至27日舉行。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 第16屆波士頓亞美電影節 (BAAFF)將特別放映游朝凱 (Charles Yu) 所製作「內景唐人街 (Interior Chinatown) 」，訂10月17日至27日，分別在劍橋市布瑞托 (Brattle)戲院，波士頓市愛默生派拉蒙中心 (Emerson Paramount Center) ，以及網上舉行，另放映3部劇情片，3部紀錄片，6部短片。

波士頓亞美電影節志工描述影片，籲請支持者參加9月30日高爾夫球賽等活動，
謝祝影展籌款。(周菊子攝)

              「內景唐人街」是游朝凱以他所撰寫，2020年獲得美國國家書卷獎最佳小說獎的同名小說為基礎所製作，預定2024年11月19日在Hulu網路上開播第一輯，共10輯的電視劇。

              該小說原作，已於2022年發行中文版，探討流行文化、移民及種族同化等議題，有書評形容該書是”對亞洲人的刻板印象的尖銳控訴，以及在這個快速變化的世界中感覺被忽視的被遺棄者的寓言”。

志工們在影展前派對展示相關文宣。(周菊子攝)

              波士頓亞美電影節在本屆電影節中，特別安排於10月26日 (週六) 下午2點及晚上6點半，在愛默生派拉蒙中心放映2場。這場特別放映會票價30元，購票觀眾還可參加4點半在帝苑大酒樓舉行的接待會及簽書會。

              波士頓亞美電影節創辦人甄翠嬿 (Susan Chiensen) 和電影節主任陳曉瑩 (Connie Chan)和電影節志工9月19日晚在包氏文藝中心 (Pao Arts Center)舉辦預告派對，向支持者匯報，今年有「我們所愛的一切 (All That We Love) 」和「未來日期 (Future Date)」這2

陳曉瑩表示，影展期間有許多義工從旁協助。(周菊子攝)

部片，在新英格蘭地區首映，除了開幕片在布瑞托戲院放映之外，其餘各片都在愛默生派拉蒙中心，以及網上放映，電影街將放映那些影片，邀得那些導演隨片登台，還有9月22日前購票，領取優惠碼，可享有10%折扣等細節。

第16屆波士頓亞美電影節要放映共13部影片。

              2部劇情片，以及1部紀錄片，分別由主辦單位安排為開幕、中場，閉幕片，依序為訂10月17日 (週四) 晚7點在部瑞托戲院放映的開幕片，陳俊彥 (Yen Tan)執導的「我們所愛的一切 (All That We Love) 」，訂10月18日(週五) 晚6點在艾默生派拉蒙中心放映，Quyén Nguyen-Le執導的「宮本信子：一首動感之歌(Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement)」，以及訂10月20日 (週日)下午4點半在愛默生派拉蒙中心放映，Ramona Diaz執導的「一切就這樣開始了 (And So it Begins)」。前述各片導演，都將隨片登台，和觀眾座談。

              另1部劇情片，以及2部紀錄片，分別為訂10月19日(週六)下午5點放映，由Stanley Wong執導的「未來日期 (Future Date)」，10月19日晚上8點半放映由Elixabeth Ai執導的「新浪潮 (New Wave)」，10月20日(週日)下午1點半，由Kenji Tsukamoto執導的「Ashima」。

波士頓台灣影展協會共會長林致中 (左)到場支持友會活動。(周菊子攝)

              6部短片中，有2部片既有現場，也可網上觀賞，分別為訂10月18日(週五)晚上8點半放映，游Hao Zhou執導的「哦，酷兒 (Oh, Queer)」，訂10月19日(週六)下午1點半放映，由Mona Xia 和Erin Ramirez執導的「橋接兩個世界 (Bridging Two Worlds)」。其餘「苦樂參半16 (Bittersweet 16)」、「童年奇蹟(Childhood Wonders)」、「別告訴你父母 (Don’t Tell Your Parents)」、「不是你的模範少數族裔 (Not Your Model Minority)」、4部短片，將只在網上放映。

              第16屆波士頓亞美電影節已開始預售門票，開幕及閉幕場門票20元，劇情片及短片，現場15元，特別放映30元，另有套票150元，以及觀賞所有短片的套票65元。

              查詢影片詳情可上網https://baaff.org/2024-schedule，以及https://mailchi.mp/aarw/baaff-live2024。

朗朗、波士頓市長吳弭四手聯彈 宣揚人人都可學音樂理念 (附視頻)

波士頓市長吳弭和國際知名鋼琴家朗朗四手聯彈鋼琴。(周菊子攝)

波士頓藝術學校代理校長Tyrone Sutton(右起)，請波士頓市長吳弭
和鋼琴家朗朗和學生講話。(周菊子攝)

              (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 國際知名鋼琴家朗朗今年4月才在「好萊塢星光大道」上留下手印，9月19日為波士頓交響樂團本季音樂會做開幕表演，20日再和波士頓市長吳弭聯袂為波士頓藝術學校學生演奏，鼓勵小朋友們「有為者亦若是」。

波士頓藝術學校代理校長Tyrone Sutton(右起)，訪談朗朗和波士頓市長吳弭，
請它們回答學生提問。(周菊子攝)

              朗朗成名後，成立了「朗朗國際音樂基金會」，並從2013年起推出「靈感之鑰 (Keys of Inspiration)」項目，捐贈鋼琴實驗室、音樂教材，以及相關音響科技設備，給校內有75%學生參加免費或減費午餐項目的Title 1學校，藉以啟發學生學習音樂興趣，宣揚人人都可學習古典音樂，發揮靈感的理念。

              十年前，朗朗把「靈感之鑰」這項目帶到麻州、波士頓。波士頓市政府表示，陸續有波士頓藝術學校 (BAA)，Chittick, Edison, Hennigan, JFK, Mattahunt, Umana，以及 Orchard Gardens等學校參加了這項目。

朗朗夫婦(右三、四)和波士頓市長吳弭(右五)，波士頓市議員Sharon Dunkan(右二)，
波士頓公校副總監陳珮(左二)，朗朗國際音樂基金會執行長盧卡斯(左五)等人合影。
(周菊子攝)

              19日，朗朗在妻子德籍鋼琴家Gina Alice Redlinger，以及朗朗國際音樂基金會執行長盧卡斯巴文斯基-布朗(Leszek Barwinski-Brown)陪同下，來到波士頓藝術學校，由校長Tyrone Sutton，波士頓公校副總監陳珮 (Linda Chin) 等人介紹，在波士頓藝術學校的學生們面前，放映了一段當年啟發他愛上音樂，學習鋼琴的貓和老鼠鬥法卡通片 (Tom and Jerry)，獨奏了幾小段，和波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 四手聯彈的合奏一曲後，再和吳弭市長聯袂接受校長訪問，回答學生提問。

              在回答提問時，朗朗表示，當年是受到電視卡通片啟發，才開始學彈鋼琴。擅拉二胡的父親在他9歲時，為他買了鋼琴，儘管那時他的手還顯小，有時要彈好一曲很有挑戰性，他卻愛上這奢侈的大玩具，真的下了很多苦工凱來練習。

朗朗和波士頓藝術學校學生們合影。(周菊子攝)

吳弭市長則透露，因為父母都愛音樂，她4歲就開始彈鋼琴，何況母親是歌手，唱歌時總要有人伴奏，才更好聽，她也就成了當然的伴奏。她還說。後來父母移民來美，生活在有語言、文化隔閡的環境中，音樂更成為最好的抒發心情良藥。

              一名學生趕在朗朗離開前問，朗朗花了多少時間才成名。朗朗笑說，他17歲那年 (1999)，他代替身體不適的André Watts和芝加哥交響樂團合作，演奏了柴可夫斯基第一鋼琴協奏曲，這才開啟了他的音樂人生。

左起，波士頓市長吳弭和朗朗，以及當天上台表演的小朋友，音樂老師，波士頓
音樂學校校長合影。(周菊子攝)

              根據朗朗國際音樂基金會網站，「靈感之鑰」項目辦理迄今，已在全世界贊助了192所學校，捐贈了4500架鋼琴，影響及於18萬餘名學生，培養出55名年輕音樂學者，101名鋼琴家，舉辦了9萬5000場音樂會。

              朗朗雖然不是經常來波士頓，但2022年也曾為唐卡藝術大師娘本 (Niangben)的展覽開幕， 來到波士頓。今年為波士頓交響樂團音樂季開幕演出之後，已預定將於2025年2月28日，再來波士頓交響樂廳演出。

波士頓市長吳弭特地把2個兒子都帶到現場，看媽媽和國際知名鋼琴家朗朗合奏。
(周菊子攝)

波士頓藝術學校是波士頓公校中唯一以表演藝術為教學重心的
學校，新校舍三年前才啟用。(周菊子攝)

波士頓藝術學校座落在紅襪隊芬衛球場對面。(周菊子攝)

麻州經濟援助協調會批准130萬元抵稅優惠 預計帶來4480萬元私人投資

Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council Approves New Projects to Receive Over $1.3 Million in Tax Credits   Projects Will Spur $44.8 Million in Private Investment, Create 120 New Jobs, and Retain 1,521 Existing Jobs

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC) has approved three projects for participation in the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP), a program that seeks to create new jobs and help businesses grow by offering credits to lower taxes in exchange for job creation.    These projects are expected to leverage approximately $44.8 million in private investment, create 120 net new jobs and retain 1,521 jobs statewide. Of this round’s applications, one incentive recipient is a manufacturer, and two projects are located in Gateway Cities. Additionally, the EACC has approved two new Vacant Storefront Projects that will receive EDIP refundable tax credits of $10,000 each.   “The Economic Assistance Coordinating Council provides important business development tools for the state that help businesses expand and add jobs,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “We are pleased this round of awards will support businesses working to advance everything from manufacturing to the arts and look forward to seeing the economic activity these investments make possible in the years to come.”   “We are proud to announce this round of awards, which will support businesses both small and large and from key industries like manufacturing and telecommunications,” said Undersecretary of Economic Foundations Ashley Stolba. “The Economic Development Incentive Program is a vital resource for economic development across our state, from Quincy to Worcester and beyond.”   The projects include:   EDIP Certified Projects  EDIP is designed to foster job creation and stimulate business growth. A company that participates in EDIP may receive state tax credits and local property tax incentives in exchange for a commitment to create new jobs, retain existing job, and commit private investment to the project.  Granite Telecommunications LLC - Quincy  Granite Telecommunications LLC is a nationwide wholesaler of landline phone lines headquartered in Quincy. Since June 2002, Granite’s primary business is providing telecommunications services, including local and long-distance dial tone, broadband, and other related services to multi-location businesses and government entities. Granite is investing more than $23 million to expand its headquarters and add 75 new jobs. The EACC approved $1,125,000 in EDIP tax credits and the City of Quincy amended a tax increment financing agreement (TIF) yielding 12 years and real estate savings of $2,705,494.  Emseal Joint Systems LTD - Westborough  Emseal Joint Systems manufactures and distributes pre-compressed sealants and expansion joints to commercial, industrial, and institutional users worldwide. In 1990, Emseal moved its U.S. operations from Stamford, Conn. to the current 30,000-square-foot headquarters in Westborough, Mass. Emseal is investing $7,094,000 to expand in Westborough, including leasing an industrial building adjacent to the company's current location to accommodate warehousing, manufacturing and additional office space. The EACC approved $196,341 in EDIP tax credits and the City of Westborough approved a 10-year TIF of $23,589.  Local-Only Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Projects  A TIF is a negotiated agreement between a business and host municipality. The percentage exemption applies to the incremental increase of assessed value of the parcel due to the private investment and the agreement may include exemptions on personal property tax.     Creative Hub Worcester - Worcester  Creative Hub Worcester is an art community center working to increase creative expression in underrepresented communities. Creative Hub is investing $14,705,000 to renovate and preserve the historic former Ionic Avenue Boy's Club building in Worcester, located in MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative Main South District. The project will create 25 net new jobs, and the City of Worcester approved a 10-year TIF valued at $751,686.  Vacant Storefront Program The Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program helps municipalities revitalize their downtowns and commercial areas. Municipalities may apply to the EACC to designate a defined downtown or other commercial area as a Certified Vacant Storefront District. After such a designation, a business may secure a commitment of local matching funds in order to apply to the EACC for refundable EDIP tax credits for leasing and occupying a vacant storefront in that district.  Vacant Storefront Projects: Brilla Coffee LLC - Gardner  Brilla Coffee is a family-owned business with a coffee roasting facility and coffee shop in Holden. The company has identified a location in downtown Gardner to open another coffee shop. EACC awarded Brilla $10,000 in EDIP state tax credits and the business also received a $20,000 Vacant Storefront Program grant from the City of Gardner requiring the shop to remain open for 24 months.   Gifu Lowell - Lowell  Gifu is an owner-operated quick service Japanese restaurant with locations in Auburn and Boston. Gifu is seeking to open its third Massachusetts location in Lowell. The EACC awarded Gifu $10,000 in EDIP state tax credits and the business received a $10,000 Storefront Improvement Program grant from the City of Lowell.

麻州長指派18人組成文化經濟顧問委員會

Healey-Driscoll Administration Appoints Cultural Economy Advisory Council Members  

BOSTON –Today, the Healey Driscoll Administration appointed members of the Cultural Economy Advisory Council, a group comprised of public and private sector stakeholders charged with exploring policies that support artists and cultural organizations, examining ways to create economic opportunities in the arts and culture sector, and promoting cultural equity in the arts. Governor Healey established the council earlier this year to bolster Massachusetts’ creative economy, which adds $27 billion to the state economy each year and supports 135,000 jobs across the state. 

"We are excited to kick off this effort to support our cultural economy, particularly as Massachusetts cultural and arts organizations host festivities celebrating the 250th anniversary of America's founding as part of our Massachusetts 250 initiative over the next two years,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Thank you to these council members who will help our administration identify ways to support artists and drive economic opportunity for this important sector." 

“Massachusetts is home to iconic cultural and arts organizations, from world-famous museums and concert halls in Boston to theaters and artists cooperatives in the Berkshires,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our administration is committed to investing in this sector, which contributes billions of dollars to our economy and supports thousands of good, rewarding jobs in every region of our state.” 

“Our cultural and arts organizations are so important to the economic well-being of cities and towns across Massachusetts,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. "They support small businesses and arts entrepreneurs, add jobs, and make our state one of the best places to live. We’re excited to launch this council and look forward to working with partners to find ways to help this sector thrive.” 

"We are fortunate to have a wealth of arts and culture organizations in Massachusetts that offer visitors and residents a place to bring their families, make new memories, and experience the best our state has to offer," said Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Executive Director Kate Fox. "This council will allow us to identify ways to support the Massachusetts creative economy and advance important priorities like equity and job creation." 

The council consists of representatives of the creative tourism community, performing arts sector, and state and local government and is co-chaired by Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao and Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Executive Director Kate Fox. The Council will work in close partnership with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the state’s arts agency charged with bolstering the creative and cultural sector and will present recommendations for cultural development and jobs growth to Governor Healey.  

Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council Members: 

• Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao (Co-Chair) 

• Kate Fox, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (Co-Chair) 

• Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director, Massachusetts Cultural Council 

• Tiffancy Allecia, Executive Director, Springfield Creative City Collective 

• Luke Blackadar, Deputy Director, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston 

• Representative Mindy Domb, House Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development 

• Magie Gaipo-Scott, Senior Director, Government Affairs & Legal Affairs, Museum of Fine Arts Boston 

• Deborah Hall, Executive Director, YWCA of Central Massachusetts 

• Candace "Lee" Heald, AHA! New Bedford 

• Joyce Linehan, Assistant to the President for Special Projects, Massachusetts College of Art and Design 

• Senator Paul Mark, Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development 

• Ming Min Hui, Executive Director, Boston Ballet 

• Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peabody Essex Museum 

• Emily Ruddock, Executive Director, MassCreative  

• Lindsey Schmid, Director of Marketing, 1Berkshire 

• Annis Sengupta, Director of Arts and Culture, Metropolitan Area Planning Council  

• Chad Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Symphony Orchestra  

• Julie Wake, Executive Director at Arts Foundation of Cape Cod