Michael Curry, Esq.
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers – MODERATOR

Michael Curry, Esq. is President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (the Mass League), which represents 50 health centers, serving over one million patients out of over 300 practice sites. He was named: one of the Boston Business Journal’s Power 50 Movement Makers of 2024, 2023 and 2022; one of Boston’s Most Influential Men of Color by GetKonnected!; one of Boston Magazine’s 150 Most Influential Bostonians in 2024 and 2023; and a Bostonian of the Year in 2021 (along with his member health centers) by The Boston Globe and Boston Magazine.

He brings over 35 years of experience and results in civil rights advocacy, health reform and health equity. He is a current, nationally elected (4-term) member of the National NAACP’s Board of Directors (2014-present) and the Immediate Past President of the Boston Branch of the NAACP (2011-2016). Attorney Curry is also an Adjunct Professor at both New England Law Boston teaching Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession and Suffolk University’s Moakley Center and Sawyer School of Management teaching a health care management and policy course.

Dr. Arline Geronimus
University of Michigan

Dr. Arline T. Geronimus, author of WEATHERING: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society, is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, and is currently a Professor of Public Health at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Geronimus received her undergraduate degree in Political Theory from Princeton University, her doctorate in Behavioral Sciences from the Harvard School of Public Health, and her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. Winner of many awards throughout her career, most recently she was the 2022 recipient of the James S. Jackson Distinguished Career Award For Diversity Scholarship from the National Center for Institutional Diversity.

In Weathering, based on more than 30 years of research, Dr. Geronimus argues that health and aging have more to do with how society treats us than how well we take care of ourselves. Until now, there has been little discussion about the insidious effects of social injustice on the body. Weathering shifts the paradigm, shining a light on the topic and offering a roadmap for hope.
*2023 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough Winner of The Year in Social Sciences & Humanities*

Ed Gaskin, MS, M.Div
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets

Ed Gaskin is the executive director for the Greater Grove Hall Main Streets. His experience spans the private sector, (Deloitte, IBM, Dell Technologies), where he has held senior positions, focusing on marketing strategy and innovation and where he gained a reputation as a thought leader; the non-profit sector, holding board positions, performing pro bono, and volunteer work, and as executive director of several non-profits; Black Ministerial Alliance, Boston Ten Point Coalition, and Roxbury Renaissance Center. His non-profit work was featured in a New York Times article, “A Rescuer for Nonprofits.” He has received two different Martin Luther King Jr. Awards, a Malcolm X Award, and a Micah 6 6-8 Award, and his non-profit was recognized as one of the most influential community non-profits in Boston, philanthropic sector raising or distributing over $13 million in funding, and his public sector work includes advocacy, co-authoring two pieces of legislation.

Ed Gaskin graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in Management degree and graduated with honors as a Martin Trust Fellow, the school’s highest award, and came in second in the National Black MBA Association’s national scholarship contest. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where his focus was on contemporary theology and ethics, he received several awards including the Martin Luther King Jr. award for leadership.

Valerie Stone, MD, MPH
Mass General Brigham

Dr. Stone is Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Director of Health Equity Initiatives of the Department of Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Stone is an academic general internist and infectious disease specialist, and has been a practicing primary care, hospital medicine, and HIV physician for more than 30 years.

Dr. Stone is a nationally recognized expert on HIV disease and is the author of numerous publications on HIV treatment and policy, including co-editor of the book HIV in U.S. Communities of Color; which was published in its second edition in 2021. Dr. Stone’s scholarship also examines strategies for advancing health equity, cancer care inequities, diversity in healthcare, healthcare leadership, challenges in primary care, and innovations in residency training. She has authored or co-authored more than 90 publications, and has spoken nationally and internationally on these topics.

Dr. Stone has received many awards for her career contributions, including the Elnora Rhodes Award for exceptional contributions to the field of primary care from Society of General Internal Medicine (2012), the Community Hero Award from Action for Boston Community Development (2019), the   W. Lester Henry Award from the American College of Physicians for advancing diversity in medicine and access to care (2020), the Massachusetts Medical Society’s LGBTQ Health Award for advancing LGBTQ Health (2021), the Brigham and Women’s Physician Organization Pillar Award for Outstanding Achievements in Faculty Development and Diversity (2021), and the Harold Amos Diversity Award from Harvard Medical School in 2021 and 2024.  Dr. Stone received the honor of being named a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2019.

Monté Foster, MBA
TD Bank MODERATOR

Monté Foster is a community-focused financial services executive who delivers consistent and sustainable growth for financial institutions by diagnosing issues, engaging stakeholders, and implementing holistic, data-driven strategies. He is a dynamic leader with a record of success and a stellar reputation for recruiting, retaining, and developing high-performing teams. Monte’s organizations consistently exceed company targets by acquiring and nurturing client relationships through well-defined processes and routines that optimize results. He gives organizations a competitive advantage by creating and implementing growth strategies that are customer-centric and operationally sound to grow both customer segments and business channels, and is adept at managing budgets and the P&L to maximize ROE and ROI.

Monté manages and grows billion-dollar deposit and loan portfolios in Retail Banking, Business Banking, Commercial Banking, and Wealth Management. With a strong understanding of finance, organizational behavior and design, strategic analysis, sales strategy, marketing, resource management, business operations, root cause analysis, human resources, and Six Sigma he knows how to engage customers, business colleagues, and community leaders to accelerate business growth.

Eric Leslie, MPA
Union Capital

Eric Leslie is the founder and lead organizer of Union Capital (unioncapital.org). Originally from Cambridge, MA, Eric began his career as a community organizer in Baltimore and New York City with the Industrial Areas Foundation. Eric later joined Teach For America and taught in North Philadelphia, serving as principal of KIPP Philadelphia Charter School from 2008-2012. Eric returned home to attend the Mid-Career MPA program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in 2013 and founded Union Capital the following year. Founded in 2014, Union Capital’s mission is to transform social capital into opportunity by rewarding community engagement. UC’s innovative approach combines technology and relationship building to strengthen neighborhood networks, build social capital, and create new pathways of opportunity for individuals and community. He lives back in Cambridge again with his wife and two daughters.

Tom Shapiro, PhD
Brandeis University

Tom Shapiro is a Research Professor at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. Professor Shapiro has engaged in policy and social movements advocating race and wealth equity over several decades.  His current research project focuses on race, wealth extraction, and land dispossession. Collaborating with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, they are evaluating the Pigford Class Action Lawsuit for advocacy and policy lessons. He advises on the Wealth Survey Research Advisory Board for the Federal Reserve Bank, Boston, and the Massachusetts Baby Bonds Task Force.

Dr. Melvin Oliver and Shapiro wrote the award-winning Black Wealth/ White Wealth, recipient of the 1997 Distinguished Scholarly Publication Award from the American Sociological Association, as well as the1996 C. Wright Mills Award from the Society for the Study of Social Problems. Supreme Court Justice Jackson quoted and cited Black Wealth/White Wealth numerous times in her erudite and passionate Dissent in the Harvard/UNC affirmative action case.  His other books include The Hidden Cost of Being African American: How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality and Toxic Inequality.

Paola Liendo, MS
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp

Paola Liendo Baez is the Associate Vice President of Economic Prosperity Services at Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation. She is a strategic nonprofit leader and a passionate advocate for economic mobility, financial empowerment, and community development. As a first-generation immigrant from Bolivia, Paola’s lived experience informs her deep commitment to advancing equitable solutions for historically underserved communities. Her personal journey navigating financial systems in a new country fuels her work to break down systemic barriers and create pathways to financial stability for low-to-moderate-income families.

In her current role, Paola oversees high-impact programs that equip Boston residents with the tools to build wealth and achieve long-term financial security. She has led the expansion of JPNDC’s Family Prosperity Services, strengthened partnerships with economic mobility providers, and integrated financial coaching and workforce development to ensure measurable outcomes.

Paola holds a Master of Science in Management from Cambridge College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Escuela Militar de Ingeniería in Bolivia. She also holds certifications in financial capability and nonprofit leadership, including a Core Certificate from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice at Tufts University. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Paola continues to empower communities by leveraging her expertise and lived experience to drive meaningful change.

Suha Ballout, PhD, RN, FAAN
University of Massachusetts, Boston MODERATOR

Suha Ballout is an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Boston and co-Director of the Center for Innovative Teaching. Dr. Ballout is a nationally recognized leader in advancing health equity, workforce diversity, and inclusive excellence in nursing and higher education. She co-leads major initiatives focused on diversifying the health professions workforce, including the $20 million Clinical Leadership Collaborative for Diversity in Nursing. Her research and advocacy focus on addressing systemic barriers to health and education, with an emphasis on behavioral health and culturally responsive care. Dr. Ballout brings a deep commitment to community engagement and equity-centered leadership in nursing and health education.

Thaddeus Miles
MassHousing, Black Joy

Mr. Miles is the Senior Director of Diversity Initiatives at MassHousing. He is an author, photographer, yoga instructor, breath work and meditation practitioner, and heart whisper writer. He has a longstanding commitment to empowering people with a dedicate focus on strengthening the voices and visions of our young people.

Mr. Miles garnered insights and strategies from his international work at Harvard Law School and Community/Urban planing programs the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have reinforced his steadfast commitment to ensuring that the most under-served members of our city have genuine opportunities for success and achievement.

Lucinda Mills, LCSW
Boston Public Schools

Lucinda Mills is a district social worker at Boston Public Schools. She has been working for over 20 years in the field of social work and received her MSW from Boston College. She is the chair of the education and training committee for the Greater Boston Association of Black Social Workers. In the 2021-2022 school year she was a recipient of the “Educator of the year” award in Boston Public Schools. She is a union rep for social workers and she also serves as a delegate for Boston Teachers Union. In June 2024 she was awarded Secondary union representative of the year for social workers by BostonTeachers Union. Lucinda serves as a community board member at the Center on Crime, Race and Justice at Northeastern University. She also serves on the Safe and Supportive Schools Commission for DESE. She is an advocate, trainer and public speaker.

Melissa Pearrow, PhD
University of Massachusetts, Boston

Dr. Melissa Pearrow is a Professor of School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she teaches graduate courses in legal, ethical, and professional practices of school psychologists. She is the Executive Director of the BIRCh (Behavioral health Integrated Resources for Children) Center which represents a collaboration between the University of Massachusetts Boston and Amherst to provide professional resources to strengthen the coordination of behavioral health supports provided by school and community agencies.

Prior to joining the faculty at UMB, she was as a special educator and school psychologist and coordinated the program for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Her training in inpatient, outpatient, and community mental health settings informs her research on school-based mental health, including her partnership with the Boston Public Schools and Boston Children’s Hospital in the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model.

Dr. Joseph B. Berger
Provost, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Joseph B. Berger has been a member of the UMass Boston community since 2017 when he was appointed the dean of the College of Education and Human Development, where also holds an appointment as professor of education. Dr. Berger has nearly 20 years of strategic academic leadership experience in which he has been instrumental in developing innovative academic programs, enhancing faculty development, improving opportunities for inclusive student success, building improved administrative infrastructure, promoting sponsored research, cultivating mission-driven fundraising, engaging community partners, promoting international collaboration, and championing social justice.

Provost Berger is a renowned and award-winning scholar whose work focuses on higher education policy, organization and leadership, the impact of higher education on key stakeholders, and the development of higher education in various national contexts. He has authored dozens of journal articles, book chapters, and research reports and has served on the editorial boards for several top journals. He has received more than $62 million in funding for his work from agencies and foundations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Trefler Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Internationally, he has provided leadership for projects in countries such as Malawi, China, Russia, Palestine, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Dr. Berger also served as the chair of the Global Higher Education and Research (GHEAR) Initiative for the Worldwide Universities Network.

Brother Terry E. Carter
Associate Pastor, Jubilee Christian Church;
Inaugural Poet Laureate of Medford, MA (2021-2023)

Terry E. Carter was born and raised in Medford, MA. He is a graduate of Fisk University (1980) and was a graduate fellow in Mass Communications at Boston University (1983-1985). He has published six volumes of dynamic, provocative poetry, including his most recent book, Brown Skin and the Brilliant Sun: A Poet’s Opus (Fall, 2023). Terry is a classically trained poet whose inspirations range from Shakespeare to the Harlem Renaissance. He lists faith, history, social justice, and legacy as key among his diverse literary influences. Terry was named the inaugural Poet Laureate of Medford, MA in July 2021 and served for two years as the city’s chief bard. Terry is an ordained pastor and arts minister. He is married to Terésa J. Carter and the couple have an adult daughter, Maya N. Carter. To learn more about Terry, please visit his website: www.brownskinnedpoet.net

Toni Wiley
CEO Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center

Toni Wiley has served as Chief Executive Officer of Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center since 2008, after more than 2 decades of corporate managerial experience and several non-profit senior leadership positions.  During her tenure, Sportsmen’s has grown to reach over 5,000 children annually, and nearly 1,000 adults.  Toni also serves as 2nd Vice President of the US Tennis Association’s (USTA) New England Section, 1st Vice President of the American Tennis Association, and Chair of the USTA’s National Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

For more information about the Symposium
please contact Mandy Bass at glorytoglory@sportsmenstennis.org