2022 Urban Scholars
Massachusetts State Representative Tram Nguyen serves the 18th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives where she pushes for laws that address issues of racial and economic justice and protect the rights of the most vulnerable populations. The first of her family to attend college, Rep. Nguyen earned a bachelor's degree from Tufts University and a juris doctor from Northeastern University School of Law. Before joining the House of Representatives, Rep. Nguyen worked as a legal aid attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services, advocating for domestic violence survivors, workers, seniors, veterans, and children. Rep. Nguyen is the first Vietnamese American elected to the House of Representatives, the first Asian American on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, and the first Asian American woman to serve as vice chair of a committee.
As the Programs Manager at the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA), Carol Leon oversaw MOIA's programs and led community outreach and engagement initiatives. In 2020 Carol developed Immigrants Lead Boston, a new civic engagement program for emerging immigrant leaders.
Prior to this role, Carol served as MOIA's Outreach and Community Engagement Coordinator and led Citizenship Day, community legal clinics, and a 2016 conversation series between immigrant communities and City leaders. She first joined MOIA in 2015 as the AmeriCorps VISTA and launched Immigrant Information Corners at all 24 branches of the Boston Public Library. Carol is a native Spanish speaker and is proficient in French. She graduated from Suffolk University with a Bachelor's in International Affairs and French. Inspired by her family’s journey, Carol aspires to continue making the City of Boston a welcoming place for all.
- Amy Mahler, former Director of SPARK Boston, 2020
- Massachusetts State Representative Dylan Fernandes, 2020
- Katie King, Assistant Town Manager, Needham, 2019
- Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Chair, Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, 2018
- Senator John Keenan, Chair, Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, 2018
- Ramon Soto, Director of Policy, Massachusetts, uAspire, 2016
- Jennifer Benson, President, Alliance of Business Leadership and former State Representative, 2015
- Sarah Zapharis, Consultant, 2015
- Linda Dorcena Forry, Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations, Northeast Region, Suffolk Construction and former State Senator and State Representative, 2014
- Theresa Lynn, Senior Vice President of Advancement, United Way of Central Massachusetts, 2014
- Carl Sciortino, Executive Director, Massachusetts AIDS Action Committee and former State Representative, 2013
- Steven Walsh, Executive Director, Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals and former State Representative, 2012
- Mayor Joseph Curtatone, City of Somerville, 2011
- Jeffrey Sanchez, Senior Advisor, Rasky Partners, Inc. and former State Representative, 2010
- Joseph Driscoll, Senior Vice President, O'Neill & Associates and former State Representative, 2009
- State Representative Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley), House Chair, Joint Committee on Education, 2009
- Barbara Salfity, U.S. General Services Administration, 2007
- Mark Falzone, Deputy Director, National Immigration Forum and former State Representative, 2007
- State Representative William Straus (D-Mattapoisett), House Chair, Joint Committee on Transportation, 2007
- Tim Davis, Deputy Director for Policy Development and Research, Department of Neighborhood Development, City of Boston, 2005
- Brad Swing, Mayor's Office of Environmental Services, City of Boston, 2004
- Mayor Joseph Sullivan, City of Braintree, former State Representative, 2004
- Katherine Kottaridis, Executive Director, Historic Boston, Inc., 2003
- Barry Finegold, Dalton and Finegold, LLP and former State Senator, 2003
- Rachel Kaprielian, US Government Relations for McDonalds, former State Representative, 2003
- Peter Koutoujian, Middlesex County Sheriff, former State Representative, 2003
- Charles Murphy, consultant, former State Representative 2002
- Carol Blair, OnwardVia, 2001
- Joseph LaRusso, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Finance Manager, City of Boston, 2000
- Jack Hart, Nelson Mullins, and former State Representative, 2000
- Lillian Shirley, Director, Multnomah County and Portland, Oregon Health Department, 1999
- State Representative Kevin Honan (D-Brighton), House Chair, Joint Committee on Housing, 1999
- Bryan Glascock, Senior Advisor for Regulatory Reform, Boston Planning and Development Authority, 1998
- Honorable Stephen Lynch, U.S. House of Representatives, 1998
- Antonio Torres, Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, 1996
- Maureen Flynn, Deputy Director, Boston Home Center, City of Boston, 1995
- John Munier, Managing Director, Syndicated, MarketStrategies, International, 1994
- Theresa Bourgeois, Founder, Esperence Consulting, 1993
- John Mills, Director, National Network of Sector Partners, 1992
- James Jordan, Criminal Justice Consultant, Strategic Solutions for Criminal Justice Organizations, 1991
- Honorable Justice Robert Rufo, Massachusetts Superior Court, 1991
- Charles Yancey, former Boston City Councilor, 1991
- John McDonough, Professor of the Practice of Public Health and Director of the Center for Public Health Leadership at Harvard School of Public Health and former State Representative, 1990
- Jeffrey Cronin, City of Pasadena, California, 1990
- James Brett, The New England Council, former State Representative, 1989
- Susan Tracy, The Strategy Group, former State Representative, 1989
- Thomas Bledsoe, Housing Partnership Group, 1987
- Kevin McCluskey, Associate Director of Athletics, UMass Boston and former Boston School Committee Member, 1986
- Priscilla Teague, Boston Public Schools, 1986
- Richard Rouse, Boston, former State Representative, 1986
- Thomas Vallely, Vietnam Program, Harvard University, former State Representative, 1983
In Memoriam
- Bruce Bolling, MassAlliance, former Boston City Councilor, 1985
- Thomas Kennedy, former State Senator, 2005