Kimberley Richardson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, community activist, change agent, and mother who works toward making equitable changes for Brookline’s most underserved communities. She serves as a Commissioner of the Brookline Housing Authority, an elected Town Meeting Member, and on various boards and commissions, bringing her voice and lived experience to ensure that the BIPOC community has meaningful representation and a seat at the table.

Kimberley began her activist work with Brookline for Racial Justice and Equity (BRJE), which ignited her commitment to community advocacy. Much of her focus has been on the Brookline Housing Authority community, home to many of the town’s most marginalized residents. While raising her family, Kimberley earned both her Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and her Master’s in Social Work, and went on to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Her work is grounded in the belief that strong communities are built when every voice is heard and valued. With a political voice shaped by lived experience, professional expertise, and a deep commitment to justice, Kimberley continues to push for systemic change and to create opportunities for women and families—particularly women of color—to thrive, lead, and transform their communities.

Jacqueline (Jacky) Lara has a decade of experience working with adult learners as an ESOL and workforce development instructor in Boston. Jacky holds a Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from UMass Boston and a Master’s in Education from Cambridge College. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Her passion is making sure participants have the right tools to achieve their next step. She started working with Brookline Housing Authority in 2021 as the Self Sufficiency Program Coordinator/Coach. She had the opportunity to mentor women from the 2023 WT Leadership Program.

Lisa Goldblatt Grace is the Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of My Life My Choice (MLMC), a program of JRI. Founded in 2002, My Life My Choice is a groundbreaking, nationally recognized initiative designed to stem the tide of the commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents. My Life My Choice offers a unique continuum of evidence-based, survivor-led services spanning service provider training, exploitation prevention programming for youth at disproportionate risk, direct services to young people impacted by commercial sexual exploitation, and policy and advocacy work. Ms. Goldblatt Grace has been working with marginalized young people in a variety of capacities for over thirty years. Her professional experience includes running a long term shelter for unhoused teen parents, developing a juvenile court diversion, and working in outpatient mental health, health promotion, and residential treatment settings. Ms. Goldblatt Grace was a primary researcher on the 2007 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services national study of programs serving human trafficking victims. She currently serves as co-chair the Governor’s Council Subcommittee on Human Trafficking of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking, and co-chair of the ESN (Young Adults who Exchange Sex to Meet Needs) Working Group of the Governor’s Commission on Unaccompanied and Homeless Youth. She is a member of the National Center on Child Trafficking Advisory Board, and Shared Hope’s National JuST Council. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and holds Masters Degrees in both social work and public health.

Julie is the Outreach and Program Coordinator at Journey to Safety, the domestic abuse program of Jewish Family & Children’s Service.  She is chair of the Jewish Domestic Violence Coalition (JDVC) and a board member of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable.  Before moving to Massachusetts, Julie spent ten years working at SafeHouse Center, a domestic violence program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has also held positions at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center, the American Jewish Committee’s Washington office, and the American Arts Alliance, a nonprofit arts advocacy organization. She has provided critical advice to our work through the Thriving Safety and Healthy Relationships Working Group.

Gail was the Assistant Principal of Newton North High School until she retired in 1999. She then took a part time consulting job for one year at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School which lasted until June 2020. At CRLS I was the director of the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program which is a nationwide program whose goal is to help every student enter a four-year college. This program is designed to offer low-income first-generation students extra support to help them and their families learn the skills necessary to be successful in high school and beyond. As part of AVID, parents were offered workshops like those offered by Women Thriving to help them navigate the issues involved in raising adolescents in the United States today. After she retired from full-time work, she volunteered in the Newton English Language Learners and Literacy Program and worked with Chinese women who had recently come to this country. Gail also volunteered with More Than Words, a Boston based program which empowers youth who are in the foster care system, homeless, involved with the courts or otherwise in difficulty to learn life skills by running a business – in this case a bookstore. Gail worked with youth who needed additional support to get their GED, driver’s license, study for the SAT’s etc. Unfortunately, COVID put an end to both endeavors. She volunteers on a weekly basis with the Brookline Food Pantry. She is interested in the work that Women Thriving does in creating opportunities for women facing inequities in their lives and would like to help with and participate in the programming that we provide.

Danielle, MSW/LSCW, has worked with culturally diverse families as an adult educator, advocate, and administrator through community-based programs for more than 15 years.  Since 2015, she has served at the Brookline Housing Authority, most recently as the first Resident Services Program Director. She was pleased to co-facilitate several Women Thriving Inc. workshops over the years. Danielle holds a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a master’s in clinical social work from Simmons College, and a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from Boston University. She speaks conversational Spanish and is committed to advancing opportunities for engagement and learning.

Karen Lajara is a Financial Clearance Specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Karen moved to Puerto Rico at the age of five and later to Boston when she was twelve. She attended Boston English High School, Bunker Hill Community College, and Suffolk University, where she studied Sociology and Human Services with a minor in Latin American Studies. She also holds training as a Nurse Assistant and in Medical Billing and Coding.

Karen is a proud mother of four intelligent, talented, and powerful young women. Her daughters are the driving force behind her deep commitment to community involvement. She firmly believes that “it takes a village to raise a child,” and she works tirelessly to ensure that the village continues to grow and thrive for the benefit of all families.

DescriptCathy Wang worked in the publishing industry in China for more than a decade, gaining extensive experience in project management before moving to Brookline, MA, in 2014. Since then, she has led online K–12 education programs for the Chinese community, designed cross-cultural learning experiences, and supported families in navigating both U.S. and international school systems.

In 2023, after completing job training and leadership programs with Women Thriving, Cathy became actively engaged in education and community work with local nonprofit organizations. She now manages afterschool programs for young students as well as enrichment programs for adults and seniors.

Cathy earned her bachelor’s degree in History Education from Beijing Normal University and a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Her lifelong passion for bridging cultures and fostering learning has been a guiding force throughout her career. Today, she continues to bring her expertise in education, community outreach, and program development to create opportunities that empower individuals of all ages to connect, learn, and thrive.ion goes here

Karen G. Patinha Rojas is an Early Learning Specialist with ParentChild+, a program under Brookline Public Schools, where she partners with families to foster early literacy, school readiness, and strong parent-child bonds. She also serves on the Brookline Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and is an active committee member of Women Thriving, Inc., contributing to programs that uplift women facing systemic inequities.

With over a decade of experience in education, community engagement, nonprofit leadership, and public service, Karen is deeply committed to creating opportunities for women and families to grow, lead, and succeed. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and brings to her work a passion for advocacy, a collaborative spirit, and a belief that strong communities are built when every voice is valued.