MAPS Board of Directors Elects New Officers
At its meeting on Nov. 24, the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers' (MAPS') Board of Directors elected new officers for the coming year. Sarah De Oliveira, Esq., of Framingham was elected Board President. Mary Ann Lomba, MBA, of Dorchester was elected Treasurer and Stephen Pereira, M.Ed., of Brockton is the new Secretary. The Vice President position will be filled at the December Board meeting.
"I am really excited to work with Sarah in her new role and looking forward to her leadership," said Paulo Pinto, MPA, MAPS' Executive Director.
De Oliveira, an attorney and partner in S. De Oliveira Law, LLC, joined the Board in 2009 and acted as co-chair and co-host of the MAPS 40
th Anniversary Awards Gala in May 2010. She is the first woman president of the MAPS Board in more than 10 years and the first ever Brazilian woman in that position.
Lomba, a former MAPS Board President and the outgoing Vice President, has served on the Board since 1992, and works as Accounting Manager for Employ+Ability, Inc., of Braintree. Pereira, who has also served as President in the past, joined the Board in 1993. He is an administrator with the Arlington Public Schools. Both Lomba and Pereira are of Cape Verdean backgrounds.
Board members and administration thanked outgoing President Joseph J. Vasconcelos of Woburn for his leadership, and also expressed appreciation for the work of outgoing Secretary Carmen Pacheco Medeiros of Arlington. Of Portuguese heritage, both will remain as Board members.
"Under Joey's and Paulo's leadership, the members of this organization have worked hard to keep it as successful as it currently is," said De Oliveira. "I look forward to helping MAPS continue forward in such a strong position."
Pinto added, "Joey Vasconcelos served our organization for three years as President of the Board of Directors with a great level of professionalism, diplomacy, compassion and dedication. During Joey's leadership, the MAPS Board enjoyed tremendous stability and success, and I am very grateful for his contributions and support as we mapped out our path through very turbulent economic times, to protect the future of our organization and continue to offer vital services that meet our community's needs."
Vasconcelos thanked Executive Director Paulo Pinto and the Board of Directors for all that they did to make his three years successful. "It was a great learning experience," he said, adding that he looked forward to continuing to serve on the Board of Directors.
MAPS is a private, non-profit agency celebrating 40 years of providing health and social services to the Portuguese-speaking communities in Massachusetts. The organization has six offices throughout greater Boston, Lowell and Framingham. The agency's Board and staff reflect the diversity of the client population, including Brazilians, Cape Verdeans, Portuguese and others.
For more information, please call (617) 864-7600 or visit www.maps-inc.org.
