Carol Hardy-Fanta, Director

A Message from the Director

Carol Hardy-Fanta is Director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston’s John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies. She received her Ph.D. in Public Policy from Brandeis University's Heller School, an MSW from Smith College, and a B.A. from Occidental College. Dr. Hardy-Fanta is author of two books: Latina Politics, Latino Politics: Gender, Culture, and Political Participation in Boston (Temple University Press, 1993) and Latino Politics in Massachusetts: Struggles, Strategies and Prospects (Routledge Press, 2002). She is a nationally recognized scholar on Latina/o politics and has published widely on the intersection of gender, race and ethnicity in politics and public policy. Her policy experience also includes welfare reform, substance abuse and criminal justice, community organization, reproductive rights, mental health, HIV/AIDS programs, and bilingual education. Carol Hardy-Fanta also serves as Director of the Graduate Certificate Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy. Contact information: 617.287.5546 or carol.hardy-fanta@umb.edu.

Christa Kelleher, Research Director

Christa Kelleher received her academic training at Brandeis University; she earned her M.A. in Sociology and Women’s Studies and her Ph.D. in Sociology. Her federally-funded doctoral study examined the complex issues facing mothers during the early postpartum period in Canada and in the U.S. to inform public policies related to this key women’s health issue. Dr. Kelleher brings to the position a long-term passion for identifying, analyzing and promoting public policies that improve the conditions of women’s lives and advance women’s political leadership. Her professional experiences in political campaigns, the MA State Senate as a Legislative Aide to former Senator Lois Pines, and not-for-profit advocacy organizations make her particularly well suited for strategically advancing the Center’s research agenda. Dr. Kelleher has been affiliated with the Center’s Graduate Certificate Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy since 2002 and teaches the “Contemporary American Public Policy Issues” course. Christa previously taught courses in Sociology, Community Health and Public Policy as an Assistant Professor at Pine Manor College, served on the faculty for the Master of Science Program in Public Affairs at the McCormack School, and, as a Lecturer at Brandeis University and Tufts University, taught courses on women and politics.

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Paige Ransford, Research Associate

Paige Ransford is a Research Assistant for The Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the McCormack Graduate School at UMass, Boston. She has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and her M.A. in Sociology from UMass, Boston. She was a researcher on the "Alternatives to Incarceration for Substance Abusing Female Offenders in Massachusetts" project and a subsequent study on incarcerated women and maintaining family connections. Paige is currently working on a study of women municipal officials in New England. Other areas of interest include female substance abuse, women in politics, and reproductive rights. She worked as a counselor and Life Skills Educator for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department for more than 10 years before pursuing her interest in research and public policy.

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Donna Stewartson, Associate Program Director

Donna Stewartson, is the Associate Director of the Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy. She received her MBA from Simmons Graduate School of Management and a BA in Political Science from Boston College. She has worked as the Special Project Manager at Dimock Community Health Center, Testing Coordinator and Mortgage Scam Consultant at Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Program Technician at New Boston Pilot Middle School. Additionally, as a community activist in Boston, she is an Executive Board Member of the Columbia Washington Street Neighborhood Association, an active member of the Four Corners Action Coalition and a member of the Blue Hill Avenue Early Education Center’s Parent Council. She recently, joined the Center in November 2004, bringing policy experience in Education, Homelessness, Housing & Mortgage Scam, Community Organizing and Health Education. Contact information: 617-287-6785 or donna.stewartson@umb.edu.

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VISITING SCHOLARS

Lilijana Cickaric, Visiting Fulbright Fellow

Lilijana Cickaric is a Visiting Fulbright Scholar in the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the McCormack Graduate School at UMass Boston. She is a Research Fellow in the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade, Serbia, and teaches courses in Sociology as a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade. She has a Ph.D in Sociology in the field of Political Socialization and Gender Studies. Her recent research interests are participation and representation of women in politics and decision-making processes worldwide and gender equality mechanisms and gender mainstreaming in public and social policy. She is the author of numerous publications concerning the women`s movement in Serbia and transitional societies and women's advocacy in the building of civil society. Her most recent article on nationalism, ethnic conflicts, and women's resistance in Serbia was published in Women's Movements, Networks and Debates in Post-communist Countries in the 19th and 20th Centuries, ed. M. Saurer, E. Lanzinger, and E. Frysak. Vienna: L’Homme, 2006. During the fall semester, Dr. Cickaric will be doing a study of women’s political participation in the US in comparison to Europe and transitional democracies.

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Marta T. Rosa, Visiting Scholar

Marta T. Rosa was the first Latina elected to political office in the history of the City of Chelsea, MA, serving for six years as a School Committee Member and three years as a City Councilor-At-Large. For the past fourteen years Marta led the Child Care Resource Center, Inc., in Cambridge, Mass. She is the Past-President of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) in Washington D.C., where she provided leadership, vision and support to the organization and focused on the needs of children and families at the federal level. Marta is the recipient of multiple leadership awards; a graduate of Cambridge College with a master's degree in education. As a Visiting Scholar, Marta will be working on a book about her political and community activist-leadership experiences as a woman-especially as a Latina woman. She believes that, "there remains much work to be done in order for women, especially young women in communities of color to realize their leadership potential. Those of us who have been in leadership roles have a responsibility to help pave the way for others; to inspire new emerging leaders and to mentor to the extent possible those who will continue to lead the work. It is even more important to demystify the decision making tables and power circles so others can gain entrance and knowledge about how to participate in ways that can effect real change."

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ALUMNAE COORDINATOR


Anne Forman, Alumnae Coordinator

Anne Forman is the new Alumnae Coordinator for the Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy. She received her BA in English from Bradley University and has worked as a meeting/event planner on events such as the International Olympics sponsored by John Hancock Mutual Life. Anne is an enthusiastic 2006 graduate of the Program for Women in Politics and Public Policy and the recipient of the PWPPP Research Excellence Award, for her project titled: Mixed Income Housing and the Definition of Effectiveness. She is also a graduate of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University. Anne has volunteered in both national and local political campaigns. Most recently, she worked as the volunteer coordinator for Susan Passoni in the Boston City Council District 2 election race. Anne looks forward to organizing programs that will bring alumnae and current students together for networking opportunities and to explore today’s policy debates and political issues.

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