LRAC's Board of Directors and Officers:
Cheryl Atim Alexander:
Cheryl Atim Alexander was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, and because a significant period of her life was spent traveling she gained the opportunity to live in different parts of the world, including Nigeria, Northern England and the Republic of Ireland. Cheryl credits her lived experiences in these different areas of the world with helping to facilitate within her an appreciation of the interpersonal value inherent in contemplating issues surrounding conflicts from multiple perspectives. At the present time Cheryl works as an instructor at Cambridge College in Springfield, where she applies an anti-oppression lens to teach and learn psychology, health and wellness and women’s studies with undergraduate learners, and at her home in Holyoke, where Cheryl teachs and practices Spiritual/Reiki healing. Additionally, Cheryl is busy parenting her 15 year old daughter. "I am honored and excited to be a member of LRAC, and I eagerly anticipate the social justice opportunities that this group promises to bring through education and advocacy, to the local community and beyond," said Alexander.
Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq.
Maegan Brooks, Esq. (Secretary):
Attorney Maegan Brooks has a passion for small business development and the creation of social enterprises. “Entrepreneurship is the greatest way to achieve financial empowerment, while at the same time providing an economic benefit to the community around the enterprise,” says Attorney Brooks. “By helping to build businesses, we are creating jobs and cultivating an environment wherein businesses can expand. In this environment, consumer confidence grows and we can buy closer to home, saving fuel and reducing our carbon footprint.” Attorney Brooks’ goal is to create successful businesses that stay local and are able to grow from the support of consumers in the region. In addition to counseling small business clients, Attorney Brooks also works with clients on residential and commercial real estate and estate planning matters.
Will Chambers, Esq. (President)
Sarah Chipman, Esq.:
Attorney Sarah Chipman grew up in Manchester, CT and now lives in Windsor, CT. She went to Central Connecticut State University and majored in History with a minor in Sociology, graduating magna cum laude in 2002 with a B.A. From there Sarah spent several years working at an auto dealer before going to law school. In law school she interned at a Public Defender's office, at the American Civil Liberties Union, and at the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Sarah also participated in the WNEC School of Law Consumer Protection Clinic, which provided representation to low income individuals in small claims and housing court. She graduated from Western New England College School of Law in 2008, and is now an associate at Robert Fortgang Associates in Simsbury, CT, a boutique law firm representing both individuals and employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, wage and hour matters, unemployment, and contract issues.
Keely Malone:
Keely Malone is a live-long valley resident and activist. Keely is a professional mediator and Lead Trainer at Quabbin Mediation, in Orange Massachusetts. Keely has served on the Board of Directors at Arise for Social Justice since 2002, and is part of Arise's Peace and Anti-Violence Committee. Keely is also involved with WXOJ 103.3 Valley Free Radio where she serves on the Programming Committee and hosts Parapolitics Monday 8am-9am. She graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke as a Francis Perkins Scholar in 2005 majoring in Politics and minoring in Complex Organizations.
Holly Richardson:
Holly has been a community organizer in Springfield, MA for the past 15 years and has dedicated her adult life to anti-oppression struggles. Her work has been concentrated with Arise for Social Justice, a poor people’s rights organization, and Out Now, a queer youth organization. As an Arise member and Board member, Holly has worked on the campaigns to decriminalize prostitution, to stop the construction of the Chicopee women’s jail, and currently works with the Peace and Anti-Violence Committee to make connections of the wars/violence abroad back to our local community. Holly’s work with Out Now includes a focus with the QuEST Project (QUeer Empowerment thru Solidarity and Truth), where she and the youth organizers work to raise awareness of the particular impact of the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) on the lives of queer youth.
Carlos Rodriguez