Who we are
ABCD is part of the Community Action Network, created with the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act, which was signed into law in 1964. The Act was a sweeping plan to improve the lives of all Americans, regardless of their circumstances. As a community action agency, ABCD has a tripartite board structure consisting of members from the local private sector, public sector, and low-income community who are democratically selected by a local ABCD Advisory Board of their peers. Leaders from each of these groups collaborate on developing responses to local needs for our most underserved and at-risk neighbors.
Board Officers
Sean K. Daughtry
Board Chair, Representing State Rep. Elizabeth A. Malia
Nancy Dickerson
Vice Chair, Representing BMA Tenpoint
Marie Greig
Vice Chair, South Boston
Edward Katz
Vice Chair, Charlestown
Reverend Dr. Florence King
Vice Chair, Representing State Rep. Paul Donato
James A. Owens, Jr.
Vice Chair, Roxbury/North Dorchester
Patricia Washington
ABCD Board Treasurer, rep Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Julia Hardy Cofield, Esq.
Clerk, Representing Senator Michael Rush
Sharon Scott-Chandler, Esq.
President/CEO
Public Sector
Sean K. Daughtry
Board Chair, Representing State Rep. Elizabeth A. Malia
Reverend Dr. Florence King
Vice Chair, Representing State Rep. Paul Donato
Jean M. Babcock
Representing Senator Lydia Edwards
Julia Hardy Cofield, Esq.
Clerk, Representing Senator Michael Rush
Candice Caines-Francis, CPA
Representing State Rep. Jon Santiago
Alejandro Camarena
Representing Rep. Kevin G. Honan
Mary Chin
Representing Boston City Councilor-at-Large Erin J. Murphy
Julisa Curet-Rodriquez
Representing Boston City Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia
Joyce Dennis
Representing Senator Nick Collins
Shaikh Hasib
Representing Boston City Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty
Rodline Louijeune, Esq.
Representing Boston City Councilor-at-Large Ruthzee Louijeune
John P. McGahan
Representing Boston City Councilor Frank Baker
Linda Monteiro
Representing State Rep. Liz Miranda
Faarooq Sahabdeen
Representing Councilor Ricardo Arroyo
Aneesh Sahni
Representing State Rep. Adrian Madaro
Lynnette Sumpter
Representing State Rep. Chynah Tyler
Angela Williams-Mitchell
Representing Boston City Councilor Kim Janey
Private Sector
Nancy Dickerson
Vice Chair, Representing BMA Tenpoint
Patricia Washington
ABCD Board Treasurer, rep Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Caryl Beison
Representing MelroseWakefield Healthcare
Samuel DePina
Representing Boston Public Schools
George Montgomery
Representing La Alianza Hispana
Kristen Rupert
Representing Associated Industries of MA
Marvin L. Venay
Representing Boston NAACP
Marian Walsh, Esq.
Representing Operation ABLE
Collique Williams
Representing Greater Boston Labor Council – AFL-CIO
Shirell Williams
Representing Homes for Families
Neighborhood Sector
Marie Greig
Vice Chair, South Boston
Edward Katz
Vice Chair, Charlestown
James A. Owens, Jr.
Vice Chair, Roxbury/North Dorchester
Caitlin Callahan
Urban College of Boston
Rita Covan-Reid
East Boston
Matilda Drayton
Parker Hill/Fenway
Kathleen R. Flynn
South Boston
Connie Forbes
Roxbury/North Dorchester
Dareline Jackson
South End
Yvonne Jones
Dorchester
Mary Keith
Roxbury/North Dorchester
Lincoln Larmond
Mattapan
Mary Manuel
South End
Marguerite Mars
Mystic Valley
Patricia McShane
Allston-Brighton
Marlena Nania
South Boston
Marian O’Neil
North End/West End
Patricia Powers
East Boston
Maria Ramos
Parker Hill/Fenway
Michelle Sanchez, EdD
Dorchester
Ruth Villard
Dorchester
Fatima Villareal
Head Start Policy Council
Judith Ward
Jamaica Plain
Thomas Webb
Jamaica Plain
Sharon Scott-Chandler, Esq.
President/CEO
2000 – Don Law
President, Live Nation New England
2000 – John L. Harrington
Chairman, Yawkey Foundation
2000 – Edward M. Kennedy
U.S. Senator
2009 – Robert M. Coard
ABCD President/CEO (1968 – 2009)
2011 – Bob Ryan
Boston Globe Sports Columnist
2011 – Melnea Cass
Civil Rights Leader
2011 – Melvin Herbert (Mel) King
Community leader & change agent
2012 – Sargent Shriver
Founder, Peace Corps & Head Start Social justice innovator
2014 – Hubie Jones
Social justice advocate, entrepreneur
2014 – Sarah-Ann Shaw
Community Activist & Journalist, WBZ-TV
2015 – Lewis C. Eisenberg
Partner, Cosgrove, Eisenberg and Kiley
2015 – Dr. Jean McGuire
Executive Director, METCO
2015 – John Sasso
President, Advanced Strategies
2016 – Gloria L. Fox
State Representative
2016 – James T. Brett
President and CEO, The New England Council
2017 – Byron Rushing
State Representative
2017 – Edward J. Markey
U.S. Senator
2018 – Glenn “Doc” Rivers
Championship NBA Coach
2022 – John J. Drew
ABCD President/CEO (2009 - 2022)