Board of Directors

Anna is a lifelong social justice activist with a career rooted in nonprofit management and civic engagement. She earned a B.A. in History from Yale University and a M.A. in Museology from the University of Washington. She currently works for Harborlight Homes, a nonprofit affordable housing developer. Originally from Seattle, Anna lives in Hamilton with her family. Her passions include backpacking, sports of many kinds, collecting passport stamps, and completely disrupting the status quo.

Olivia is a Wenham resident and a student at UMass Amherst pursuing a dual degree in Public Policy and Sustainable Community Development. She has been involved with the HWHRC since its inception in 2020 and served as a Youth Board Member until becoming the Vice Treasurer in 2023. Olivia is excited to be bringing her perspective as a young person, her experiences with political organizing and community service, and her passion for social justice to the HWHRC.

With two decades of experience in healthcare operations and technology, Dana is currently the Chief Operating Officer at FOLX Health, a Telehealth company that serves the LGBTQ+ community. She moved to Wenham with her wife in 2017, returning to her wife’s hometown to raise their family. She is Mommy to two incredible humans, an obsessive researcher, lover of good coffee, neutrals and soft lighting. As a queer person with a family in the HW community, Dana is incredibly grateful to the founding members of the HWHRC and excited to support diversity and inclusion efforts in our town. 

Viola is a current freshman at the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School who plays for the varsity field hockey and softball team. She also plays for a club ice hockey team. With her morals rooted in social justice, she was a part of the Social Justice Club and GSA in middle school. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community has made her an even stronger advocate for human rights and determined to help end any form of discrimination. Viola loves sports, reading, science and animals.

James is a recent graduate of Syracuse University and a proud former resident of Wenham, Massachusetts. He has spent his short career working in municipal government. Most recently, he started work in the Belmont Town Hall as an Administrative Coordinator. He hopes to bring his love of organization and community building to a non-profit whose work inspires him everyday.

Margaret is a recent graduate of Skidmore College with a BA in Psychology. They are passionate about helping and advocating for people on both macro and micro levels. In their short post collegiate career, Margaret has worked in municipal government and is learning the importance of getting involved on a local level. Margaret grew up in Hamilton and is a proud graduate of Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School. Margaret is motivated by their experience growing up in this community as a queer neurodivergent youth and hopes to work with this organization to create the safe spaces that were few and far between for them in their adolescence.

Hillary grew up in the North Shore and moved back to the area in 2020, where she currently resides in Hamilton with her spouse and dog Bianca. She earned a B.A. from Wesleyan University and Master of Social Work degree from NYU. Throughout her life, Hillary has been a staunch advocate for women’s rights, serving as the leader of Wesleyan’s clinic escort group defending reproductive freedoms and the right to choose, volunteering as a victim services advocate in support of survivors of gender-based violence and participating in and fundraising for the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center’s annual Walk Against Domestic Violence. As a licensed clinical social worker, Hillary has experience working in community mental health with diverse populations, where she has deepened her understanding of how systemic injustice can impact an individual’s mental health. She looks forward to translating this knowledge and passion for human rights and social justice into action within her community.

Katie has lived in Hamilton for the past 25 years and raised four children here, while also housing a number of international students. Members of her household have, unfortunately, experienced the differential treatment often experienced by people of color, immigrants, and LGBT+ people, while living in Hamilton-Wenham. Katie also works as an adjustment counselor in public schools and is often distressed by the treatment her LGBT, differently-abled, and students of color have received, but also amazed at their resilience. She's hoping to be a voice for young people like these on the Board.

Jeremy and his family moved to Wenham from Texas in 2006.  His volunteer activities have included work with the Westford Coalition for Non-Violence, Live for Liv Foundation, the City of Fort Worth Domestic Violence Task Force and the Wenham Zoning Board of Appeals.  He enjoys spending time with his family, watching his kids’ sports and activities, and coaching football and track at the regional high school.  In his spare time, Jeremy is a recovering lawyer, a wannabe entrepreneur and owns/operates a youth recreation center.

Melissa Fazio is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who lives in Wenham with her husband, four children and two crazy dogs.  She received a B.A. in Psychology at Hamilton College and a M.S.S.W. at Columbia University.  She has worked in various public and private settings as a family therapist, community organizer, stay-at-home mom and preschool teacher in New York City and here in Massachusetts.  Melissa currently works as a Behavior Specialist in a social emotional learning classroom in Topsfield.  She is passionate about supporting children and their families, learning to advocate for equity and inclusion for all, and teaching kindness whenever it is needed (which is always.)  Her personal passions lie with whatever her children may be doing at the moment.