The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV) has announced several new members of its Board of Directors, expanding and diversifying to reflect the diversity of the region since recently establishing itself as a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

New members include Elizabeth Dineen; Lidya Early; Talia Gee; Richard Griffin; Oliva Kynard; Ryan McCollum; and Modesto Montero. 

The board provides oversight to the director, plans strategy, is engaged in the work of Healing Racism, supports resource development and is designed to represent the community.

The Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley was formed in 2012; since then over 1,000 people from Western Massachusetts and throughout the state of Massachusetts have participated in its signature two-day Healing Racism program. HRIPV was formed as a result of the City2City of Pioneer Valley visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2011 where area leaders discovered a similar model embedded in the Greater Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

Dineen serves as Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, and throughout her career has been a strong advocate for women and children. For 27 years she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, focusing primarily on sexual assaults, domestic violence, physical and sexual child abuse, and child homicide cases.

Early serves as Director of Community Engagement at Springfield Technical Community College. Prior to STCC, Early served as Program Manager and Grants Coordinator for the Springfield Housing Authority. She also serves on the boards of Way Finders; Square One; Partners For Community; and Professional Women’s Chamber.

Attorney Gee is Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the City of Springfield, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in hiring, career development, and leadership opportunities. 

Griffin is Vice President of Community Development at MassDevelopment where he facilitates brownfields and pre-development financing, collaborative workspaces, and participation in the region’s three Transformative Development Initiative districts. Prior to MassDevelopment, Griffin worked as a Senior Project Manager for the City of Springfield.

Kynard serves as the Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She has over 20 years of leadership and management experience and an extensive background in culture climate, implicit bias and microaggressions that impact our BIPOC community.

McCollum is Principal/Owner of RMC Strategies, where has worked on campaigns at every level. He also spent significant time working at the Massachusetts Statehouse for several State Senators and also in the Administration of former Governor Deval Patrick. 

Montero is Founder and Executive Director of Libertas Academy Charter School in Springfield. He has served in a variety of leadership roles in schools and in the military, and prior to Libertas, Montero most recently worked with Teach For America as a Manager of Teacher Leadership Development in Memphis, Tennessee. 

HRIPV recently established itself as a standalone 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. In addition to HRIPV’s signature two-day training seminars, HRIPV offers half and full-day board/staff training and cohort development whereby the Institute provides tools and training, allowing organizations to continue the internal process of examining racism and its impact on organizations and the larger community. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HRIPV has developed a completely online curriculum to sustain and grow its reach and impact.

HRIPV has a capital campaign underway, and has reached 60% of its goal. Funding from the capital campaign will help the Institute identify a permanent home, add critical staff, expand facilitator training, and provide scholarships for individuals unable to afford participation in the two-day signature session and related programming. Holyoke Community College has served as a critical partner by hosting most of the two-day trainings over the past eight years of operation.

The Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the Board until assuming the position of Interim Director of the Institute in 2020. The United Way of Pioneer Valley serves as fiscal agent for the Institute.