Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 10, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 7 E D U C A T I O N & A D V O C A C Y P O W E R 5 0 In fact, the simpler the better. We provide easy-to-use tools that help you get the most out of your plan. WE HEAR YOU. SEE HOW. Stacey Luster GENERAL COUNSEL AND ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY Residence: Worcester Colleges: St. John's University, Boston University School of Law Luster, the first Black woman ever elected to Worcester City Council, works to support anti-racism and equal opportunity, and she has co-founded two advocacy groups designed to help those efforts: Black Families Together, which focuses on addressing institutional racism in Worcester; and the Black Excellence Academy, which helps students of color who are struggling in school. Although Luster has been fighting racism for years, the importance of this work was made clearer to a larger portion of the population in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer last year. At WSU, she oversees the Office of Equal Opportunity, on top of her role as one of the top lieutenants in President Barry Maloney's leadership team. Luster has been so impressive that Maloney recommended she attend a development program for aspiring college presidents, so she could eventually reach that level. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "The future for Central Massachusetts will include economic growth, fueled by the growth in diverse markets and the migration of young professionals from Boston." Chef Luster: She loves to cook and, as a child, pretended to be Julia Childs. Timothy P. Murray PRESIDENT & CEO WORCESTER REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, IN WORCESTER Residence: Worcester Colleges: Fordham University and Western New England University School of Law Much of the rise of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce – and the Greater Worcester economy as a whole – as a force for business advocacy and change in Massachusetts can be traced back to Murray stepping down as lieutenant governor to become the chamber's leader. Under his guiding hand, business and government officials seem to know just the right way to ask state officials for help with various projects and developments. The 2,050-member organization – the largest chamber in Massachusetts – took on a different kind of advocacy role during the coronavirus pandemic, providing almost daily updates early in the crisis on programs designed to help businesses navigate the economic turmoil. The help and assurances provided during that time, particularly around the Paycheck Protection Program, were key to business survival in the early stages of the pandemic. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "The future for the region is bright given our central location for all of New England and the diverse number of sectors that are the base of the Central Mass. economy. Moreover, as a hub of innovation, we are at the cutting edge of new products, technologies, therapies." Hatman: "I have a pretty cool baseball hat collection." Valerie Zolezzi- Wyndham FOUNDER & OWNER PROMOTING GOOD, IN UPTON Residence: Upton Colleges: Boston College and Boston University In 2020, companies, nonprofits and other organizations tripped over themselves to establish diversity, equity and inclusion committees, initiatives and goals, largely in response to the police murder of George Floyd. But it's one thing to talk the talk, and an entirely different thing to walk the walk. Enter: Zolezzi-Wyndham and her compa- ny, Promoting Good. With clients like UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester Art Museum, Fallon Health and the Mass. Department of Youth Services, she's a force for change often operating behind the scenes. It's one thing to release statements, but when business leaders want to do the proverbial work, many of them, in Central Massa- chusetts and beyond, call Zolezzi-Wyndham. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "Central Massachusetts could be an inclusive community that equitably and respectfully embraces the leader- ship of and voices of communities of color. This future requires business, public sector, and nonprofit leaders, and community members across Central Massachusetts to commit to accountable action for equity." Culture champion: "I love the arts. I am deeply grateful that Promoting Good has enabled me to contribute to equity in the arts after a career focused in the social justice space."

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