Sophia Moon, President
Sophia Moon has lived in Charlestown with her husband, Adam, since 2012. They welcomed their daughter, Ariana, in 2015 and started to participate in the CMA’s many enriching events and activities. A native New Yorker from Brooklyn, she moved to Massachusetts for college, attending Brandeis University for her BA in Sociology and later Northeastern for her MBA in Marketing and Brand Management.
Sophia is a freelance creative strategist, and a multi-passionate creative—abstract artist, singer, and writer. In 2018, she opened Essem Art Studio where she hosted Art Labs for toddlers/kids, Mini Maker Camps, workshops and classes. When she is not creating something, she likes to cozy up with a good book, tweak recipes with healthy subs, and walk around town with her family. She also volunteers with the Harvard Kent Parents Association and the Boys and Girls Club Charlestown, and hosts a monthly breakfast lecture series for CreativeMornings Boston, one of 210+ chapter cities around the world that serves to inspire a community of 5500+ local creatives in and around Boston.
Elizabeth Fisher, Vice President
Elizabeth Fisher joined the Charlestown Mothers Association board in 2021. She was first introduced to the group when she and her husband Eric moved from the North End with their young son. Now with two boys, Elizabeth enjoys helping to promote and support the many activities available to Charlestown families.
A former television anchor, reporter and producer, Elizabeth now works as the Editorial Director for John Hancock Insurance. It’s been a while since she last laced up her sneaks for a marathon but you can often find her running the hills of Charlestown or taking a barre class at a local studio.
Elizabeth and her husband enjoy traveling and are sometimes crazy enough to take their children with them on their adventures. Most weekends are spent chasing a kid on a scooter around the city, exploring the farms, parks and trails outside Boston, or keeping their toes in the Cape Cod sand.
Erica Haydock, Outgoing President
Erica has lived in Charlestown since 2010 and became involved with the CMA when her daughter was born attending the October 2014 New Moms Breakfast where she met her amazing Charlestown mom squad.
Originally from New Jersey, Erica headed out west to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles where she met her husband Oliver. True east coasters, they eventually found their way back to the Northeast when Erica decided to attend business school in Boston and have been here ever since! Erica has worked in digital marketing for the last 10 years and is currently a Global Marketing Manager at Vistaprint, a company that helps small business owners create expertly designed, custom marketing materials.
Erica and Ollie have two kids, Caroline (10) and Nathaniel (8) who both attend the Eliot School. Erica loves being able to raise her kids in the tight knit Charlestown community and thinks the CMA is an invaluable resource for families, particularly in the way it supports and connects new moms.
When she’s not knee deep in marketing (for work or the CMA Gala), you can find Erica enjoying the local parks with her kids, taking her furry baby Tubby on a walk or trading notes with fellow real estate obsessed neighbors.
Laura Carroll, Board Member
Laura has long volunteered for CMA, both as a member of the board and as its legal counsel.
Laura also handles membership issues, and serves as CMA’s unofficial “historian”, having served on the board from CMA’s start in 2000.
Laura has lived in Charlestown for over 30 years and has raised three children here. She adopted her two daughters as infants from Latin America and China. Her children have now all graduated
from college – two work in Boston and live nearby and one is on the West Coast.
Laura was raised in the Midwest, went to college in California, and then moved to Boston, first for graduate school and then to attend Harvard Law School. She fell in love with urban living, and bought a Victorian brick townhouse (very much in need of a gut rehab) in the mid-1980’s. In 2015, with her children (mostly) out of the house, Laura made the decision to downsize to a smaller home in Charlestown, where she once again embarked on renovations.
For her “day job,” Laura is a partner at the law firm of ArentFox Schiff in Boston, where she concentrates on intellectual property and business litigation.
Laura can regularly be found on her morning run throughout Charlestown or at the YMCA in the Navy Yard. Laura loves living in a family-friendly, urban neighborhood, where everything is in walking
distance. Especially now that her kids are older, they all appreciate and enjoy how accessible the city is.
Kari Cavanagh, Board Member
Kari grew up in New Hampshire and has lived in Charlestown since 2002. She fell in love with Charlestown’s history, small neighborhood feel, and easy commute to work. After having their daughter Anna in 2014, Kari and her husband Walter were blown away by the efforts of the CMA that brought together the families in Charlestown. They had their son Leo in 2016 and decided to settle here for good to raise their family in this engaging and supportive community.
Kari has worked at Income Research + Management since 2001, a private investment management firm in the Financial District. She started at IR+M two weeks after graduating from the University of New Hampshire as a receptionist and is currently a Senior Talent Partner. At IR+M Kari founded the Community Outreach Group in 2013, which partners employees with local nonprofits through volunteerism and granting support. Kari’s passion for community service led her to the CMA where she found herself volunteering to help with events and special fundraising for the Annual Gala. Her two children attend Warren Prescott school, where Anna and Leo are excited to be back and in-person with their friends. In her spare time Kari can be found running the streets of Charlestown or party planning for her favorite day of the year, Bunker Hill Day.
Aileen Gorman, Board Member
Aileen Gorman is from Charlestown. She is a mother to four amazing children – Hailey, Niamh, Paige and Jack. She is a Support/Learning Coach for Virtual School. She is on the Community-MGH Patient and Family Advisory Board, All Roads Charlestown, and in the Recovery community.
For fun you can catch her on a dance floor tearing it up if not she is home solving true crime shows.
Laura Gradel, Board Member
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Laura moved to New England in 2005 when she began studying at Wellesley College. After receiving her law degree from Boston College Law School and a clerkship in New Hampshire, Laura decided to call the vibrant city of Boston home and to continue her legal career here. Laura is a litigator at Foley Hoag LLP where she focuses her practice primarily on management side labor and employment work. She loves finding simple and efficient solutions to the complex problems employers face.
Laura fell in love with Charlestown even before she moved here, enjoying its delicious restaurants like Brewer’s Fork (where she celebrated her 30th birthday and later her son’s first birthday!), visiting friends and checking out local shops. She moved to Charlestown in 2018 with her husband Tom and they immediately knew it was a special community. They made the decision to stay and raise two boys Marty and Felix in this best of all worlds city neighborhood.
You can find Laura picking up flowers at Junebug or the most adorable clothes for the little guys at Mockingbird, grabbing a delicious martini at Prima, watching her favorite New England teams at Monument, or most often—fueling up for toddler time at the playground with Tatte coffee. As a CMA board member, she is excited to bring her passion for bringing community members together and using creative thinking to solve community problems to help make this a better place for everyone to live.
Debbie Griffin, Treasurer
Debbie Griffin was born and raised in Hingham, Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s degree in Accountancy at Providence College. Debbie has worked in public accounting, consulting, and now leads the finance function at a venture capital firm. After living in Chicago, in 2009, Debbie moved to Charlestown to be closer to family. A few years later, she met her now husband John in Nantucket but who was also a resident of Charlestown. Their first official date was at the Navy Yard Bistro, now Dovetail. Debbie and John have two kids, Hailey and Noelle who both attend Warren Prescott.
As a working parent, love for community and city living, Debbie can’t imagine living anywhere else. Debbie recalls her first CMA New Mom gatherings where she found the connection and support all parents desire. From there Debbie has been blown away by the contributions the CMA has made to the community and will continue to strive for the best outcomes as Treasurer of the CMA.
Outside of Debbie’s job, you will find her on the Cape during the summer, hibernating during the winter, and supporting local businesses.
Meghan Holt, Board Member
Meghan was raised in a quaint town on the North Shore of Massachusetts. After graduating from Connecticut College, she made the move to Boston, where she has called Charlestown home since 2009. Initially residing with roommates while pursuing her Nursing degree at Simmons University, she now lives there with her husband, Peter, and their three children ages 3, 5 and 7.
In July 2016, Meghan attended a CMA new mom’s breakfast, an event that would change her life. From this gathering, a dear friend initiated a weekly walking group during maternity leave. What started with a handful of exhausted moms troubleshooting the challenges of early infancy while navigating Charlestown’s intersections, has blossomed into a robust network of support and profound friendships. Meghan aspires to ensure that all new Charlestown parents can discover the same invaluable support during those early years and early mornings of parenting.
Before welcoming her second child into the world, Meghan dedicated herself to teaching Nurse Assisting at Essex North Shore – Agricultural and Technical High School. Her strong passion for connecting with and assisting others extends to her involvement in fundraising events for her children’s schools, the Warren Prescott k-8 School, and the Charlestown Nursery School. Meghan cherishes exploring the vibrant city of Boston with her youngest son on his school-free mornings. When she’s not busy with family and community commitments, you’ll find her indulging in her love for running, skiing, reading, and immersing herself in all things ocean-related.
Corinne Kielbasa, Board Member
Corinne was born and raised in Western Massachusetts. After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in 2005, she has been living in and around Boston. In 2007, Corinne and her husband, Kevin, bought their first home in Charlestown and have been in love with the neighborhood ever since. After having her first daughter, Lorelei, in 2010, Corinne quickly realized how amazing the Charlestown Mother’s Association was and attended as many events as she could and volunteered at Touch-a-Truck and the Egg Hunts. Corinne now has 3 daughters, Lorelei, Cadence and Brynlee, who attend BLS and the Harvard-Kent Elementary School. Corinne is an active member of the Harvard-Kent Parents Association and HK’s biggest fan!
After college, Corinne worked as a computer programmer in development at a medical software company. She quickly realized that she liked to chit-chat much too much for that job and went back to grad school for education. Corinne worked for 10 years in education at the Community Charter School of Cambridge, first as a physics teacher and later as teacher coach and evaluator. In her free time, Corinne volunteered for the Kennedy Center in Charlestown. With the arrival of baby #3, Corinne decided to leave education and work part-time at the Kennedy Center as the Family Engagement Specialist. At the Kennedy Center, Corinne plans family engagement programming for families with children ages 8 and under, helps with the yearly Toy Drive, and enjoys her time meeting and working with Charlestown families.
When Corinne isn’t hanging at the playground or driving her girls to gymnastics, she enjoys bopping around Charlestown, going to any and all events, laughing, and spending time with her friends.
Brienne Marshall, Board Member
Brienne is originally from a small town in Maine but found her way to the Boston area in 2007 after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She moved to Charlestown in 2017 with her husband, Jonathan, and now-thirteen year old English lab, Calvin. She became involved with the CMA during the fall of 2018 after attending an Expectant Mom’s breakfast. When Brienne and Jonathan welcomed their first child (Ethan) in late 2018, Brienne felt an instant connection to the CMA and its network with all of the support they provided to new moms. Brienne relied on the other new moms and veteran moms that she met through the CMA new mom’s breakfasts and nights out to navigate the experience of being a new mom, all while fostering a sense of community, purpose, and fun. Brienne also has a son (Aidan), who was born in 2020, and a daughter (Abigail), who was born in 2022. In early 2022, she and Jonathan decided to say forever to Charlestown and raise their three kids in the city!
Brienne is new to the CMA board but has enjoyed volunteering for a variety of events over the past four years, including filling the community fridge and assembling park toys! She continues to work per diem as a therapist for Spaulding Rehab Hospital. You usually can find Brienne at one of the local Charlestown playgrounds, feeding snacks to one or all three of her kids. If you are an early riser, you might catch her at one of the local Boston work out studios or see her outside training for her next half marathon!
Kendall Miller, Board Member
Kendall was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but found herself New England bound to attend Colby College. After graduating in 2007 (and meeting her now husband Jeff), Kendall moved to the North End and then made the hop to Charlestown in 2013. After adopting her dog Maggie and having her first child, Hayden, in 2014, she knew Charlestown was the community she was meant to be part of.
Kendall and Jeff have three kids, Hayden (10) and Kirby (7), and Charlie (5) who all attend the Eliot School. Kendall’s favorite thing about having three kids (besides obviously the constant chaos and property destruction) is being able to meet and connect with a wide range of Charlestown moms in various parts of their parenting journey.
Kendall has worked in advertising and marketing for over 10 years after getting her master’s degree at Emerson College in Boston. She has helped many clients such as Santander Bank, MassMutual, Ernst & Young, and the Boston Public Library achieve their marketing objectives and goals. She now provides marketing consulting to small businesses.
If you see Kendall around Charlestown, she’ll probably be coaching (basketball and softball) or at the rink trying to figure out the rules of hockey.
Ilena Ryan, Board Member
Ilena Ryan is originally from Long Island, New York. After receiving a master’s in journalism from Boston University, she decided to make Boston her home and promptly started her career in communications. She currently is the director of public relations at a software company in Cambridge, MA, where she focuses on determining what matters most to external audiences and internal stakeholders and conveying that through effective storytelling.
Ilena has lived in Charlestown since 2011 when she moved in with her now husband, Ian, who grew up here as well. She fell in love with Charlestown as soon as she stepped foot here, and she and Ian currently have two girls – Ava (7), who is in first grade this year, and Ella (4), who has a few years to go until she can enter BPS. When she’s not chasing around her two very energetic children, she enjoys fitness classes in all forms, as well as trying new restaurants and dining at regular spots around town like Brewer’s Fork – a family favorite. As a first-year CMA board member, she is excited to bring her passion for bridging relationships both within and beyond the Charlestown community to help make this a better place for everyone to live.
Kelly Welch, Board Member
Kelly Welch was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Boston College. After teaching for eight years she returned to school and earned a mental health master’s from UMass Boston. She has worked as an elementary school adjustment counselor and LMHC in a therapeutic behavior program in the Dedham Public Schools for 14 years. After living in South Boston for many years Kelly moved to the Charlestown Navy Yard in 2017 when she and Mike had their daughter Nora. They love being able to walk to everything, the sense of community, and the many parks and playgrounds that Charlestown has to offer.
Kelly has always been involved in volunteerism and has been a member of the Junior League of Boston since 2005. Soon after moving to Charlestown she joined the CMA and attended her first New Moms Breakfast in February 2018. The breakfast led to participating in many CMA events and joining the CMA Gala Committee where she met amazing women who share her passion for giving back to others. Her daughter attends Harvard Kent.
In her free time Kelly enjoys spinning classes, skiing with her daughter, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her family.