PRESIDENT

Kenann McKenzie-DeFranza, Ph.D., is an Asociate Professor of Education Practice at Gordon College’s Herschend School of Education. She has served as the inaugural Director of the Generous Listening and Dialogue Center at Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. Prior to that, Dr. McKenzie served as Director of the Boston University Wheelock Aspire Institute. Her experience includes academic counseling, teaching college and graduate courses, working as an Executive Director at the US Department of Ed., and other positions in education administration, policy or advocacy. Dr. McKenzie founded the Aspiring Spirit Podcast in 2020 and provides professional development on leadership, listening and community. Her publication Learning, Listening and Leading serves as the companion journal to these trainings. In her civic life, this proud wife and mother serves on the Beverly, Massachusetts School Committee. Dr. McKenzie has a BA in Africana Studies from Cornell University, an M.Ed. from the University of Virginia in Social Foundations of Education, and a Ph.D. in Politics and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She was elected to serve as N. Shore Branch President from January 2023.

VICE PRESIDENT I

Nancy has been a healthcare professional for the majority of her career. She founded an Independent Physicians Association (IPA) in 1990, and is employed as the Executive Director.  In this role, Nancy is responsible for strategic planning, growth, contracting, budgeting, personnel management, and supporting the Board of Directors. During Nancy’s tenure, the IPA has grown to include over 370  physicians. She is passionate about improving the quality, equity, and efficiency of healthcare services, and committed to an organizational culture that respects and supports the independent practice of medicine.

Nancy is proud to be an active founding member of the Branch. She has enjoyed serving as a member of the Membership, Housing and Healthcare Committees, participating in many book clubs and other Branch events, and attending a National NAACP Conference. She became a Vice President in November 2024, and looks forward to serving our communities in this new capacity.

Nancy lives in Salem with her husband. They have 3 grown sons and a dog (a girl, “thank goodness”). They welcomed their first granddaughter in 2023, a precious gift. When not busy with work or the branch, Nancy enjoys exercise and yoga, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

VICE PRESIDENT II

Isis has worked for the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019, most recently as the District Liaison for Congressman Seth Moulton's district office. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning from Harvard University - Graduate School of Design. Isis was an undergraduate research fellow at the National Center for Student Parent Programs and an Expectant and Parenting Youth Representative with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. Isis sits on several boards including the North Shore Community Action Program, Harborlight Homes, Green Beverly, and she is currently a Student Parent Advisor at the Aspen Institute where she advocates for two generation success programs at postsecondary institutions. She is a mother of two who graduated with her bachelor’s degree in public policy from Endicott College in 2019. She loves hiking trails with her family.

VICE PRESIDENT III

Deedee lives on the North Shore with her husband and two adult children.  She is originally from New York and moved to Massachusetts after college where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Attending Simmons School of Social Work, Deedee has been a Clinical Social Worker for 30 years, practicing in multiple medical and behavioral health settings Deedee has strong clinical skills including behavioral health therapy, crisis management, advocacy and care coordination, leadership, clinical supervision, and program development. Deedee feels most at home working in the community and presently employed as a School Based Behavioral Health Clinician at North Shore Community Health.  She provides behavioral health care to Middle and High School students in Salem MA, working closely with school staff, families and commuinty stakeholders to ensure students receive comprehensive, compassionate, nonjudgmental and supportive care.

Deedee is passionate about advocating for equal access to basic human rights including medical and mental health care, housing, education, nutrition, employment and community support.  She thrives when she is able to engage with diverse communities, learning and growing from the varied cultures and traditions Dee is honored to learn about.  

Deedee has been a North Shore NAACP member since 2020 and is part of the Housing and Education Committees.  

Deedee loves the outdoors and enjoys swimming in the ocean year round, biking, hiking, camping and being one with nature.  

HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR

Mercy is a north shore resident and a branch founding member. She has worked in healthcare all her adult life in both the clinical and administrative sides. Mercy holds an MBA with a concentration in healthcare from Umass Lowell. She currently works as a healthcare administrator for a medical office. Mercy is very passionate about people and she truly believes that community engagement is key to promoting health equity. This equity is her focus as the health committee chair.

TREASURER

Martha is a lifelong resident of the North Shore, a finance professional and a social justice advocate. She has an MBA from Simmons College Graduate School of Management. Previously, she worked for Fidelity Investments and spent about ten years working in renewable energy. She currently serves as the Director of Finance and Operations for the Community House in Hamilton and has volunteered with local groups including: the Girl Scouts, Buker School PTA and First Parish Church in Beverly, among others. She is currently involved in outreach dinners in Beverly that feed people who are experiencing food insecurity. Martha lives in Wenham.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR

Arnie Cowan has lived in Beverly most of his life, is married to Nancy and they have 2 grown children Adri and Jacob. Arnie is an active member of Temple B’nai Abraham in Beverly and is on the Social Action Committee. He has also been a long-time volunteer for Family Promise of the Northshore and serves as a volunteer coordinator. He works at HP Inc. and serves on a company-wide racial equity task force. Arnie is passionate about social action and anti-racism and very excited that we now have a branch of the NAACP right here on the Northshore to be involved with.

BRANCH SECRETARY

Sarah is a lifelong New Englander who moved up to Salem from Boston in 2020, and was thrilled to find and join this branch to continue her commitment to racial justice and get to know her new community! She and her husband (Dan, chair of the education committee) when not busy working, live a full life with their "spicy" tuxedo cat Maya and her joyful rainbow baby Miles. Professionally, she has over a decade of research, writing, and teaching experience at the intersection of public urban contexts and racial inequality, particularly in education. She has worked in evaluation roles for several nonprofits including Breakthrough Greater Boston, the Youth Development Initiative Program (YDIP) at Northeastern, 826 National, and most recently YW Boston, where she served as Senior Director of Data and Impact leading multi-sited research on program impact.

Sarah received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Northeastern University in 2019, M.S.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011, and BA in Sociology from Skidmore College.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR

Dan is an education consultant with almost twenty years of experience in education programs, schools, school districts, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He primarily works on school district policy and effectiveness, school improvement, and the coordination of student services. In all of his work, Dan prioritizes the daily lived experiences of students and he begins any project by asking, “Have you asked your students about this issue? What have your students told you?” Dan has an Ed.D in Educational Leadership from Boston College and a Master’s in School Leadership from Harvard. He lives in Salem with his wife Sarah (our branch secretary), their son Miles, and a mischievous cat named Maya.

HISTORY COMMITTEE CHAIR

Lauren has worked in museums across Massachusetts for over 20 years. She holds a M.A. in American History from Brandeis University and an M.A. in American and New England Studies from Boston University. She has served as the Marblehead Museum's Executive Director since 2018. Throughout her career, her professional focus has been to study the history of diverse and marginalized members of our communities, and to use the tools museums have to offer (exhibits, living history, and other forms of public history) to share those stories.

HOUSING COMMITTEE CHAIR

Andrew McKenzie-DeFranza is a long-time housing advocate and non-profit leader on the North Shore. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Harborlight Community Partners. Andrew has been active at the local, state, and regional level advocating for Fair Housing Policy encouraging opportunity and choice in all communities on the North Shore. He is a committed husband to Dr. Kenann McKenzie-DeFranza and father to their 5 children.

PR and EVENTS COMMITTEE CHAIR

Bethany has worked in nonprofits for 30 years, including Citizens Inn, St. Francise House, United Way Mass Bay, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, and others; she currently serves as Director of Philanthropy & Marketing for Harborlight Homes. Being fiercely committed to social justice continues to fuel her work. After graduating from Emerson College (too many years ago), Bethany trained as a Mass Literacy Volunteer, where she joined Project Lighthouse, a program bringing literacy training to adults struggling with homelessness.  The role was a pivotal turning point, embedding an understanding that the weekly 1:1 reading lessons were less about learning, and more about marginalized people having meaningful connection. This volunteer effort set Bethany on her life’s path. She currently volunteers with the North Shore Chamber, and on the scholarship committee for the Diabetes Athletic Training Camp for Teens.