Boston Celebrating Women 2023

In celebration of Women’s History Month and Irish American Heritage Month, The Ireland Funds will host a fireside chat with sisters of Irish descent, led by Linda Dorcena Forry

Rachael Splaine Rollins

US Attorney

and

Rebekah Splaine Salwasser

Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation

RSVP

To attend please rsvp to mdooher@irelandfunds.org

Linda Dorcena Forry

Ms. Forry is a Senior External Affairs and DEI executive with experience in business, state/municipal government and corporate governance. Linda served as the Vice President of External Affairs focused on building strategic partnerships in the commercial real estate sector and prior, was the Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations at Suffolk Construction since 2018. Linda spearheaded the establishment of Suffolk’s inaugural Diversity and Inclusion department – developed ongoing strategy, programs and focused on integrating DEI across all aspects of the business.

Ms. Forry worked for over two decades in the public sector and served for 13 years as a member of the Massachusetts State Senate (2013-2018) and House of Representatives (2005-2013). She was appointed the Senate Assistant Majority Whip in 2017.

Linda played a key leadership role in drafting legislation and passing the law focused on access and opportunity in the development of state-owned properties (known as ‘MassPort Model’) and for historically underrepresented groups in small business. Ms. Forry became an authority on economic issues facing small businesses and the creation of housing affordability.

In 2020, Linda, along with 18 Black and Brown executives from leading corporations, founded the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund, which works to elevate community organizations addressing racial inequities in Massachusetts.

In 2017, Linda joined in partnership with the owners and leadership of Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots, New England Revolution and NAACP Boston branch president to co-develop and co-implement an innovative, first in the nations, anti-racism program ‘Take the Lead.’ The initiative is to advance the dialogue on race, which created a network amongst the teams to foster diversity on the fan base and front office. Also, served as a national model for a coalition of Utah based sports teams, led by the Utah Jazz.

Linda serves on numerous boards and civic organizations, including a trustee of: Boston Public Library, Eversource Energy, Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate, Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester, The Winsor School, BIDMC Trustee Advisory Board, John F. Kennedy Library Advisory Board, Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Rian Immigrant Center and NHAEON (National Haitian American Elected Officials Network).

Linda holds a BS, in Business Management from Boston College, and an MPA from Harvard University, JFK School of Government. Linda lives in Dorchester with her husband, William Forry and their four children.

Rebekah Splaine Salwasser

Executive Director, Red Sox Foundation

Rebekah Splaine Salwasser joined the Boston Red Sox in January of 2018 as the Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation. In addition to managing key community partnerships, along with the Foundation’s giving strategy, programming, fundraising and sponsorships, she is also the Executive Vice President of Social Impact for the Boston Red Sox, and role that encompasses chairing the organization’s Social Justice, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining the Boston Red Sox, Salwasser was the Executive Director for Scholar Athletes, the Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics and the Shamrock Foundation, the Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse & Learning Center, and in 2003, Salwasser was also a professional player for the Boston Breakers women’s professional soccer team. Salwasser is currently on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Foundation of Boston, Teach for America Greater Boston, and the YMCA of Greater Boston. She is on the National Advisory Council for both Home Base and Dream Big!  Although Salwasser ended her term as a member of the Board of Trustees for Buckingham Browne & Nichols in 2011, she continues to serve on their Alumni Council. She is also a Founding Director of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund, and a Founding Co-Chair of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston’s Friend’s Council, where she now sits as a Leadership Committee Member. She was WISE (Women in Sports & Events) Boston’s “Woman of Inspiration”, and in 2018 she was selected to Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” class, and her and her husband were recognized by Boston Magazine as a Top 5 “Power Couple.” Salwasser was an Emerging Leader for the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education in 2013 and was recognized in 2013 as one of Boston’s Future Leaders by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Though born and raised in Cambridge, MA, Salwasser currently resides in Dorchester with her husband Zac, and three children, Calvin, Niko, and Evie.

Rachael Splaine Rollins

United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts

Rachael S. Rollins is the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on July 26, 2021, and confirmed by the United States Senate on Dec. 8, 2021, Ms. Rollins is the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Massachusetts and the first Black woman to hold the position. Prior to her confirmation, Ms. Rollins served as Suffolk County District Attorney (DA) for three years. She was the first woman to ever be elected DA in Suffolk County and the first woman of color to ever hold the position of DA in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ms. Rollins previously served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Prior to that she served as General Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. From 2007 to 2011, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts serving in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions. Earlier in her career, Ms. Rollins was an attorney at Bingham McCutchen LLP and from 1999 to 2002 she was a field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.

Ms. Rollins began her legal career as a clerk for Associate Judge Frederick L. Brown of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. Ms. Rollins earned her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law and Masters in Law from Georgetown University Law Center. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and African-American Studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.