Worcester, MA, June 2026 – YWCA Central Massachusetts is pleased to announce the election of Elizabeth Thompson (Holden, MA) to a one-year term as President of the agency’s Board of Directors. Thompson is the Assistant Vice President of Professional & Executive Lines Delegated Distribution at The Hanover Insurance Group. She has served on the YWCA Board as a member and officer since 2018. Thompson will lead the 17-member board, which sets strategic direction and policy to guide the YWCA’s work in eliminating racism and empowering women.

Thompson has been with The Hanover Insurance Group since 2011, advancing to her current position as Assistant Vice President earlier this year.  She brings a strong background in technology and operations, along with a proven ability to drive results and foster collaboration. Thompson holds a degree in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and has been recognized for her leadership in the community as a member of the Worcester Business Journal’s 2017 “40 Under Forty” class and a graduate of the 2016 Leadership Worcester program.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Thompson is an active and engaged member of the Worcester County community. She is passionate about supporting initiatives that strengthen and empower local communities and remains dedicated to the mission of the YWCA.

“As we look to the next 12 months, it is critical that we remain connected, engaged, and united as a board. I am committed to ensuring that we stay nimble and focused in our role: supporting the extraordinary staff who carry this mission forward every single day. They are the ones delivering programs, creating safe spaces, and standing alongside those who need it most. Our responsibility is to ensure they have the resources, guidance, and partnership to succeed.

I also commit to strengthening how we show up for one another. The stronger our relationships are as a board, the more effective we will be in governance, leadership, and advancing our shared mission. Because the work of eliminating racism and empowering women is not abstract, it is deeply human, and it requires all of us to be present, aligned, and engaged.

These are not easy times. But we are here because we believe in something better. We believe in a future where equity is not aspirational, but real and we know the YWCA is helping to build that future every day. I look forward to what we will accomplish together.”

Others elected as officers of the YWCA’s board of directors are President-elect: Jennifer Bradford, M.D.  (Worcester, MA), City of Worcester Medical Director and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; Treasurer: Shantie Prashad (Worcester, MA), AVP Retail Banking Officer, Country Bank; and Clerk: Katie Stickney (Worcester, MA), Project Manager for Community and Government Relations, UMass Chan Medical School.

The YWCA Central Massachusetts also announced its newly elected board member: Felicia Riffelmacher (Rutland, MA), Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Worcester State University. Re-elected to serve a three-year term were: Doreen Samuels (Worcester, MA), Van Aide, Vanpool Transportation Company; Jennifer Bradford, M.D of Worcester, City of Worcester Medical Director and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; Shantie Prashad of Worcester, AVP Retail Banking Officer, Country Bank.

“This year offered many opportunities to connect with our community, strengthen partnerships, and further our mission. Despite uncertainty in national and local funding, what stands out are the moments of hope, joy, resilience, and determination,” said Deborah Hall, CEO of YWCA Central Massachusetts. “As a women-led organization guided by a dedicated and accomplished all-women board, whose leadership has steered strategic growth, ensured mission alignment, and fostered innovation, we bring diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and a shared commitment to advancing equity and opportunity in our community. I look forward to working with our board as we continue to eliminate racism, empower women, and address the evolving needs of those we serve.”

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