City of Salem Announces 19 Women Honored During Women’s History Month for Outstanding Contributions to the Community
SALEM, MA – The City of Salem proudly announces the 19 women selected for recognition during this year’s Women’s History Month, celebrating their extraordinary impact on the community – both in highly visible leadership roles and in the essential, often unseen work that strengthens the city every day.
This year’s honorees represent a wide range of fields, including education, public service, arts and culture, small business, social advocacy, public safety, and community care. Each woman was nominated by a local elected official for her dedication, creativity, and commitment to making Salem a more vibrant, equitable, and resilient place to live.
“Salem has been shaped by generations of women whose leadership and commitment to community has moved our city forward.” noted Mayor Dominick Pangallo, “This year’s 19 honorees embody the spirit of service, innovation, and compassion that defines our city. I am grateful to each of them for all that they have done to improve our community, to the local officials who nominated them, and to the City staff who organized the month-long celebratory efforts. It means so much to honor those who have given so much to Salem.”
2026 Women’s History Month Honorees
- Robyn Burns
- Jenni Espinal
- Carol Hautau
- Cindy Johnson
- Barbara Kelley
- Charity Lazama
- Lori Marenda-Lang
- Blanca Martinez
- Kim Parkinson
- Alexandra Pineros-Shields, Ph.D.
- Janet Puleo
- Shannon Reynolds
- Julia Scherer-Hoock
- Cat Seiferth
- Ashley Sullivan
- Jacquie Valatka
- Nikki Whittaker
- Diane Wolf
- And one honoree who wishes to remain anonymous
These women were recognized at the City of Salem’s annual Women’s History Month Celebration on Friday, March 27 at the Jean Levesque Community Life Center, where they were presented with City Seals honoring their achievements. The event featured remarks from city leaders, including Chief-of-Staff Lisa Peterson, Mayor Dominick Pangallo, and a keynote address by Senator Joan Lovely, as well as presentations highlighting each honoree’s contributions.
Women’s History Month offers an opportunity not only to celebrate individual accomplishments but also to acknowledge the collective power of women whose work – seen and unseen – sustains the city’s cultural, civic, and social fabric.
