Lynnfield's Karen Nascembeni Named 2023 Commonwealth Heroine

Lynnfield resident Karen Nascembeni has been named a 2023 Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW).

Nascembeni, who was nominated for the award by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), was among 125 award recipients from across the state who were honored at the MCSW’s 20th annual Commonwealth Heroines Celebration, which was held in the Great Hall of Flags at the State House on June 23. Representative Jones and Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) presented Nascembeni with official House and Senate citations in recognition of her selection.

Nascembeni has been a tireless advocate for the performing arts while serving as the general manager and driving force behind the North Shore Music Theatre. Working with the Lynnfield Historical Commission, she helped restore a longtime local tradition by organizing a successful relaunch of the town’s Country Store during the 2021 holiday season after it had been shut down for a year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

In March of 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, Nascembeni suffered the unimaginable loss of her husband, photographer Steven Richard, and her father-in-law, Earl Richard, within a five-day span. She also contracted the coronavirus but made a full recovery and has worked to carry on her husband’s legacy through a memorial scholarship that helps provide financial support to emerging photography students.

“Karen is a shining example of someone who has faced personal adversity and emerged stronger from the experience,” said Representative Jones. “She is a true role model and a source of inspiration for everyone she meets. She embodies the spirit of the Commonwealth Heroine Award and is fully deserving of the honor bestowed on her by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.”

Since 2004, the MCSW has recognized over 2,000 women from across the Commonwealth for their contributions to their local communities. Initially known as the Unsung Heroine Award, the MCSW renamed its annual accolade as the Commonwealth Heroine Award in 2020.

“The Commonwealth Heroines are women who don’t make the news, but make all the difference in their communities,” said MCSW Chairwoman Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith. “Thousands of women in every community across the Commonwealth perform unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live. Commonwealth Heroines use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community. They are mentors, volunteers, and innovators - they are the glue that keeps a community together.”

Created by the Legislature in 1998, the MCSW is an independent state agency that works to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas and to promote their rights and opportunities. For more information about the MCSW, please visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-on-the-status-of-women.