Salem Honors Impact Of 19 Residents During Women's History Month Celebration

SALEM, MA — Salem recognized 19 women during its annual Women's History Month Celebration for their impact on the community through both public leadership and work that often happens out of view.

This year's honorees represent a 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 dedication, creativity, and commitment to making Salem a more vibrant, equitable, and resilient place to live.

The honorees were celebrated during a Friday ceremony at the Jean Levesque Community Life Center.

"Salem has been shaped by generations of women whose leadership and commitment to community have 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."

The 2026 Women's History Month honorees are 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.

The women were presented with City Seals honoring their achievements during the event.

The celebration also included remarks from Chief-of-Staff Lisa Peterson and Pangallo, along with a keynote address by Sen. Joan Lovely and presentations highlighting each honoree's contributions.