We are so grateful for an incredible evening at the 3rd Annual She-Rise Gala Our community showed up with energy, commitment, and support. And that’s exactly what Women Accelerators is all about. 

This event reminded us how far we’ve come. What began 15 years ago with Susu Wong, Brandy Houser, PhD, and Sue Ng, PhD has grown into a vibrant network of advisors, members, volunteers, and partners who believe deeply in advancing women. Because of this community, we continue to build a space where women uplift one another and pursue success both personally and professionally.

Special appreciation to the Greater Lowell Foundation, Jay Linnehan, Jennifer Aradhya, Janinne Nocco, and Maria Fatima Palermo for serving as our fiscal sponsor and helping make this work possible.

We were also honored to hear from Dr. Julie Chen, Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Lowell, whose leadership continues to inspire so many. Her journey is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we break barriers and build community.

Led by our incredible moderator Sophan S., our phenomenal panelists Tara Goodhue Thao Lan Larissa Thurston Shamir Rivera-Quintal shared their insights, experiences, and leadership with our community. Their voices and perspectives sparked meaningful conversations and inspired everyone in the room.

Thank you to our incredible event committee who navigated every detail to make the evening seamless and memorable; Jennifer (Walsh) Johnson, Paulette Renault-Caragianes, Marcia Cassidy, Maria Vejar-Mason Soumetta, Lah Tessier, Maria Eduarda Mottin, Nicole Boyson, Phitsamay S. Uy, Ed.D., Thao Lan, Vannak Theng, and Vanna Howard.

A huge thank you to our 26 sponsors whose support made this event possible. Your partnership fuels our mission and allows Women Accelerators to continue creating impactful programming and opportunities for women in our community.

Finally, thank you to every attendee, volunteer, and member who continues to believe in this mission. Community is what made this event successful and it’s what keeps the mission of Women Accelerators alive.

If you would like to see the photos taken at She-Rise Gala 2026, you can view them by going to the following links:

Photos taken by VMK7 Photography: She-Rise Gala Photos

Photos taken by our photobooth sponsor, Project Kompass, Inc.: She-Rise Gala Photobooth Pictures

We’re excited to keep building together. 💚