events

Panelists:

Danielle McFadden (Moderator)

Powered by coffee and creativity, Danielle McFadden is a true cheerleader for all things Lowell. A lifelong Lowellian and proud alum of Lowell High School and UMass Lowell, she has served as President and CEO of the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce since 2011.

As an InsideLowell contributor and podcaster, Danielle amplifies the stories and issues that shape the city. Now, as an At Large candidate for the Lowell School Committee, she is committed to advocating for students, families, and educators while fostering stronger school-community partnerships.

She is deeply involved in the community, serving as Vice President of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank and a member of the MassHire Greater Lowell Workforce Board, New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary PTO. She is also the Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, advocating for strong local businesses and economic growth.

When not working or podcasting, you’ll find Danielle grabbing coffee in Downtown Lowell, dancing on Instagram, or spending time with her three kids—Zoe, Landry, and Milo.

Stephanie Mello

Attorney Stephanie Mello is a managing partner of the Mello Law Offices in Lowell, Massachusetts. As the daughter of immigrants, she brings a personal understanding of the challenges faced by diverse communities and is deeply committed to advocacy and service. She has served on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers and the Boston Portuguese Festival. She is a current board member of the Lowell Portuguese Language School and organizer of the annual Portugal Day celebration in Lowell. Heavily involved in civic initiatives, she prioritizes giving back to her community through active engagement and leadership. Her dedication to community service reflects her passion for supporting and empowering others. Stephanie lives in Dunstable with her husband.

Dr. Tahina Montoya

Dr. Tahina Montoya is a multi-lingual, international affairs strategist & Women, Peace and Security expert with experience working at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels domestically and internationally. She has served as an Intelligence Officer in the United States Air Force for over 16 years (including deployments supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom) and is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves. Dr. Montoya was a political appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration. She served at the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and most recently as a Senior Advisor at the White House of Public Engagement. Dr. Montoya is also an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and serves as a mentor for Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS) and Georgetown University’s Advancing Women’s Empowerment & Service (AWES) Fellowship Program. Dr. Montoya is a first-generation Colombian American who is very proud to have been born and raised in Lowell.

Courtney Sale 

Courtney Sale is the Nancy L. Donahue Executive Artistic Director of Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Under her leadership, MRT has increased its service to students, strengthened its partnership with the community, and ensured artistic excellence. Courtney’s directing has been seen nationwide: Seattle Rep, Contemporary American Theater Festival, and Indiana Rep (also Associate Artistic Director 2013-2016). She previously served as the Artistic Director at Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT), the nation’s leading generator of new work for family audiences. Awards/distinctions: Cornish College Distinguished Alumni Award, IBJ’s 40 under 40 designation, and the 2017 keynote at the International Council of Fine Arts Deans. BFA, Cornish College of the Arts. MFA, The University of Texas at Austin.

Tenesha Scarlett

Tenesha is a native of Lowell. Born in Lowell, raised in New Hampshire. She got her Bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst in Sociology. She is a mother of two amazing boys, Linton Jr. 15 and Declan 9, who share her love of music. She is the lead singer of Tee & the Gents, which began in 2017. Over the years some of her greatest accomplishments are performing for Winterfest in Lowell, and singing the national anthem at various sporting events. Her favorite so far, is performing for the Boston Celtics 3 times! She loves performing, but more importantly, she enjoys giving back to the community. In April 2023, she was honored to receive the MBLLC Black Excellence award from State Representative Vanna Howard. It was an inspiration to continue the work in the community and be the best woman, mother, friend, and community member she can be.

Sophan Smith

Sophan Smith is a Khmer American, raised in the city of Lowell, MA. She was born in Cambodia at the height of the Khmer Rouge War, a genocide that killed over 2 million Khmer men, women and children. Her family relocated to the U.S. as refugees and settled in Lowell. Sophan was 2 years old when they began their new lives in America. She is the first in her family to attend and graduate from college. 

For the past 4 years, Sophan has served Entrepreneurship for All or better known as EforAll as the executive director. Since 2013, EforAll has partnered with communities to help under-represented individuals successfullystart their businesses. Through their Business Accelerator program, they have been able to help over 477 businesses launch. In 2023, these businesses generated over $34M in revenue and provided over 700 local jobs.

In her role, Sophan is responsible for carrying out the mission but also the day-to-day operations while focusing in three primary areas: leadership and vision, general management and fundraising and partnership development.

When Sophan isn’t wearing the executive hat, she is either a homemaker browsing cake recipes or shopping for beautiful heels! She resides in Dracut and is a mom of two, one son and one daughter.

Thank you to the 2025 She-Rise Gala Planning Committee:

• Marcia Cassidy
• Paulette Renault Caragianes
• Vanna Howard
• Thao Lan
• Amba Nair
• Courtney Sale
• Soumetta Tessier
• Vannak Theng
• Maria Vejar
• Susu Wong