2020-2022
Lina Maria Cañon was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. She has always been committed to creating multifaceted access for under-resourced individuals and communities. Since graduating from Suffolk University with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Government, Lina has managed, enhanced, and created programs focused on a variety of topics including homelessness, civic engagement, education, and youth advocacy. Other related experiences include serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Chicago, being a Peer Advisor for the Obama Foundation, and hosting The Activist Hustle Podcast.
Lina has been tirelessly advocating for equity and access, particularly for youth, across all sectors. She currently works full time as a Grants Management Associate for Imago Dei Fund. In addition to her work in philanthropy, Lina works with Students for Cross-Cultural Solidarity, bringing college students on service trips to El Salvador. She was named one of Boston’s most influential Latinxs by El Mundo’s 30 Under 30. Lina is currently pursuing her MBA from Boston University’s Questrom and is the Chief Operating Officer of The Nur Collective.
Lily Chin-Martin is passionate about improving communities for underserved and underprivileged groups, which has led to her career as a fundraising professional. Originally from Seattle, she graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles with a degree in Psychology and Classical Studies. Currently, she is the Development Coordinator at Boston Harbor Now, a nonprofit organization that activates and protects Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, where she is working on the Annual Fund, assisting with fundraising events, and managing the database. Lily has experience at a diverse range of organizations, including schools, museums, and social service and environmental nonprofits. She believes strongly in the power of philanthropy and has seen first-hand how donations can make real differences in both organizations and individuals’ lives. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, singing in her community choir, and visiting museums.
Becca Cuntala is a New Jersey native who is passionate about sustainability and human rights. She currently works at Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit, supporting development operations such as tracking and preparing grant proposals and reports, as well as assisting in communications and relationship management for a wide portfolio of foundations. Prior to Ceres, Becca worked in development at EarthLinks, Inc. in Denver as an AmeriCorps VISTA supporting the nonprofit’s mission to end homelessness and sustain the planet. She has also worked at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia as an SCA interpretive intern. Becca has a B.A. in anthropological perspectives from Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, go hiking, and spend time with her family and friends.
Kelsea Médard, Co-Chair of TPC’s Membership Committee, is an attorney and strategic consultant. In 2019, she founded Grow By Three, a company that seeks to promote social justice through professional and organizational development. Before founding Grow By Three, Kelsea worked as a commercial litigation associate in the Boston office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, and in the admissions office of Boston University School of Law. Her professional experiences activated her desire to increase access to insight in ways that maximize success and ultimately improve lives. Kelsea is certified in Diversity & Inclusion through Cornell University, and is focused on promoting equity within all areas of society.
Kelsea is a New York native, but moved to Massachusetts to attend Boston University School of Law. Prior to law school, she attended Syracuse University where she majored in advertising at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kelsea enjoys eating seafood, watching nature documentaries, and making all-natural soy wax candles.
Samantha Perlman is passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders, especially young women, to be changemakers in government and public service. Witnessing youth mobilization and her capacity to make change firsthand as a youth activist while studying abroad in South Africa propelled Sam to public service via state and federal legislative policy work, community organizing, and civic education.
In November 2019, Sam made history as the youngest woman ever elected to the Marlborough City Council at age 24, and the first first-time candidate to top the ticket in a Council race. A proud graduate of Emory University, Sam currently works as the Civic Engagement Manager at Scholars Strategy Network. Additionally, she serves as a newly elected member to the Democratic State Committee and is Chair of her city’s Cultural Council.
Through her previous professional work with Generation Citizen and as part of the MA Civic Learning Coalition, Sam helped secure passage of the 2018 law to provide action-based civic education to all students in the Commonwealth. Sam is a graduate of Emerge Massachusetts, the FAO Schwarz Fellowship, and the Institute for Nonprofit Practice Community Fellows Program. An avid learner, she has also served as a Boston Peer Advisor for the Obama Foundation and a 2019 Institute for Canadian Citizenship Fellow.
Click here to view our Alumnae TPC Fellows
