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Boston Chamber
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  • Events & Networking
        • Events & Networking

          • Overview
          • Upcoming Events
          • Limited Series
          • Chamber Awards
          • Foundation Initiatives
        • WHAT’S NEXT

          ...
          Upcoming Events
          Engage & Learn

          Explore opportunities to connect and grow.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • FEATURED EVENT

          ...
          Series
          2025 Government Affairs Forum | State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg

          Don’t miss our upcoming Government Affairs Forum with Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg.

          12/09/2025

          9:45am - 11:00am

          Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMMING:

          • Annual & Premier Events
          • Economic Inclusion
          • Small Business & Entrepreneurship
          • Digital Media & Marketing
          • Public Policy
          • Professional Development
          • Women’s Network
          • Workforce Development
          • Young Professionals Network
          • VIEW ALL PROGRAMMING
  • Member Engagement
        • Member Engagement

          • Member Resources
          • Member Deals
          • Sponsorship Opportunities
          • Small Business Benefits
          • Connect with your Member Services Rep
          • Member Spotlights
          • Sign In
        • ...
          Inside the Program: Info Session & Cocktail Reception

          Join us in person to learn about Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL), a prestigious leadership program shaping top talent across Greater Boston. Hear from alumni, explore the application process, and stay for networking and refreshments.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Membership Directory
          Not Sure if You’re a Member?

          Browse our directory to connect with other members.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Upcoming Events
          Stay Involved

          Join experiences that build relationships and spark ideas.

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Talent & Workforce
        • Talent & Workforce

          • Professional Development
          • Workforce Development
          • Open Programs
          • DEI Resource Hub
          • Insights
        • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (FOUNDATION) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

          Level up your leadership and communication in this Boston Chamber workshop for professionals—gain essential skills in team alignment.

          Read More
          Partnership with Boston Public Schools 

          The Chamber Foundation invites the business community to engage with Boston Public Schools leaders and their students to help build the future workforce.

          Read More
  • Policy & Impact
        • Policy & Impact

          • Overview
          • Leadership Councils
          • Amicus Advisory Board
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        • GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

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          Read More
  • Foundation
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          • About
          • Board of Directors
          • Our Funders
          • Upcoming Events
          • Donate
        • ...
          Our Mission
          Expanding Opportunity

          Learn how we advance talent and small business growth.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Foundation Initiatives
          Programming That Empowers

          Explore our key priorities and strategic efforts.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Upcoming Events
          Get Involved

          Join us at our next Foundation event.

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Government Affairs Forum

Senate President Karen E. Spilka

May 7, 2025 9:45 am – 11:00 am The Westin Boston Seaport

Event Details

  • Join us for our Government Affairs Forum featuring Senate President Karen E. Spilka
  • Senate President Karen E. Spilka will share her legislative priorities and vision for the Commonwealth.

Tickets

  • Individual Member/Government Rate: $75
  • Member Table of 10: $750
  • Individual Non-member: $120
  • Non-member Table of 10: $1,200
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  • Overview
  • Speaker
  • Agenda
  • Sponsor

Government Affairs Forum

Senate President Karen Spilka has led the Massachusetts State Senate since 2018. During her tenure, she has led successful fights for universal free community college, expanded access to quality early education and care, and fairness and equity in public school K-12 funding through the Student Opportunity Act. Her signature mental health care reform bill, signed into law in 2022, has been cited as a national model. She is a former small business owner who passed an economic development reorganization bill in the wake of the 2008 recession. A social worker and attorney by training, she has also championed issues such as juvenile justice and elder care that focus on our most vulnerable residents. As Senate Ways and Means Chair from 2015 to 2018, she kickstarted efforts to build up the state’s stabilization fund, which is now at record levels. Senate President Spilka represents the MetroWest communities of the Middlesex & Norfolk District, comprised of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick. 

Questions? Contact us.

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Staff
Angelica Medina

Senior Program Manager

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Email Angelica

Speaker

Senate-President-Spilka
Senator Karen E. Spilka

Senate President, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Through hard work, a keen ability to navigate complex issues, and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for her constituents, Senate President Karen E. Spilka…Read more
Through hard work, a keen ability to navigate complex issues, and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for her constituents, Senate President Karen E. Spilka has established herself as a respected leader in state government.  

Representing the MetroWest communities of the 2nd Middlesex & Norfolk district—comprised of Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick—Senate President Spilka is dedicated to the advancement of progressive social causes and a pragmatic fiscal policy of balancing investments in education, infrastructure, and economic opportunity with saving for the future. She has championed issues such as mental health, juvenile justice and services for the elderly and disabled communities. During her career, Senate President Spilka has been a social worker, small business owner and attorney, and she went on to become one of the first legislators in the nation to vote in favor of marriage equality and transgender protections.  

Karen Spilka’s tenure as Senate President has included the legislature’s response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. As a part of this response, the Senate President pursued the passage of Patients First legislation, which eliminated barriers to care and advanced support for community hospitals, COVID testing sites, medical staff and telehealth services. Despite a crisis that resulted in budget cuts throughout much of the country, Senate President Spilka’s leadership in establishing one of the most robust Rainy-Day funds in the country allowed Massachusetts to not only avoid cuts to social safety nets, but rather expand support for housing stability, food security, unemployment benefits and relief for the hospitality and restaurant industries.

Senate President Spilka’s first priority as Senate President was the passage of the Student Opportunity Act (SOA), the culmination of a twenty-year effort which combined the largest increase in education funding in Massachusetts’ history with changes to make future education funding more equitable. In the wake of protests stemming from the murder of George Floyd, she led the effort to pass one of the most comprehensive and intentional police reform bills in the United States, including the creation of a first-in-the-nation civilian-led commission with the power to independently investigate police actions. In response to the threat posed by climate change, she supported a law which provided a timeline for a complete transition away from fossil fuels and toward a carbon-neutral economy and which codified the concept of environmental justice into law. 

Most recently, Senate President Spilka has led a number of efforts to decrease the barriers to accessing quality mental health care, including directing state funding towards public awareness of mental and behavioral health, as well as to increasing the mental health workforce pipeline. She has also introduced the concept of Intergenerational Care Centers as a way to address the caregiving crisis in Massachusetts, provide support for women in the workforce, and encourage high quality caregiving for all residents, from infants to elders.

Senate President Spilka is a graduate of Northeastern Law School and holds a B.S. in Social Work from Cornell University. She has been married for over thirty years to Joel S. Loitherstein, an environmental engineer, and has three adult children, Heather, Scott and Jake, and two rescue dogs, Lincoln and Mikasa. 

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Agenda

  • 9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Registration & Networking

    Guests arrive, sign in at registration, and network with fellow attendees.

  • 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Keynote Speech

    Senate President Spilka to address to the business community.

  • 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Q&A

    Chamber President & CEO, James E. Rooney, moderates Q&A with Senate President Spilka.

Press & Media

  • Press & Media

    Press and media covering the event should RSVP to Casey Baines

FAQs

  • What is included in my registration?

    Access to a welcoming community of professionals over a great conversation and morning refreshments!

  • What should I bring?

    An interest in connecting and networking with other professionals. Oh, and don’t forget business cards.

  • What should I wear?

    Please come dressed for your day!

  • When should I arrive?

    Registration begins a 9:30 a.m., with program starting promptly at 10 a.m.

  • Do I need to register in advance?

    We have a limited number of tickets available for this event due to capacity limits. Government Affair Forum events are some of the Chamber’s most popular and we recommend registering in advance to secure your spot!

  • COVID-19 Policy

    The Department of Health and Human Services lifted the Presidential Declaration of a National Public Health Emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Therefore, COVID-19 will no longer be considered a national health emergency. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce will continue to monitor trends and act accordingly based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.

    Your health and safety remain our top priority while attending programs, events, and meetings. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are strongly recommended. The Greater Boston Chamber of The Department of Health and Human Services lifted the Presidential Declaration of a National Public Health Emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Therefore, COVID-19 will no longer be considered a national health emergency. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce will continue to monitor trends and act accordingly based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.

    Your health and safety remain our top priority while attending programs, events, and meetings. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are strongly recommended. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce still follows exposure guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

    If you feel ill or learn of an exposure before an event or meeting, whether with COVID-19 symptoms or others, please stay home and contact your healthcare provider.

    *Please note -If the venue or host of the program has additional policies or protocols, we will adhere to them and notify attendees in advance.

Series Sponsor

Bank of America Logo

The Weston Boston Seaport

The Westin Boston Seaport

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All cancellations must be received at least three (3) business days prior to the event to avoid being charged or to receive a refund.

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce encourages persons with disabilities to participate, and engage fully, in its programs and events.

If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, including but not limited to, listening devices, closed captioning, large print, wheelchair access, allergies and environmental sensitivities, or if you have any questions about the venue, event format, or virtual platform, please contact us at [email protected].

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