A Fireside Chat with Lieutenant
Governor Kim Driscoll

March 19, 2026 9:30 am – 11:00 am The Westin Copley Place

Overview

Hear candid lessons from Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, a trailblazer in public service and purpose‑driven leadership.

Gain fresh perspective on leading through change and the future of civic progress in Massachusetts.

Expand your network in a room full of like-minded peers committed to growth & impact.

Tickets

Individual Member Ticket: $85
Member Table (10): $800
Individual Non-Member Ticket: $115
Non-Member Table (10): $1,100
Individual Government Member: $85

When Women Lead, History Moves Forward

Join the Women’s Network on March 19 for an inspiring conversation with Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, a past Pinnacle Awards honoree who has led a trailblazing career in public service.

Driscoll currently serves as the 73rd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, elected alongside Governor Maura Healey in 2022 as the first all-women executive leadership team in the Commonwealth’s history. She previously made history as the first woman to serve as Mayor of Salem, where she led the city through a period of revitalization and economic growth over a 17-year period.

In this engaging discussion, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will reflect on the milestones that have shaped her career journey, candid insights on leading with purpose and building resilient teams, and how she remains grounded in her mission and values while navigating a complex political and economic landscape.

The conversation will also explore:

How networks, like the Women’s Network, play a critical role in advancing women’s leadership and professional growth
Lessons from public service and leading through change
Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the work underway to commemorate across Massachusetts

Attendees will walk away with actionable leadership insights, renewed perspective, and inspiration to lead with purpose and confidence – regardless of role or career level.

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S NETWORK

In our Women’s Network, you’ll find a diverse group of more than 3,000 (and growing) women and male allies at all levels of their careers, from all backgrounds, sectors, and industries, and professions, with energy for ensuring that Greater Boston becomes the best place for professional women to thrive.

For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected women professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

Questions? Contact us.

Erica Deese

Senior Program Manager

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Email Erica

Speakers

Kim Driscoll

Lieutenant Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Kim Driscoll is the 73rd Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was sworn in on January 5, 2023, joining Governor Maura Healey in a historic…Read more

Kim Driscoll is the 73rd Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was sworn in on January 5, 2023, joining Governor Maura Healey in a historic series of firsts: Governor Healey is the first woman and first openly LGBTQ person elected Governor of Massachusetts, and together, Healey and Driscoll are the first all-women executive team to lead Massachusetts.

Since taking office, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll has spearheaded several administration priorities and initiatives. Exemplified by her extensive and successful career in local government, Driscoll has served as a notable proponent for the economic development of Massachusetts cities and towns, and serves as a liaison for municipalities across the state. This commitment also includes leadership on tackling the state’s housing crisis and improving the state’s public education policy. Driscoll also chairs the Governor’s Council, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking, the Seaport Economic Council, and co-chairs the STEM Advisory Council.

Prior to taking office as Lieutenant Governor, Driscoll served as the City of Salem’s first woman Mayor. Elected in 2005, she turned deficits into record surpluses and saved taxpayers’ money by strengthening city services, revitalizing Salem’s downtown, leading a vast improvement in Salem’s k-12 schools, reforming city pensions and health insurance programs to protect employee benefits, bidding public contracts, and bringing transparency to City Hall. Under her leadership, Salem became one of the first communities in Massachusetts to adopt the expansion of free, high-quality early education opportunities starting at age four.

The daughter of a Navy chef from Lynn and an accountant’s assistant from Trinidad, Driscoll spent her childhood in a number of states, before attending Salem State University where she studied government and became a stand-out athlete on the women’s basketball team. Like so many Salem State students, she fell in love with Salem and made it her home after graduation, pursuing a career in municipal government, and married her college sweetheart, a second-generation union bricklayer.

After college, as the City of Beverly’s Community Development Director, Driscoll embarked on her long career of service to municipalities and eventually, went on to earn her law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law. Before becoming the Mayor of Salem, Driscoll served as the City of Chelsea’s Chief Legal Counsel and Deputy City Manager, and also served on the Salem City Council.

Lieutenant Governor Driscoll is focused on working with Governor Healey to create a forward-looking Commonwealth and communities that work for, empower, and include all who call Massachusetts home, as well as those who aspire to do so.

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Aisha Francis, Ph.D.

President & CEO, Franklin Cummings Tech

A creative strategist and organizational leader, Aisha Francis, Ph.D., assumed the presidency of Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology in 2020, becoming…Read more

A creative strategist and organizational leader, Aisha Francis, Ph.D., assumed the presidency of Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology in 2020, becoming the first female president and CEO in the Institute’s 100+-year history.

Since her appointment, Dr. Francis and her team have overseen an extraordinary period of growth, financial improvement, and mission-alignment for the Institute. Under her five years of leadership, Franklin Cummings Tech has doubled its enrollment to 1,100 learners, exceeded a $60 million campaign fundraising goal, and established or expanded majors and concentrations in such fields as electric vehicle technology, building energy management, robotics, cybersecurity, and biotechnology.

A hallmark of Dr. Francis’ tenure is the planning and construction of a new Institute campus, set to open in early 2026 in Roxbury’s Nubian Square. Designed to spec for 21st Century technical education, the 68,000-square-foot LEED-certified facility will accommodate 1,500 students and serve as an anchor institution in a vibrant neighborhood that 20 percent of its students call home. Citing the Institute’s long educational legacy in Boston, Mayor Michele Wu recently described the new campus as “a major investment not only for Franklin Cummings Tech’s academic mission, but also for Nubian Square and the city.”

Passionate about access to higher education, economic mobility, and collective problem-solving, Dr. Francis believes in the ability of effective organizations and leaders to transform underserved communities for the better. Throughout her career, she has served as a strategist and capacity builder at best-in-class organizations, catalyzing programs that improve access to – and equity of – educational and economic opportunities. Her lifelong commitment to the non-profit sector is rooted in its unparalleled ability to advance society through collaboration, resolve, and creativity.

Her professional and personal achievements have been widely recognized. She is a 2022 and 2023 recipient of the Boston Magazine 150 Most Influential Bostonians, a 2022-2025 Boston Business Journal Power 50 Movement Maker, and received the 2023 Pinnacle Award for outstanding contributions in the non-profit sector from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Francis came to Franklin Tech following distinguished work in institutional advancement and program development for Harvard Medical School, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation, and Boston Medical Center. Her leadership and scholarship have been recognized by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Aspen Institute. She is an active contributor to the civic health of Greater Boston, serving as a volunteer and advocate across a range of sectors and boards, including the New England Board of Higher Education, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, the Association of Independent Colleges of Massachusetts, and WBUR-Boston.

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Agenda

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Registration & Networking

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

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Program

Join our speakers for a moderated discussion.

10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Audience Q&A

Attendees have a chance to ask our speaker questions. Program concludes at 11am.

FAQs

What is included in my registration?

Access to a welcoming community of professionals over a great conversation!

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?

9:30 a.m. for Registration & Networking. Program begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.

Do I need to register in advance?

Women’s Network events are some of the Chamber’s most popular and we recommend registering in advance to secure your spot!

The Westin Copley Place

10 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116

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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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2026 Women’s Network | A Fireside Chat with Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll

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Get Involved

Become a Member

About Us

Get to Know the Chamber

Member Benefits

Grow Your Business

Membership Directory

Not sure if you’re a member?

Events & Networking

WHAT’S NEXT

Upcoming Events

Engage & Learn

FEATURED EVENT

Women's Network

2026 Women’s Network | A Fireside Chat with Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll

EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMMING:

Member Engagement

Maximize Your Membership

Register Now

Membership Directory

Discover fellow Chamber members.

Upcoming Events

Stay Involved

Talent & Workforce

City Awake

Management Crash Course: Core Skills for Modern Supervisors

Massachusetts Apprentice Network

Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

Partnership with Boston Public Schools

Women’s Leadership Program

Policy & Impact

GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

Business Climate

Climate & Energy

Health Care

Housing & Development

Talent

A Fireside Chat with Lieutenant
Governor Kim Driscoll