Government Affairs Forum:

Senate President Karen E. Spilka

June 15, 2023 9:45 am – 11:00 am City Winery

Event Details

Thank you for attending our Government Affairs Forum with Senator Karen E. Spilka, Massachusetts Senate President!

Tickets

Individual Member/Government Rate: $75
Member Table of 10: $750
Individual Non-member: $120
Non-member Table of 10: $1,200

Attendee List

Government Affairs Forum

Through hard work, a keen ability to navigate complex issues, and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for her constituents, Senate President Karen Spilka has established herself as a respected leader in state government. Representing the MetroWest communities of the 2nd Middlesex & Norfolk district, she is a champion of many issues, including mental health, juvenile justice, and services for the elderly and disabled communities.

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.

Speakers

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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James E. Rooney

President & CEO, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Under Rooney’s guidance, the Boston Chamber has become the leading voice of the Massachusetts business community on public policy issues, weighing in on important…Read more

Under Rooney’s guidance, the Boston Chamber has become the leading voice of the Massachusetts business community on public policy issues, weighing in on important matters such as our region’s public transportation infrastructure, economic mobility, health care costs, workforce development and policy regarding our state’s competitiveness. Rooney has focused on creating a more inclusive Chamber broadening its membership, staff, and leadership, including introducing innovative programs and initiatives designed to attract and retain next generation leaders, minority-owned and small businesses.    Prior to joining the Chamber in 2015, Rooney was executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority for 15 years, overseeing the development and construction of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). Before moving to the MCCA in 2001, Rooney served two years as Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. He began his public career at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the nation’s fourth largest transit system, where he spent 18 years, starting as a track laborer and served one year as the MBTA’s Interim General Manager during a gubernatorial transition. During the 1990s, Rooney served in senior positions at the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the Central Artery Project, Boston’s $15 billion “Big Dig” highway project. Rooney has also served in leadership positions on several local and national boards of directors.    Rooney has served in leadership positions on several boards of directors and currently sits on professional and non-profit boards including the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) North American Advisory Board/Mexico Tourism Board, Vice Chair of the Association of Chambers of Commerce Executives (ACCE), The Partnership, Inc., and the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC).    Rooney has been recognized many times throughout his career for both professional and civic contributions including, a PCMA Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the global meetings industry and a City of Boston Lifetime Achievement Award for leadership and advocacy for immigrant advancement and diversity. Rooney has been named several times as one of Boston’s Top 100 Most Influential People by Boston Magazine, and one of the “Power 50” executives by the Boston Business Journal.     Rooney grew up in South Boston and attended the prestigious Boston Latin School, graduating as president of his class. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard College and attended the Boston University Graduate School of Management.   

Agenda

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

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

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Keynote Speech

Senate President Spilka to address to the business community.

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. | Q&A

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

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 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

City Winery

80 Beverly St. Boston, MA 02114

Get Directions

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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Events

Premier Event

2025 Annual Meeting

Pacesetters

Doing Business with Columbia Construction

City Awake

Art of Connection: An Evening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Learning & Development

Transformational DEI Certificate

Women’s Leadership Program

Boston’s Future Leaders

Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

Economic Inclusion

Economic Inclusion

City Awake

Economic Inclusion

Pacesetters

Small Business

Small Business

Policy & Impact

GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

Business Climate

Climate & Energy

Health Care

Housing & Development

Talent

Transportation

GBCC’s Networks

OUR NETWORKS

Small Business

City Awake

BIMA

Women’s Network

Massachusetts Apprentice Network

Pacesetters

Membership

About Us

Our Impact

Membership Directory