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          Doing Business with Columbia Construction

          This virtual event gives small business owners the chance to hear directly from procurement officers about opportunities to work with them.

          05/29/2025

          12:00pm - 1:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          City Awake
          Art of Connection: An Evening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

          Join us for an exclusive networking event at the Museum of Fine Arts and enjoy self-guided tours of John Wilson and Van Gogh, showcasing the deep bond of family, friendship, and community.

          06/05/2025

          5:30pm - 8:30pm

          Museum of Fine Arts

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Series
          Transportation First | State of the Airport

          The Transportation First Series offers a platform to discuss the challenges faced by our region, with the input of experts and changemakers.

          06/12/2025

          2:45pm - 4:30pm

          Hybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Insights
        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          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
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          Join us on June 12 for a highly interactive virtual workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          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.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Small Business
          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          arrow-go
          Read More
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          Read More
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          Read More
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          Read More
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          Read More
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          • Overview
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          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          Read More
          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
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female 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.

          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
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
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Greater Boston Chamber Announces 2020 Leadership Council Chairs

September 16, 2019

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (GBCC) is pleased to announce its lineup of Leadership Councils and each council’s chair(s). Leadership Councils bring together individuals from select Chamber member organizations with specific policy interests to connect with policymakers and each other, share ideas and perspectives, and inform and develop GBCC policy positions. More than 320 GBCC member organizations participate on at least one of the Chamber’s eight Leadership Councils.

Councils are intentionally cross sector and industry, and participants are representative of diverse backgrounds, professions, and titles. Through these convenings, the Chamber is able to tap the expertise of its membership to better identify emerging policy issues and programmatic opportunities, while also prioritizing specific issues within broader subject areas.

Leadership Councils

Energy & Climate Co-Chairs

  • Vikki N. Spruill, President & CEO, New England Aquarium and Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium
  • Brian Swett, Principal, Arup Boston Office 

Financial Services

  • Tracy Flaherty, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Natixis
  • Thomas E. Samoluk, Vice President & General Counsel, External Affiars & Investigative Services, John Hancock

Health Care & Life Sciences

  • Michael Caljouw, Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
  • Kevin B. Churchwell, M.D., Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and Chief Operating Officer, Boston Children’s Hospital

Hospitality & Tourism

  • Carrie Campbell, Senior Vice President, Fenway Events, Boston Red Sox
  • Robert J. DeSalvio, President, Encore Boston Harbor

Public Policy

  • Brian Dempsey, Founder & President, Dempsey, Lucey & Associates
  • Pamela Everhart, Senior Vice President, Regional Public Affairs & Community Relations, Fidelity Investments

Regional Real Estate Development

  • Kimberly Sherman Stamler, President, Related Beal
  • Adam Weiner, Managing Partner, Weiner Ventures

Talent Development & Retention

  • Joanne Pokaski, Senior Director of Workforce Development and Community Relations, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Kerry Stakem, Northeast People Leader, PwC

Transportation & Infrastructure

  • Katherine N. Lapp, Executive Vice President, Harvard University
  • Michael E. Scott, Co-Managing Partner, Nutter

Brief bios for each of the chairs can be found here. This slate of chairs will serve a two-year term beginning officially in January 2020 and ending in December 2022. Full council rosters are available online.

“The strength of our Chamber lies in our diverse and collaborative membership, and our Leadership Councils are how we leverage that strength to build a better Boston for all,” said James E. Rooney, GBCC president & CEO. “Through our councils, we convene a variety of viewpoints around shared interests to generate robust discussion that ultimately allows the Chamber to move the dial on issues that have a direct impact on our region’s competitiveness. And we couldn’t do it without our chairs, prominent individuals in the Greater Boston business community who are outstanding leaders within their organizations and who have also committed their time and influence to the Chamber to ensure that the outcomes of these councils count.”

Each GBCC Leadership Council meets quarterly at the Chamber to either discuss relevant topics or hear from a guest speaker followed by discussion. Recent and upcoming speakers include Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollock, new President & CEO of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, Martha Sheridan, and Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means, Michael Rodrigues. Occasionally, multiple councils are convened together for a big picture conversation on a policy or business issue that has broader impacts, such as capital improvements at Boston Logan Airport or workforce development initiatives proposed by the Office of Labor & Workforce Development.

In addition to Leadership Councils, the GBCC has a number of advisory boards and committees that provide guidance and perspective to the Chamber and its staff, particularly on how we can better serve and elevate audiences such as young professionals, people of color, small businesses, and female professionals. The chairs of these groups are listed below.

City Awake Advisory Board

  • Amber Haskell, Corporate Citizenship and Diversity Associate, MFS Investment Management

Small Business Advisory Committee

  • Jeff Freedman, Founder & CEO, Small Army

Women’s Network Advisory Board

  • Yvonne Garcia, Chief of Staff to President & CEO, State Street

Economic Opportunity Committee

  • Robert F. Rivers, Chairman & CEO, Eastern Bank
  • Steven Wright, Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
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