Board of Directors

Margaret McCarthy, PE is a Vice President at Weston & Sampson an interdisciplinary design, engineering and environmental services firm. Margaret is a licensed professional engineer focusing on innovative and solutions to meet clients water infrastructure needs.  holds a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in Civil/Environmental Engineering. Margaret lives in Amesbury with her family and has been engaged with the community as a volunteer serving several years as coach and Board Member for the Amesbury Soccer Association, as a Math Tutor at Girls Inc, Science Fair Judge and participant in Pan Mass Challenge. I am honored to be on the YWCA Board to live out the mission of “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.”

In her role as Vice President Information Technology Security/Infrastructure Operations, Christine works closely with the SVP/CIO to manage the day to day operations of the Information Technology Department and the security of the Bank’s server and network infrastructure to ensure that the Bank’s technology is safe and protected. Christine holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from Emmanuel College and is a member of ISC2 (International Information System Security Certification Consortium) and retains the following certifications CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional; Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP), Comp TIA Security+, and Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE). What drew me to serve on the YWCA Board was the mission statement that the YWCA is “dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.” What attracted me to the YWCA of greater Newburyport was the racial justice and affordable housing committees in hopes of serving on at least one of the and I do!

I am retired from a 30 year career in banking, primarily in the area of compliance and risk  but also in community reinvestment.  I serve on the Salisbury Affordable Housing Trust,Planning Board

and on the AuditCommittee of the New Hampshire  Fund. Affordable Housing, Gender Equality, and Racial Justice are important issues and its critical that we effectively find solutions.   I believe that the YWCA is positioned to make impactful progress in these areas. I have two grown daughters and reside in Salisbury with my wife, Anne.

Neesha is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Seth Moulton (MA06). She has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Neesha has a commitment to public service and to bringing government to the people it serves.

Jessica Baylor is a Program Officer at the Klarman Family Foundation and has experience across the for-profit and nonprofit sectors in a variety of human resources and philanthropic-related roles. Jessica has a certificate from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-CP) and earned a Master’s degree in Organizational Change Management from the New School and a Bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster. In addition to the YWCA Newburyport, Jessica is on the Steering Committee for the Boston Chapter of EPIP (Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy), the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Alliance for the City of Newburyport and serves on the Graduate Council for the Noble and Greenough School. She lives with her family in Newbury, MA.

Since 2006, Caswell Restaurant Group has developed and operated durable restaurant concepts that have earned impressive accolades for evocative menus that tell stories through food, inventive international wine lists featuring undiscovered gems from small batch wineries, and exceptional guest service experiences. The company’s reputation as respected culinary leader is the work of powerhouse proprietor and wine aficionado Nancy Batista-Caswell, whose success record is testament to her savvy in designing modern restaurant offerings that match contemporary diner values and preferences.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Julia McDonald is a Senior Manager in the Risk & Financial Advisory practice at Deloitte. She helps her clients address their top IT risks and specializes in the Consumer industry. At Deloitte, Julia also is a member of the New England Women and Allies Group, which strives to empower  allyship and change for women in the workforce. Aside from her experience at Deloitte, Julia loves to spend her free time baking for friends and family’s events and parties. Julia holds a B.S. in Accounting from Elon University. She grew up in Amesbury and now resides in Newburyport with her partner and dog Tinsley!

Hannah MacVane is an Account Manager at Matter Communications, specializing in Public Relations and having worked with a variety of companies ranging from non-profit organizations to Fortune 5 corporations. In addition to her involvement with the YWCA of Newburyport, she also serves on the Marketing Committee for the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, which strives to empower individuals and engage communities to end domestic violence. Hannah holds a B.A. in Communications from the College of Charleston, as well as Minors in Spanish and Dance, and resides with her husband in Amesbury, MA.

Maricelis Ortiz, (BA Psychology and more than 30 + years of experience) is the Administrator of Children and Family Services for the YWCA Northeastern Ma where she has workked for 25 years . She is responsible for the operation of all Youth Services programming implemented by the YWCA and has special expertise in gender specific programming and agency management.  She works collaboratively with other directors and staff to provide YWCA youth services in a culturally competent, age-appropriate model. She is a bilingual / bicultural member of the community, where she also has a strong presence with community partners. She is married to her high school sweetheart of 33 years. He is a Lawrence Firefighter and together have 4 children, 3 boys and a girl ages 23, 20, 14 and 12. She is currently pursuing her master’s at Bay Path University in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy.

Tiffaney is originally from Seattle, WA where her lifelong passion for environmental was cultivated.  She is a former Union Carpenter who recognized a need for improvements to the construction industry in the forms of diversity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability, which led her to start her own construction firm focused on social and environmental consciousness.  In her spare time she enjoys advocating for youth in foster care, volunteering with her local land trust, eating delicious food, and spending time with her son Julian.  Tiffaney is honored to serve on the YWCA of Greater Newburyport’s Board of Directors and Affordable Housing Committee where she is committed to helping increase the availability of affordable housing while advancing the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, women and promoting peace, justice, and dignity for all.”

Robin Schell is Senior Counsel and Partner at the women-owned public relations and management consulting firm Jackson Jackson & Wagner (JJ&W). JJ&W specializes in crisis communication

and external communication systems,behavioral pr research and strategic planning and serves clients in all industries, from nonprofits to Fortune 50 companies. Robin is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and a member of PRSA’s College of Fellows, where she serves as co-chair of the Mentoring Committee. Robin has lived in Amesbury, MA with her husband Todd for 30 years and has been involved in her community as a volunteer for LUNGSTRONG, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding innovative lung cancer research and the Called to Care committee at Main St. Congregational Church. She also mentors college students through her alma mater, University of NH, and participates in the Amesbury Rotary Readers are Leaders program. She was drawn to the YWCA because she is passionate about affordable housing and creating opportunities for women.