Beverly, MA — Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF), an organization that sparks generosity and collaboration to address the region’s greatest needs, is pleased to announce that a new group of dynamic and engaged community leaders has recently been elected to its board of trustees.
“We are so fortunate that ECCF’s growing work and impact in the region continues to attract community leaders who feel strongly about collective action as a means for creating real, sustainable change,” said ECCF Board Chair Ana Colmenero. “And as the foundation embarks on a new era of broader and deeper investment in the region, the combined experience and dedication of our board is critical to meeting our ambitious goals.”
In the coming years, ECCF aims to double annual grantmaking, mobilize local philanthropy in new ways and significantly widen engagement across the region.
ECCF is proud to welcome the following new board members:
Elisa Castillo, Ph.D.
Elisa Castillo, Ph.D., is assistant vice president for Hispanic and Minority Serving Initiatives at Salem State University, where she has served since 2005 in roles spanning counseling, student wellness and institutional leadership.
Castillo has led efforts to expand student wellness supports, including services for survivors of interpersonal violence and students experiencing food and housing insecurity. Her work centers on advancing equity through deep community engagement.
She leads the Massachusetts Consortium of Hispanic and Minority Serving Institutions – a network of 18 colleges and universities focused on equity and student success. Her community engagement includes board service with Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC) and the North Shore Community Development Coalition, and she has participated in the City of Lawrence Educational Attainment task force.
Katy Langhorst
Katy Langhorst is CEO at Lane 9, a leadership and strategy consulting firm that partners with nonprofits, foundations and public agencies to translate strategy into clear, actionable results. At Lane 9, she partners closely with executive teams and boards to align priorities and build the operational structures needed to move from planning to execution.
With nearly 30 years of experience spanning k-12 education and the nonprofit sector, Langhorst began her career as a public elementary school teacher before moving into executive leadership roles.
Langhorst, who served on ECCF’s County Leadership Council (CLC), is an active community volunteer and board leader with a focus on education, housing and regional philanthropy, bringing a practical and collaborative approach to governance and organizational impact.
Felicia Pierce
Felicia Pierce is the CEO of North Shore Community Development Coalition, where she leads the organization’s vision for equitable community development through affordable housing, youth empowerment, economic mobility and arts and culture initiatives.
With more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership, community organizing and systems change work, Pierce is recognized for building collaborative, mission-driven teams and advancing innovative strategies that strengthen underserved communities across the North Shore.
Pierce’s work has contributed to transformative initiatives including Harbor Crossing, a supportive housing model for young adults experiencing homelessness, and the Community Ambassador Program, a resident leadership model replicated across Massachusetts. Pierce has served in leadership roles with the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition and YouthBuild USA and currently serves on ECCF’s Racial Equity Committee. She is also vice chair of the board at Root in Salem.
Jeffrey Roberts
Jeffrey W. Roberts is a partner and chairs Nutter’s Private Client Department, where he focuses on estate planning for high-net-worth individuals, acting as counsel to executors, trustees and conservators, and advising on tax planning and charitable giving.
As a trusts and estates lawyer, clients regularly engage Roberts to represent them in a wide variety of matters in the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court.
For nine years, Roberts served on the board of directors of Beverly Bootstraps, a nonprofit that helps families and individuals achieve self-sufficiency with emergency and long-term assistance, including access to food, housing stability, education and more. At Beverly Bootstraps, Roberts served on the executive committee and chaired the governance committee.
William Tagerman
William Tagerman, a recently retired financial services executive, has more than four decades of experience in wealth management, investment strategy and philanthropic advising. Over the course of a distinguished career with UBS Financial Services, Morgan Stanley and Smith Barney, he managed more than $1 billion in client assets while advising high-net-worth individuals on long-term financial planning, retirement strategy and charitable giving.
Tagerman also served as a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrator, applying deep financial expertise and sound judgement to securities-related disputes.
He has also demonstrated a longstanding commitment to nonprofit governance and community service through board and committee leadership roles with organizations focused on behavioral health, social services, homelessness prevention, healthcare and education. He also served on ECCF’s County Leadership Council.
Abel Vargas
Abel Vargas is president and founding partner of Valley Home Insulation (VHI), a Massachusetts-based contractor delivering energy efficiency services through the Mass Save program.
Under his leadership, VHI has become a trusted provider in hard-to-reach communities, with a strong focus on serving Spanish-speaking households and advancing equitable access to clean energy upgrades.
Prior to launching VHI, Vargas, who has more than 10 years of experience at the intersection of business, workforce and community development, served as executive director of the MassHire Merrimack Valley Workforce Board and as business and economic development director for the City of Lawrence, where he led economic revitalization initiatives and workforce policy development. He has also served as an advisor on a variety of ECCF funds.
A dedicated team of volunteers
Castillo, Langhorst, Pierce, Roberts, Tagerman and Vargas are now part of a dedicated 20-member board of community, business and philanthropic leaders, each committed to volunteering their skills, insight and knowledge of the region to strengthen the communities of Essex County.
“ECCF’s work relies on board members who share the belief that sustainable, impactful change begins right here at home,” said ECCF President and CEO Stratton Lloyd. “We are thrilled to welcome a new cohort of leaders who will bring new energy and ideas to the table as the foundation works to expand its commitment to unlocking opportunity across the 34 cities and towns of Essex County.”
