The Children’s Trust, dedicated to ending child abuse in Massachusetts, announced today the new leadership of their Board of Directors. Kate Haranis, Founder of Haranis & Company, will serve as Board Chair, and Anna Lucey, Executive Vice President of Legislative and External Affairs for the New England Connectivity and Telecommunications Association (NECTA), as Vice Chair. Haranis and Lucey each bring nearly two decades of experience in public relations and government affairs, respectively, to the Children’s Trust.

“As we embark on this next phase of our work to prevent child abuse and neglect, Kate and Anna’s leadership will be invaluable. The Children’s Trust has a wealth of knowledge and expertise on how systems affect families, and we are ready to drive change through our programs and partnerships. This is an exciting next step for our organization,” said Jennifer Valenzuela, Executive Director of the Children's Trust.

“All children deserve to grow up in thriving families and we are grateful to Kate and Anna for their dedication to the children and families of Massachusetts.”

Haranis has volunteered with the Children’s Trust since 2012, serving on the Board of Directors since 2018, and chairing the Marketing and Communications Committee since 2022. Her experience in public relations, strategic communications, and fundraising experience spans nonprofits, agencies and the Fortune 500, including Boston Scientific, Emerson College and Denterlein. Haranis received her bachelor of science in political communication from Emerson College. She founded her consultancy, Haranis & Company, in 2024.

“Parenting is the hardest and most important job there is, and we know what it takes to help families succeed,” said Haranis. “The Children’s Trust has guided and funded programs that have changed thousands of lives throughout the Commonwealth for more than thirty years, and it’s time to accelerate our efforts so that every family can not only survive, but thrive.”

Lucey has served on the Children’s Trust’s Board of Directors since 2018 and chairs the Government Affairs Committee. She has extensive experience in external affairs and government relations in the private sector advising companies in-house and as a consultant regarding their government affairs strategies. Before leaving for the private sector, Lucey served as General Counsel to the House Committee on Ways and Means at the Massachusetts State House. Lucey received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and received a bachelor of arts in history and a bachelor of arts in environmental studies from the College of the Holy Cross. She joined NECTA as Executive Vice President of Legislative and External Affairs in 2023.

“I am honored to serve the Children’s Trust in this new role,” said Lucey. “As families in the Commonwealth continue to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Children’s Trust is working to provide support to families in their homes and communities. Let’s work to ensure all families thrive.”

For over 30 years, the Children’s Trust has been working to prevent child abuse by providing critical resources to parents, educators, caregivers, and family support professionals. The organization’s evidence-based programs, many in partnership with key stakeholders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, help children and families thrive and break cycles of abuse and neglect.

In addition, the Children’s Trust welcomed five new members to its Board:

• Foluke Babalola: Babalola is a Family Advocate at Horizons for Homeless Children. Originally from Nigeria, she is a parent of two young children and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Hiu-fai Fong, MD MSHP: Dr. Fong is a Board-certified pediatrician with a specialty in child abuse at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She serves as a physician on the BCH Child Protection Team and provides clinical care and consultation for children with suspected abuse. Her research focuses on improving mental health care and outcomes for children and families impacted by child abuse and other psychosocial adversities. She is the recipient of an NIH career development award to develop engagement strategies that better address the mental health needs and preferences of Black and Latino/x families after child sexual abuse.
• Hesham Hamoda, MD, MPH: Dr. Hamoda is a Child Psychiatrist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. He is the Vice President of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP).
• Heidi Shartrand-Newell: Shartrand-Newell brings over a decade of experience in parenting support and building accessible communities. She has been an active member of The Family Center of Northern Berkshire since 2020 when she became a parent. Throughout her career, she has been involved in interconnected industries, including accessible education in early and secondary education, adult disability community support, peer mentorship for school-aged children and youth, and higher educational support for students in recovery.
• Amie Shei, PhD: Dr. Shei is the President and CEO of the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, a charitable foundation that works to improve the health of those who live or work in Central Massachusetts with a focus on vulnerable populations and unmet needs. She also sits on the Board of Directors of Health Care for All, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, and Health Equity Compact. 

As a public-private organization, the Children’s Trust Board of Directors is composed of public officials and community representatives who guide the Children’s Trust in its mission to prevent child abuse and neglect. The Children’s Trust makes child abuse prevention possible by collaborating with family-serving organizations and investing in programming and innovations that address the root causes of child abuse and neglect. The Children’s Trust also advocates for policies that support systems change by generating and sharing knowledge about protective factors proven to support children and families.

About the Children’s Trust

The Children's Trust is a public-private organization working toward a Massachusetts free from child abuse and neglect. We partner with organizations and communities to drive systemic change to address the root causes of abuse and neglect so that all children can grow up in thriving families.