Susan Pacheco of Arlington is the organization’s new Board President

The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)’ Board of Directors met on November 27 in Cambridge to elect the new slate of officers who will lead the health and social services organization for the next two years. Arlington resident Susan Pacheco, Executive Director of the Cambridge Council on Aging, was elected the new Board President.

A MAPS board member since 2015, and board Vice President for the past two years, Pacheco takes over for Paula Coutinho, LICSW, who, after presiding over the board for the past four years, will continue to serve as a member.

“I am very much looking forward to Susan’s leadership as our new Board President and to working closely with all of our Board Officers and Board Members,” said MAPS Executive Director, Paulo Pinto, MPA. “I also want to take this opportunity to express our sincerest gratitude to Paula Coutinho for her outstanding leadership and support during the past four years as our Board President.  We deeply appreciate her professional and dedicated commitment to the highest level of integrity, transparency and ethical core values of the organization.  It has been a complete privilege to work with Paula, and I am excited that she will continue to be an important member of our Board of Directors.”

Raymond Estrella, MBA, is the new Board Vice-President. The Director of Finance at the Somerville Community Corporation has been a member since 2012, and has served as the Board Treasurer for the last four years, a role which will now be performed by Mary Ann Lomba, a retired financial professional and community activist who has served in every role of the MAPS Board of Directors since joining the organization in 1992.

Patricia de Oliveira, a personal assistant and community organizer who has been a MAPS Board Member since 2014, will remain the Secretary for another two-year term.