Lois Josimovich, Director of Development at the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), is retiring at the end of June 2024 after a remarkable 35-year career at the helm of the health and social services organization’s fundraising team.

Over 50 community partners, colleagues, friends, and family members gathered at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge on June 13 to honor her countless contributions to MAPS’ expansion and her dedication to fostering success within Portuguese-speaking immigrant communities and others in Massachusetts.

A Political Science graduate of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Josimovich worked as a journalist for more than a decade before moving into the nonprofit development field. She started working at SPAL, the Somerville Portuguese American League – one of the two organizations that merged to create MAPS – on June 28, 1989, as Director of Development and Communications.

As the organization grew geographically and programmatically, she went on to lead a team of two communications and development staff. In 2017, as fundraising efforts became increasingly demanding, Josimovich became Director of Development.

She played a crucial leadership role in submitting hundreds of funding proposals to local, state, and federal governments and private foundations and, working with other members of the MAPS Management team, brought in over $100 million in essential funding to pursue MAPS’ mission and expand the organization to deliver critical services to meet ever-evolving community needs.

Josimovich also helped organize nearly thirty MAPS Annual Awards Galas, six MAPS Chip In for Charity Golf Tournament, and many other fundraising activities, generating almost $5M in additional revenues.

At the celebration, an emotional Paulo Pinto, MAPS CEO, expressed his deep gratitude for Josimovich’s thirty-five years of service to MAPS and the communities it serves.

“It’s hard to imagine MAPS without Lois,” he said. “Her accomplishments are endless, and her legacy is leaving an organization that is strong, resilient, and ready to continue to serve our community for the next thirty-five years and beyond. Her daily presence will be deeply missed, but her legacy will forever be ingrained in the fabric of our organization.”

After enjoying several congratulatory video messages from former coworkers and community partners, Josimovich thanked Paulo Pinto and everyone at MAPS as well as her partner, David Pap, her sister, Ruth, friends, community partners, and others as she reflected on her long career at MAPS.

“Working with this dedicated, passionate and talented team to sustain and grow critical services for our communities has been an incredibly rich and rewarding experience,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed being immersed in the diversity of the Brazilian, Cabo Verdean, Portuguese and other cultures that exists at and around MAPS. I want to thank everyone who planned and attended this wonderful party tonight, for all the unexpected visits, messages, gifts, cards, flowers…and laughs!”

During this transitional phase at MAPS, Josimovich will continue supporting the organization part-time, starting in July. She is also committed to remaining a warm and familiar presence at MAPS initiatives as a friend and volunteer, all while enjoying her much-deserved retirement plans of exploring different countries with her partner, David, enjoying regular nature walks, pursuing her passion for photography, indulging in her love of singing, and spending cherished quality time with friends and loved ones.