tufts university biology phd

Biology Graduate Program — Tufts University

This site is intended for current MS and PhD students in the Department of Biology at Tufts University, although many items will be useful to others (students at other institutions, advanced undergrads at Tufts and elsewhere, etc.).

Key components are:

• Biotech — Specific information and resources for biology MS and PhD students interested in pursuing careers in biopharma.
• Career development — Resources to help biology graduate students plan next steps after an MS or PhD degree.
• Current student resources — Forms, policies, etc. for current Tufts biology graduate students.
• Summer opportunities — Ways that MS students and advanced undergrads can get advanced lab experiences over the summer.

Additional information about our department can be found on the following sites:

• Tufts Biology Department
• T ufts Biology PhD program
• Tufts Biology MS program

For more information about this site and/or to provide feedback, please send us an email .

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At Tufts, graduate students gain deep knowledge, real-world experience, and the professional resources to achieve their goals. Our programs combine the academic excellence of a top-rated research university with a collaborative spirit and commitment to interdisciplinary study. You’ll work closely with faculty and peers to explore the most pressing issues of your field, make lasting connections, and build a valuable network while studying on one of our four campuses in, and around, Boston.

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Molecular Microbiology

Focusing on pathogen - host interaction.

Molecular Microbiology Program Guide

The Molecular Microbiology program is designed to prepare students for exciting careers in biomedical science with a strong emphasis on microbes and their interaction with their hosts. Research focused on bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi as well as fundamental molecular microbial genetics are at the core of our training.

The Molecular Microbiology program participates fully in the MS in Biomedical Research .

Our graduate program is supported by two NIH T32 training grants, one that supports the MERGE-ID track and one that supports the Molecular Genetics track .

Faculty & Research

The training faculty of the interdepartmental Molecular Microbiology Program is drawn from the Departments of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Immunology, Medicine, and Developmental, Chemical & Molecular Biology  at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Department of Chemistry at the College of Arts and Sciences. Three of our faculty have been recognized by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and two are members of the National Academy of Sciences. They are united by a common interest in the biology of microbes (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) and the effects of microbes on human and animal hosts.

Nineteen different research laboratories provide exciting venues for laboratory rotations and dissertation research

Students seeking admission to the Molecular Microbiology Graduate Program apply to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Our goal is to recruit highly motivated students who have a deep interest in microbiological research, show evidence of facility with experimentation, are collegial and communicative, and whose ambition is to excel in research and/or teaching as a career.

We are deeply committed to diversity and encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences that will enrich the mix of students on our campus.

DEI in Micro

We committed to fostering a diverse scientific community and aim to improve our core values by promoting inclusivity, diversity, and antiracism. Students enrolled in our program participate fully in the DEI activities held in the Molecular Microbiology department.

Molecular Microbiology Activities

Our program sponsors a range of social events throughout the year to build community spirit and remind everyone that graduate school can be fun.

Program Contact Information

Katya Heldwein, PhD Program Director

Jackie Kulas Program Coordinator

Curriculum & Special Tracks

Our curriculum balances hands-on laboratory research training with strong coursework and seminar-based activities. Through these experiences, students master the fundamentals of microbiology and hone their written and oral presentation skills. Students also complete a qualifying examination.

Research begins from day one with three laboratory rotations during the first year. Students learn techniques and experience various mentors, lab groups and research projects, which helps in the selection of the thesis lab.

We offer two specialized tracks:

• MERGE-ID (Medically-oriented Research in Graduate Education), which provides students with the knowledge they need to conduct hypothesis-driven research that attacks critical issues related to the treatment, prevention, diagnosis, and management of infectious diseases.
• Molecular Genetics, which provides rigorous training in fundamental aspects of molecular genetics.

Meet Our Students

Our students come from across the US and the world and are pursuing a wide range of thesis projects.

Molecular Microbiology Students

Student Publications

Publication of research is a key part of training and our students publish their work in excellent journals.

Molecular Microbiology Student Publications

Program Outcomes

Over 90% of our students complete an advanced degree and go on to pursue a wide range of careers.

Molecular Microbiology Career Outcomes and Graduation Statistics

Contact Information

Katya Heldwein , PhD Program Director

Andrew Camilli , PhD Admissions Director

Jackie Kulas Administrative Coordinator

Core Faculty

Catherine Freudenreich

George Ellmore

Lauren Crowe

Frank David

Robert de Bruijn

Erik Dopman

Scott Frost

Sarah Hengel

Alfredo Hernandez

Fatima Hussain

Michael Levin

Katherine Mattaini

Helen McCreery

Kelly McLaughlin

Mitch McVey

Ekaterina Mirkin

Sergei Mirkin

Colin Orians

Michael Reed

Michael Romero

Philip Starks

Barry Trimmer

Eric Tytell

Lawrence Uricchio

Benjamin Wolfe

Affiliate faculty.

Elizabeth Crone

Julia Gouvea

David Kaplan

Zarin Machanda

Daniel Promislow

Part-time faculty.

Anjali Bhardwaj

Monir ejemel.

Hannah Gavin

Christopher richardson, ganapathy sriram, emeriti faculty, june aprille.

Harry Bernheim

Francie Chew

Susan Ernst

Ross feldberg.

Juliet Fuhrman

Michelle gaudette.

Jan Pechenik

The  MS in Biology  will develop and expand your ability to think creatively and critically about a range of biological subject areas and prepare you for a future career in the biological sciences. Our classroom-based MS program offers advanced courses and seminars taught by leading experts and hands-on courses that utilize state-of-the-art laboratory skills.

Program Outcomes

The MS in Biology will enable you to update or upgrade your credentials to begin or advance your career in academia, the private sector, government, non-profits, or any other area that employs individuals with training in biology. The flexible curriculum allows you to choose the specific courses that interest you and will enable your future career development, in individual consultation with your faculty advisor. Through your coursework, you will engage in advanced studies of biology topics, learn to critically analyze primary data and published papers, and get experience giving professional-level scientific presentations.

You will also benefit from our robust career and professional development offerings. Through seminars, workshops, 1:1 mentorship, and other activities, you will learn about various job options for biologists, optimize your resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills, and connect with professionals who can help inform your career decisions and enable you to obtain opportunities.

Students interested in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries will benefit from the efforts of our Professor of the Practice of Biotechnology . Besides teaching courses in drug development, the Professor of the Practice coordinates numerous career development activities to help MS students who are specifically interested in working in this industry. Interested students will also receive hands-on assistance with applying for summer internships and full-time positions, especially with one of the dozens of life sciences companies in the Boston area.

Application Requirements

• Application fee
• Personal statement
• TOEFL Total: 97
• IELTS Total: 7
• Duolingo Total: 110
• Transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information for GSAS Programs. Note: This program is eligible for federal loans and Tufts tuition scholarships.

Concentrations

The graduate program in biology is arranged into six concentrations, each with an advisor and a core of faculty researchers:

• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Global Change Biology
• Physiology, Neurobiology and Biomechanics
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology, Behavior and Evolution
• Biology Education Research

Part-time Option for Working Professionals

The MS in Biology offers many evening and/or online courses that are accessible to students who wish to work full-time while completing their degree. It is an excellent fit for working professionals in Boston's robust biotechnology industry who want to expand their knowledge of basic biological science to advance their careers. Part-time students have full access to all the program’s career and professional development offerings.

Advisory Board

The MS in Biology Advisory Board made up of industry professionals who provide us with critical input into the practical skills that are sought after in biotech, medical, and pharmaceutical careers.

Career Outcomes

Average Salary: $90K - $100K

Would Recommend the Program: 85.70%*

Average Age: 26

*Sources: GSAS-SOE Graduate Exit Survey 2020 -2021 and Academic Analytics (Alumni Insights)

George Ellmore

Research/Areas of Interest: Ecology, Behavior and Evolution and Global Change Biology

Frank David

Research/Areas of Interest: Biopharma strategy, regulation, and finance

Erik Dopman

Research/Areas of Interest: Evolution and Genetics of Natural Populations

Catherine Freudenreich

Research/Areas of Interest: Genetics and Molecular Biology. Genome instability, particularly at sites of repetitive and structure-forming DNA.

Julia Gouvea

Sarah Hengel

Alfredo Hernandez

Research/Areas of Interest: Enzymology of DNA replication, mitochondrial DNA, nucleic acid biochemistry, and non-canonical DNA structures.

Fatima Hussain

Research/Areas of Interest: Vaginal Microbiome Microbial Ecology and Evolution Phage-Bacteria Interactions Bacterial Immunity

Michael Levin

Research/Areas of Interest: Morphological and behavioral information processing in living systems

Kelly McLaughlin

Research/Areas of Interest: Molecular Development (Organogenesis: Development, Remodeling, Regeneration)

Mitch McVey

Research/Areas of Interest: DNA repair, DNA damage tolerance, molecular biology, Drosophila genetics, aging, mutagenesis

Sergei Mirkin

Research/Areas of Interest: Genetics and Molecular Biology

Colin Orians

Research/Areas of Interest: Agroecology, climate change, climate adaptation, plant-herbivore interactions

Michael Reed

Research/Areas of Interest: Avian ecology and conservation biology

Michael Romero

Research/Areas of Interest: Stress Physiology and Field Endocrinology

Philip Starks

Research/Areas of Interest: Animal Behavior: Recognition systems, evolution of sociality, parasite and host relationships, behavioral & chemical communication, invasion genetics

Barry Trimmer

Research/Areas of Interest: Control of locomotion and the neural processes that organize sensory and motor information

Eric Tytell

Research/Areas of Interest: Biomechanics and Neural Control of Locomotion

Benjamin Wolfe

Research/Areas of Interest: Ecology and evolution of microbial communities

Related Programs

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PhD in Biotechnology

Biotechnology, phd: 1st year.

Other requirements for the PhD program include:

• Additional electives that emphasize individual research themes
• 3.25 GPA in core classes (listed above)
• Oral critique of a current research article
• Research progress report with oral presentation
• 1-3 teaching assistant assignments
• Attendance and participation in the Departmental Seminar Series
• Research committee meetings and thesis defense

** Additional program details are provided in the Graduate Handbook

Meet Michael Chin, the New Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Michael T. Chin, a renowned expert in virology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and cardiology, has been named the dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at Tufts University School of Medicine . Chin has been the school’s dean  ad interim  since July 2023 and director of the MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program since 2020 . 

His appointment builds on a distinguished career as a respected researcher, professor, and physician. At Tufts Medicine, Chin is the research director of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center and Research Institute in the CardioVascular Center , an investigator in the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI), as well as a member of the Division of Cardiology . 

Chin’s research focuses on understanding the genetic basis of cardiovascular disease and how it’s affected by regulation of gene expression, with a goal of developing therapeutic agents and treatments for cardiovascular diseases. The Chin Lab is working on an enzyme replacement therapy for a genetic cardiomyopathy disorder called Barth syndrome, and identifying molecular pathways involved in the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in both human tissue and mouse models.

In a conversation with  Tufts Now , Chin shared what he sees as the strengths of the school as well as opportunities for growth, along with a message for current and future students.

Tufts Now : What are some opportunities you would like to pursue at the school as dean? 

Michael T. Chin: I'm looking forward to enhancing the student experience by providing opportunities for professional development that generally haven't existed in traditional graduate student education. While we're very good at training graduate students to be scientists, we don't necessarily give them the skill set every young professional needs to have, such as resilience, emotional intelligence, and team leadership. We can fill that gap in education.

I'm also looking forward to improving the training experience by developing new training grants in thematic areas and new Ph.D. programs to meet the needs of the future biomedical workforce. 

I had the opportunity to brainstorm with other educators across the country about optimal ways to train and educate biomedical scientists, which has inspired some of our plan for more professional development. I also saw a large need to find additional resources to fund the education of students in the biomedical enterprise.

We need to reimagine how education is provided, understand the needs of the modern biomedical workforce, and develop programs that meet those needs. One such example could be an experiential Ph.D. that someone could work toward within the constraints of their existing employment. It’s an unmet need and a potential educational niche that Tufts is uniquely situated to provide. 

What are some of the strengths of GSBS that you want to sustain? What do you see as the strong points of the school?

The greatest strength of GSBS is its sense of community. The school is relatively un-siloed, and our students enroll in multidisciplinary programs that span many departments. The programs are supported by faculty from the basic sciences and the medical center, as well. This type of learning facilitates intellectual diversity and more sharing of ideas.

The students and the faculty take ownership of this community. In fact, when we talk with alumni about what makes Tufts special, they often say the community. They pull together for fundraising, like with the annual GSBS Relays where all the students have friendly competitions to raise money for the Student Enrichment Fund. Obviously, I'd like to sustain and continue to promote that wonderful atmosphere.

What GSBS research highlights stand out to you?

We've been phenomenally successful in molecular microbiology research, particularly drug and antibiotic resistance. We're also particularly strong in Lyme disease and tuberculosis research, and in my specialty, which is researching cardiovascular disease. In partnership with MCRI and the Pilar Alcaide Lab , we are exploring mechanisms of heart failure, or cardiac hypertrophy immune function in the heart and vasculature. 

GSBS also has tremendous assets in neuroscience, with the Chris Dulla Lab studying epilepsy and traumatic brain injury, and the Jamie Maguire Lab ’s work on neurosteroids and mood disorders. I could go on and on. It’s easy to be dean when we have so much scientific excellence.

And what should we know about your own research?

I'm interested in the molecular biology of the cardiovascular system, specifically genetics and genomics and how they influence inherited disorders. Some of the things I'm doing are practical, like developing targeted enzyme and gene therapies for an inherited cardiomyopathy called Barth syndrome. I’m also investigating the genetics and genomics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In both diseases, I'm trying to find new druggable targets so we can develop new therapies, including protein- or gene-based therapies. 

About Barth Syndrome Barth syndrome is a rare X-linked disorder resulting from mutation in the tafazzin gene, which encodes an enzyme that remodels cardiopin to a form that is important for normal mitochondrial structure and function. Patients with this disorder develop cardiomyopathy in childhood accompanied by skeletal myopathy and cyclic neutropenia. Patients rarely survive beyond young adulthood and there are no efficacious therapies. Dr. Chin’s lab is focused on developing a recombinant enzyme replacement therapy that uses cell penetrating peptides to enter the cell, localize to mitochondria, and correct the mitochondrial defects associated with this disorder.  

I was recently at the Barth Syndrome Foundation ’s International Scientific, Medical, and Family Conference. One of the things that’s different about this conference is that families of patients with Barth syndrome attend because they're very much invested in the research and the potential for development of cures. I was flattered because the families flagged my work on developing an enzyme replacement therapy as something that they wanted to hear more about. So, in addition to giving my scientific talk, I met with individuals from various families, including patients, in a “speed dating” format, where I and other researchers had 10 minutes to talk before moving to the next table. I gave a short pitch in layman’s terms about what I'm doing to develop enzyme replacement and gene therapy—how it works, how it might affect them, and how my lab is working very hard to improve their lives. We, as scientists, have to be ambassadors to the lay public to explain the importance of what we do. My hope is that this work might be impactful within their lifetimes. 

What does it mean to you personally to be named the permanent dean of the GSBS?

It means that I have been given a great honor and a great responsibility. I’m in this role to be of service first to the students of GSBS, and to the faculty. My role as the dean is to be their advocate and their leader and to try and bring us all in a direction where both the school and the individuals will benefit. Not everybody is asked to take on this opportunity, and it is a privilege and an opportunity. I have no illusions about the challenges ahead because I think there are many challenges facing higher education, particularly in the biomedical sciences. But as I told my colleagues, I will give it my best.

Clearly, the students of GSBS are important to you. Is there anything you’d like to say to them on this occasion?

I see you all, and I've lived a lot of your experiences. For many of our students who come from underrepresented backgrounds, I get it, I've lived it, and I firmly agree with the university’s pursuit of inclusive excellence.

My own origins are fairly humble. I'm the only scientist in my family and one of two physicians. I have deep roots in Boston, even though I'm from New York. My great-grandfather used to live in Boston's Chinatown, and he worked in restaurants as an immigrant, not speaking English. It puts things in perspective that my great-grandfather walked these streets 100 years ago. Could he ever have imagined that one day I'd be the dean of a school at a major university? 

Outside of academia, what are two things that people might be interested to learn about you?

I tend to talk too much, so maybe everybody knows everything about me by now. But I was a competitive fencer in college and as an adult. I won some national medals, and I was ranked reasonably highly in my age group for a while. I retired a few years ago, because my joints couldn't keep up with me, but I still enjoy the sport as a spectator. I tuned in to watch the recent Olympics!

I also enjoy fishing, mostly catch and release. I can think a lot about work and grants while walking around the beach carrying a fishing rod. It’s relaxing and regenerating, particularly when the weather is nice. I can catch a wonderful fish and then release it back for another day. I call it resilience training for the fish, because I feel I'm training them to recognize artificial lures, so they can learn from it and be wiser next time.

Department:

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Master of Science in Nutrition

Earn your m.s. and build your community in the heart of boston.

Are you seeking a transformative educational experience offering rigorous coursework and a chance to build your network in the heart of Boston? Our Master of Science program is exactly what you’re looking for. From the microbiome to planetary health, if you see the world through the lens of food and nutrition, you belong at the Friedman School. Customize your degree with unique combinations of specializations and make a valuable investment in your future. All inquiring students are eligible for a financial aid discount.

Exceptional On-Campus Learning Experience

Have you had at least one college-level course in chemistry, biology, or physiology? Then you can apply to our program and choose two tracks from a vast array of specializations after you arrive. You can also create your path through Friedman by building custom specializations. Don’t know exactly what you're passionate about yet? There's no need to decide on your exact interests when applying, you can discover new directions and options after you’ve arrived. 

Generous scholarships are available. 

Why The Friedman School?

Are you ready to invest in yourself and the world by becoming a leader in food and nutrition? When you join our collegial community of scholars, faculty, and researchers, you’ll be immediately contributing to making a real-world impact. Our flagship residential Master of Science degree program is well-known and highly respected globally and across sectors. Employers and collaborators know that working with a Friedman School graduate means working with someone who brings the skills and knowledge needed to hit the ground running and lead. 

You'll also have access to an incredible support structure at Tufts University and our Boston Health Sciences Campus – student services, wellness support, academic advisors, library resources, a recording studio, 24x7 technical support, and dedicated career services.

Why This Program?

• Work with established centers and institutes that expand your research and impact opportunities
• Take the 360 degree view of everything food and nutrition at the nation's only stand-alone graduate school of nutrition
• Enjoy local cross-pollination across major universities, innovative industry, and many more experiential learning opportunities in the heart of Boston, a health sciences and innovation hub
• Choose from our established specialization areas or customize your own after arriving
• Only one college-level science course in chemistry, biology, or physiology required for entry

Careers and Outcomes

Dedicated careers services center.

You’ll have exclusive access to the Ellie Block and Family Careers Services Center, where our support for your career goals has never been stronger. From 24/7 online resource access to job listings and one-on-one appointments with alumni in the field, the Friedman School has services for every student at the school and for every graduate in the field. Our alumni are highly engaged and ready to connect and our faculty are active beyond the classroom in their areas of expertise.

Where Can You Make an Impact?

Our program enables you to work across sectors at a higher level and join a network of dedicated change-makers around the world.

Learn more about careers and alumni from the Ellie Block and Family Career Services Center , a dedicated resource just for Friedman Students.

How to Apply

Learn more from our Admissions Department

Application requirements include: 

• Completion of the Online Application 
• Personal Statement (At least one page single-spaced) 
• Three letters of recommendation 
• Official copies of all post-secondary academic transcripts (translated into English) 
• Students whose native language is not English must meet TOEFL or IELTS requirements 
• $70 Application Fee 

Learn more about the application process and read more about financing your education. 

Any material not submitted electronically must be sent via tracked mailing services and should be addressed to: 

Office of Admissions  Tufts University  Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy  150 Harrison Avenue  Boston, MA 02111  

All materials related to an application for admission become the property of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy upon receipt and will not be returned or released to the applicant, either in original or photocopy form. 

Featured News

A First Gen’s First Year: A Roller Coaster Ride to Remember

Grad student Sharon Jimerson reflects on her experience at the Friedman School as she enters her second year. 

Ingredients for a More Just and Sustainable Food Future

Nicole Tichenor Blackstone examines the environmental, health, economic, and social impact of what’s on the table

A Food is Medicine Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill

On April 10, 2024, nearly 90 attendees from at least 18 states gathered in Washington D.C. for the first-ever multi-sector Food is Medicine Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill.

Sowing Stories to Reap Environmental Change

Drawing on her background in policy, Alicia Harvie leverages storytelling as a way to amplify the impact of grassroots movements

Congratulations to our 2024 Honos Civicus Honorees

The Friedman School continues to partner with The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life to recognize graduating Friedman School students for their civic engagement and community service.

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From left to right: Vivian Lopez, J96, senior advisor in global health partnerships, UNICEF; Aliesha Porcena, AG21, director of small business for the City of Boston; and Diana Caba, A05, vice president for community and economic development, Hispanic Federation

Driving Change through Nonprofits

Three alumnae in global health and economic development share what fuels their fights for justice

Diana Caba remembers what her family and teachers used to tell her when she was growing up in the Bronx: “You have what it takes to achieve success.” 

Success meant getting out of the inner city, out of public housing, out of what was at the time the poorest Congressional district in the United States, and out of the position of inequity in which Caba found herself, as a young Latina and the child of immigrant parents.

She did have what it takes. Excelling in her studies and pursuing ambitious goals, she graduated from a prestigious boarding school, studied art history and international relations at Tufts, graduating in 2005, and went on to earn a master’s degree in urban and social policy. 

But for Caba, none of that represented getting out; instead, it represented getting help. 

“I was very fortunate to have nonprofits in my life that helped me achieve my educational goals and make something of myself,” she says. “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to follow the trajectory I did.”

The experience of being helped by these organizations offered her a career path she hadn’t known was an option: becoming a nonprofit professional herself, with a focus on creating long-term, sustainable social change.

Now the vice president for community and economic development at Hispanic Federation, Caba devotes herself to helping others. Her work involves providing Latino community-based organizations with operational support, engaging in public policy and advocacy, and overseeing direct programming in areas including immigration, economic empowerment, and workforce development, to name a few. 

“Success was never about getting out,” Caba says. “It was about lifting others up as I had been lifted up.” 

Driven by a Moral Obligation

For Vivian Lopez, lifting others up has meant ensuring they have proper healthcare. 

Now senior advisor in global health partnerships for UNICEF, Lopez, J96, started her Tufts undergraduate career as a premed student. However, when she took a course in community health during her sophomore year, she realized that that field spoke more directly to the work she imagined herself doing. “It turned out,” Lopez says, “that my interest was in ensuring people had access to healthcare rather than in being the provider of healthcare myself.” 

Switching tracks, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and community health and went on to get a master’s in public health. Her first job out of graduate school was with the United Nations, where she’s been working ever since. 

The decision to devote her career to social change wasn’t really a choice, she says. As she puts it, “It was and is a moral obligation.”

Working within the UN at UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, and now UNICEF, Lopez has witnessed firsthand how a push for justice can lead to change. In the 1980s and 1990s, for example, it had been unimaginable that an HIV-positive mother could give birth to an HIV-negative baby, or that the majority of people who receive proper treatment for HIV will never develop AIDS. But, Lopez points out, both those scenarios are now reality, with nonprofits having played an important role alongside governmental commitment and investment and the contributions from civil society.

Lopez is motivated by the knowledge that it’s possible to create change on that scale but at the same time, she is constantly aware that there’s so much work still to be done. “Inequity exists in the world, and that’s what obligates us to try to keep making change,” she says.

Her focus now is on preventing child and adolescent mortality and maternal death. There are three times more maternal deaths in fragile and humanitarian settings, she notes, and that’s true in countries where income ranges span from low to high. 

“We know what needs to be done, but it’s a question of equity. If we believe in social justice, then we have to believe in preventing child and maternal deaths, because they’re happening in the most vulnerable communities,” she says. “That’s where there’s a moral imperative.”

To Create Change, Change the Leaders

Although the majority of workers in the nonprofit sector are women, most leadership positions in the sector are held by men, Caba points out. 

“Nonprofit work is dominated by women,” she says, “but senior roles predominantly get filled by men. So, part of what we have to do is amplify women’s voices—and it’s women who are going to do that.” Lopez agrees. Improvements for the most marginalized and vulnerable communities will scale up when women in leadership roles are driving the change, she says. She offers an example of a current UNICEF program centered around community health care workers and frontline primary health care workers, the majority of whom are women—and the majority of whom are under-paid or unpaid. “They’re the ones often administering vaccines, delivering postpartum care, and identifying malnutrition in children,” says Lopez. Working with partner organizations that also have women at the helm, such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines, Lopez says, “UNICEF is pushing to ensure that our women colleagues in these health care roles become properly remunerated, protected, and skilled so that they can do their work in a dignified manner and earn a living. If we didn’t have women at the top pushing for this agenda, I’m not sure it would be on anyone’s radar.”

Giving Others a Voice

Like Caba, Aliesha Porcena’s childhood experiences led her to her career in social justice. 

“Both my parents immigrated to Boston from Haiti,” explains Porcena, AG21, director of small business for the City of Boston. “My siblings and I are first-generation Haitian Americans. We grew up in public housing, without a lot of opportunities. It was because of programs designed to help people overcome their circumstances that I am where I am today. I take all that into the work I do.”

That work involves creating opportunities for and providing information and resources to small-business owners in Boston. After the shutdowns and restrictions of COVID-19, Porcena notes, small businesses, especially restaurants, were struggling to make a comeback. She helped launch and continues to oversee initiatives that revitalize businesses. 

One of her top priorities has been making grant applications as accessible as possible. She ensures that all grant announcements issued by her office are published in the most common languages spoken in Boston. She also holds monthly informational meetings, providing interpretation services as needed, and she and her team travel around the city to communicate with small-business owners about their needs and the resources her office provides. “My work strives to meet people where they are,” says Porcena.

Ultimately, the work, Porcena says, is about “giving a voice to those who historically have not had one and creating opportunities for businesses that historically haven’t had the chance to build generational wealth.”  It’s a sentiment both Caba and Lopez echo. As Caba puts it, “I frequently ask myself how, on a systemic level, we’re making sure voices are heard.” 

For Lopez, it’s about ensuring the future growth of opportunities for marginalized communities. “I especially want to encourage young women to consider careers in public health,” she says. “We need more women who are leaders in the field, who can raise their own voices to help give a voice to others.”

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