This year, the Class of 2025 Commonwealth Heroines comprises more than 125 women from across the state, leaders in industry, business, nonprofit, advocacy, and more. Read this year’s program book (link below) to learn more about their incredible stories from the legislators who nominated them.
Yianna Zicherman, Milford |
| Yianna Zicherman |
Yianna Zicherman, a Milford resident, works in the Franklin Food Pantry, and I ask that you nominate her for one of the 2025 Commonwealth Heroines awards. Yianna Zicherman manages the Pantry’s warehouse and a staff of volunteers. Yianna is not visible to the Pantry’s large coterie of clients, but more than 1,800 local families unknowingly benefit from all that she achieves for them.
As a Pantry volunteer, Yianna’s strength in working through exhaustion and never seeking an opportunity to relax when knowing that her work is so valued by locals with food insecurities. I see her direct a volunteer staff and work together with them as they stack and organize food supplies so that the Pantry is well-prepared when the clients arrive.
These clients include those with disabilities, the elderly on fixed incomes, some who are temporarily between jobs, and some who work but their salaries are insufficient to provide enough food for their families. Every item that is placed on shelves for the Pantry’s clients is placed there by Yianna and her volunteers. Yianna is an extraordinary woman who works hard to aid those with food insecurities. She places the needs of the less fortunate above all. - State Representative Brian Murray
Tina Taveres Powderly, Franklin |
| Tina Powderly |
Tina Powderly is the Executive Director of the Franklin Food Pantry and led the efforts to build a new state-of-the-art facility. The new building provides a dignified and attractive space for customers to get what they need -- the food and the resources necessary for success. In 2024 alone, the Pantry reached 25,000 people and Tina’s tireless service has helped erase the stigma associated with food insecurity. Moreover, Tina has been instrumental in educating the community and raising awareness about hunger and how good food nourishes the body and powers a strong mind.
Tina has 20 years of experience working in a variety of areas in the healthcare industry, including healthcare consulting, community benefits, and hospital business development and strategy. Tina previously was an Executive Recruiter for AMN Healthcare in its executive and leadership division. Tina also has directed the activities of the CEO’s office at Milford Regional Medical Center and worked as an independent consultant in business development at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping develop major expansion projects both in outlying communities and in Boston.
Tina earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Georgetown University and an M.S. in Health Policy Management from the Harvard School of Public Health. She served on the Franklin Food Pantry’s Board of Directors from 2017 – 2021, including two years as its Chair before joining the Pantry as Executive Director. She has also served on the Hockomock YMCA Board of Managers and as Vice Chair of the Franklin Town Council. Tina resides in Franklin with her husband. They have five children. - State Representative Jeffrey Roy
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2 of the Class of 2025 Heroines of Massachusetts
recognized for their work at the Franklin Food Pantry |
