Building empowered futures

Claire Newton

Claire Newton is the Chair of the Board at The Upward Project. A former lawyer and COO, Claire currently works with Boston nonprofits to advise re: strategy, development and communications. She is dedicated to addressing issues around educational equity and the racial wealth gap in Boston. To that end, Claire is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Development Committee for Boston Prep, a charter public school, and sits on the Regional Advisory Board for Teach for America Massachusetts. She also serves as Co-Chair of the 1794 Society and Bowdoin Network of Women (BNOW) at her alma mater, Bowdoin College. Claire earned her JD from Boston College Law School.

Alexandria Nunez-Bibby

Alexandria Nunez-Bibby is a Boston native and graduate of the Academy of the Pacific Rim and Union College, where she earned a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Chinese. She began her career at United Way of Massachusetts Bay, managing high-impact fundraising and brand awareness events, and later served at Boston College’s Alumni Association, focusing on volunteer engagement. Alexandria earned her M.S. in Leadership & Administration from Boston College in 2018.

Her passion for female empowerment grew during her time at Strong Women, Strong Girls, where she led volunteer and engagement initiatives. Today, Alexandria thrives in the tech space at Klaviyo, starting as a Campus Recruiter and now shaping company culture through the management of employee resource groups.

Andrew Ward

Andrew Ward has built his career around delivering customized, long-term financial planning for families and businesses. He is a MassMutual Blue Chip Qualifier, placing him among the top 2–3% of MassMutual advisors nationally. He has also earned MetLife’s President’s Council honor as one of the top 3% of representatives — becoming the second African American advisor to do so. He is also an MDRT Court of the Table qualifier and a multi-year Boston Magazine Five Star Wealth Manager. These accomplishments, paired with his passion for developing diverse talent, make him a powerful mentor and leader.

Andrew is currently at WestPoint, leading efforts to recruit and grow advisors from diverse backgrounds while expanding the brand in major U.S. cities. A sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, marketing, and financial planning, he holds a B.S. in Finance from Bentley University, where he remains an engaged alumnus.

In his free time, Andrew enjoys golfing, reading, and spending time with his three children.

Danelia Gossop

Danelia Gossop is a 2023 alumna of Dartmouth College, where she earned a degree in Economics with minors in African & African American Studies and International Studies. She currently works as a Business Analyst at Kearney, a global management consulting firm, where she has spent the past two years supporting clients in addressing strategic and operational challenges.

A Jamaican immigrant and proud alumna of The Upward Project, Danelia is deeply committed to serving underrepresented and underserved communities. Her lifelong passion is combating resource inequity and expanding access to opportunities for those who need them most.

EJ Whelan

EJ Whelan is a Managing Director and member of the Technology team at Berkshire Partners. He is currently involved with Berkshire portfolio companies Accela, Access, Curriculum Associates, PDQ, Tango, and Upstack. Examples of prior portfolio company involvement include AHEAD, AmSafe, Melissa & Doug, Party City, and Skillsoft. Prior to joining Berkshire in 2005, EJ worked in private equity at Summit Partners. He also was a member of the management team at Sterling Auto Body Centers, a former Berkshire portfolio company, and he began his career at Bain & Co. EJ received an A.B. from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He lives with his wife and two daughters just outside of Boston.

Regan Scally

Regan Scally is a vice president in the Asset Management division of Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, brokerage services, and other financial products and services to institutions, financial intermediaries, and individuals. As a member of the Compliance, Risk, and Business Operations organization, Regan leads a team focused on associate engagement, leadership support, talent programming, and administration. She is also a member of the Boston Regional Leadership team, which focuses on maximizing the associate experience, amplifying career vitality opportunities, and building brand awareness.

With over 20 years of financial services experience, Regan brings strong talent management and operational expertise, as well as a passion for developing employees through coaching and mentoring. Prior to joining The Upward Project, Regan served on the Laboure Center Advisory Board in South Boston. In her spare time, she enjoys attending sporting events with her husband and gardening.