Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Andover’s Commission on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will work to combat the realities of racism and intolerance in Andover by supporting programs, initiatives, education, outreach, policies, and institutional change which contribute to an inclusive Andover; a community which embraces tolerance, inclusiveness and respect for all.    

Meeting Agendas

Meet the Members:

At-Large Members

Kavita Goyal, Chair has been a resident of Andover since 2012, and has worked in Andover for the past 10 years. She is a small business owner with a law firm practice in the Ballardvale Mill building. At the firm, she leads the employment practice, representing small-to-mid sized businesses, as well as individuals, in civil litigation, advice and counseling. She focuses on anti-discrimination and equal employment practices, and spends a portion of her time counseling medical and dental entities with their ongoing business needs. Kavita has two daughters and loves to spend time with them skiing, dancing and walking on the beach! Kavita serves as an At-Large Member of the Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Lisa Cascio (She, Her), Co-Chair joined Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) in October 2013 as its Public Relations Manager and currently serves as Director of Partner Engagement. Lisa also serves as NEEP’s co-lead for all diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work. Lisa has a B.A. in English from The College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. in Administrative Studies from Boston College. She recently received a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice and Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.

Rajiv Chopra has lived in Andover since 2002 with his wife and two sons, who both thrived in the APS system. Raj is a scientist focused on the discovery and design of new molecular therapies and has worked for major Pharmaceutical companies on numerous drug discovery projects before establishing his own consulting company. He  enjoys growing vegetables and sports, especially soccer, and is passionate about celebrating diversity in all its forms.

Shishan Wang is a senior research scientist in Microbiology and Biochemistry. He has been living in Andover with his family since 2007. Before moving to Andover, Shishan earned both BS and MS in Microbiology from China and Ph.D. in Food Science at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Shishan serves as a member of Andover High School Improvement Council. He also is volunteering for several organizations.

George Nugent (He, Him, His) is Marketing Manager and Vice President at Enterprise Bank headquartered in Lowell, MA. George has an extensive professional background in fundraising, marketing and communications work. He has a longstanding commitment to nonprofit organizations in the Merrimack Valley. George has served on the boards of Jericho Road and the Nonprofit Alliance of Greater Lowell is currently a board member for the Center for Hope and Healing and a trustee for the Towle Fund for the Town of Andover. He an advocate for LGBTQ and equity initiatives, is involved with diversity and inclusion efforts and a member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Consortium - Lowell.

Ben Hoerner

Emran Baqui Emran is a Mechanical Engineer currently working at General Electric as Senior Engineering Director with the US Air Force. Emran completed his Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from TX A&M University where he also completed his MBA in Finance. Emran is Vice President of the Bangladesh Association of New England and also sits on the Central Committee of American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers & Architects as an Executive and is an Executive Board member of the Boys & Girls club in Salem, MA and Merrimack Valley YMCA. Emran plays soccer and badminton and is passionate about volunteering in Community. Emran is a recent graduate of Andover’s Leadership Academy. Emran has 3 kids, my oldest son is going to UMass Lowell, my oldest daughter is in 11th grade and youngest daughter is in 1st grade.

Amie Joof Senghore is a UK-trained barrister and a member of the Hon. Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London. Amie attained her LLB Law Degree from the University of Warwick in Coventry and proceeded on to do an LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law from the University of College London (UCL). Originally from the Gambia in West Africa, Amie is a former Court of Appeal Judge and a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice for the Republic of the Gambia. Amie is involved amongst other areas of law, in civil litigation and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Amie is a current graduate of Andover’s Leadership Academy and is very committed to and passionate about giving back to the Town of Andover, a town she lives in and loves. Amie is also actively involved as a member of the Andover Cultural Council, a member of Malden’s Lion’s Club, and a member of the Shura (board) of the Andover Islamic Center in which she is the Director of Religious Studies. Amie is a mother of two beautiful daughters, one of whom recently graduated from high school and is attending Suffolk University in Boston to study Criminal Justice.

Select Board Representative

Laura Gregory

School Committee Liaison

Sandis Wright (He, Him, His) has held various leadership and volunteer positions throughout his career. In his current role as Director, Information Management, for the Federal Employee Program with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), he focuses on data strategy and data governance. He’s held numerous volunteer roles in both corporate settings and in local communities and is currently a member of the BCBSA diversity council and co-chairs the PRIDE (LGBTQ) Associate Resource Group. He’s also on the board of a Better Chance of Andover, the Bancroft Parent Teacher Organization and Doherty Parent Advisory Council. These volunteer roles include organizing programs and events while creating an inclusive community and culture. Sandis has resided in Andover since 2011. He is married to his husband of 29 years and has 2 daughters, age 9 and 11.

Andover Police Department Representative

Lieutenant Frank Fitzpatrick began his law enforcement career in Andover in 2006 after graduating from the Boston Police Academy. When asked why he chose to serve as the APD’s Liaison, Lt. Fitzpatrick said: “I chose to serve the Commission because this is a very important and meaningful topic… I chose to serve to help non-law enforcement better understand what we do and how we are trained. I believe this insight will help to assure our residents and those who work and travel through Andover that we are a professional police department with a focus on treating everyone with respect and dignity. Lieutenant Fitzpatrick holds a BA degree in Political Science from Merrimack College and a MS degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and has completed the FBI LEEDA’s Leadership School Trilogy.

Private School Representative

Dianne Domenech Burgos, Phillips Academy

Student Representatives

Edward Mukalazi is a part of the class of 2024 at Andover High School, where he displays his passion for politics and social change through his extracurricular activities. He is serves as the Co-President of the DEI Student Advisory Council, the Assistant COO of the Youth Assisting Youth Foundation, the Student Representative on the Building Committee of Andover High School, Vice President of Amigos Unidos, a member of Black Student Union, Diversity Club, and Model UN. Edward has a love for representing his peers and hopes to lead a career in politics as he comes of age.

Ismael Rodriguez Hello, my name is Ismael Rodriguez I'm very excited to work on this commission. I'm very passionate about the commission's work within the community and I enjoy taking the time to hear everyone's perspective on issues that occur throughout the neighborhood. I love working with others on multiple issues and connecting through hobbies like sports, weightlifting, and clubs. My goal is to elevate the voices that don't get the spotlight and create an environment in which everyone can feel welcomed and accepted in the Andover community.

Julia Rodenberger is a 12th-grade student at Andover High School with a passion for uplifting diversity in her community. At school, she is an active member of the DEI Student Advisory Committee and enjoys working alongside peers on the National Honors Society’s executive board. In addition, Julia demonstrates devotion to the arts through leadership roles and engagement in various visual and performing art clubs. She hopes to pursue a career in animation while continuing to work with DEI to create spaces that adequately support an increasingly diverse population.

Irene Ghosh is a researcher for the Data Gathering and Citizen Engagement Working Group and a youth representative for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Youth Forum in Andover, MA. An active member of her community and a part of the class of 2024, Irene has spearheaded local and state-wide DEI initiatives. At Andover High, she serves as co-president of the DEI Student-Advisory Committee and works to implement a more diverse and inclusive curriculum, environment, and policies for the betterment of students and faculty. With her additional background as a legislative and media intern for the Massachusetts Peace Action, Irene continues to strive for social justice and equity.

Lojyn Elkotory has been a member of the Town of Andover’s DEI Commission’s Data Gathering and Citizen Engagement Working Group since 2022. Being a member of Andover High’s class of 2024, she’s able to reflect her passion for the commission’s work through her extracurriculars: working with the elderly through Key Club, raising money for small businesses in Lawrence, etc. Lojyn co-authored and conducted an analysis of the Andover Youth Survey. Additionally, Lojyn independently took the initiative to acquire, research, and organize the Andover Employee Survey’s demographic data, concerning diversity in the workplace. Her work has enabled the thoughts and opinions of over 500 people to be heard and contextualized.

Staff Liason

Jemma Lambert, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Town of Andover.