2nd Annual Women's History Month: Empower, Elevate, Inspire!
Fireside Chat: Women in Community Service
Women’s History Month Celebration: Women in Community Service
In collaboration with Belmont Woman’s Club, B-PAC is excited to announce our second Women’s History Month event to celebrate Women in Community Service—a panel discussion and fireside chat dedicated to honoring service leadership, their impact, and the inspiring contributions of women working to strengthen Belmont and beyond.
We are also proud to partner with Project Socks, a Belmont-based non-profit, which will be collecting new women’s socks at the event to support women experiencing hardship across Greater Boston.
Date: March 26, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Belmont Woman’s Club
661 Pleasant Street
Belmont, MA 02478
Complimentary light refreshments will be served.
All are cordially invited to attend this complimentary celebration. We look forward to welcoming you to this meaningful occasion.
As space is limited, kindly RSVP at info@belmontwomansclub.com to confirm your attendance.
Meet the Moderator:
Wendy Murphy: Wendy is an attorney and president of the Belmont Woman’s Club. Wendy specializes in Women’s rights and teaches at New England Law | Boston where she also directs the Women’s and Children’s Advocacy Project. Her new book, Oh No He Didn’t, tells the stories of 26 women whose work was credited to men. Wendy is a longtime Belmont resident. She has five children and a grandson.
Community Service Panelists:
Fran Yuan (she/her): Fran Yuan has lived in Belmont since 1993 and has long been active in community and social justice initiatives. A member of First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist, Fran has been involved in the church’s social action work, including helping it become a Welcoming Congregation in 2001.
From 1988 to 2016, Fran was a member of the Belmont/Watertown Amnesty International Chapter 365 and served as its newsletter editor. After moving to Belmont, Fran joined Belmont Against Racism and served on its board.
In 2001, Fran founded the Belmont LGBTQ+ Alliance, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the Belmont Pride Parade celebration on May 31. From its inception in 2004 until 2022, Fran also served on the Belmont Human Rights Commission.
Fran was a co-founder of the Belmont Pan-Asian Coalition and, over the years, has helped plan the MLK Breakfast and many other community events in Belmont. More recently, Fran has helped coordinate support and resources for two immigrant families in Belmont and has become involved with the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence and other organizations focused on immigrant justice.
As the child of immigrants who consistently reached out to support others, Fran developed a strong commitment to using that privilege to help build a more just and welcoming community for all.
Maryann Scali: Town Meeting Member from Precinct 2 since 1970, with more than five decades of continuous civic service to the community.
Over the years, has served on numerous municipal committees, including the Alcohol Licensing Committee, Expanded Warrant Committee, Busing Committee (for the School Committee), and the Police Chief Search Committee. Currently serves on the Council on Aging.
Has held leadership roles across a wide range of community organizations, including President of the Belmont League of Women Voters. Serves on the Board of the Belmont Historical Society, the Belmont Woman's Club, and the Belmont Land Trust, and serves on the Board of the Senior Connection at Tufts University.
Additionally, has served as Warden in Precinct 3 for over 15 years, including overseeing voting operations when Mitt Romney cast his ballot in Belmont during his presidential campaign.
Dr. Rena Fonseca: Dr. Rena Fonseca is the Director of Executive Education & International Programs at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. In this role she builds and stewards Executive Education’s overall portfolio of programs, both on campus and online, including admission-only, open enrollment, and custom programs. She drives and oversees strategy, curriculum development, program delivery, teaching innovations, team leadership, client and faculty relationships, budgeting, marketing, and revenue.
Dr. Fonseca has previously served in Harvard College as Assistant Dean and Senior Tutor, and a Lecturer in History and Literature, as Associate Director of Ideas42, a behavioral economics lab at Harvard, and as a consultant for UNICEF in New York and New Delhi. She holds a B.A. (Hons.) from Elphinstone College, University of Mumbai, and an A.M. and a Ph.D. in History from Harvard University.
Eve Encinas-Lončar (she/her): Eve is a fundraising professional with a deep commitment to community-centered work. She previously served as Director of Advancement at a K–8 private school in Cambridge and currently works at the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK), where she focuses on building meaningful community partnerships that support survivors and their families.
A first-generation Filipino American, Eve’s parents emigrated from the Philippines in the 1960s, shaping her lifelong dedication to advocacy, equity, and service. She has lived in Belmont since 2012 with her husband, Marko, and is the proud mom of two grown children.
As a survivor, Eve volunteers her time supporting focused efforts addressing sexual assault, serves on the Board of the Belmont Pan-Asian Coalition, and recently joined the Belmont Woman’s Club as a member. Outside of her professional and volunteer work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active, traveling, performing with her band, and walks with her Goldendoodle, Maxwell.
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