The Team
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Stephanie Sonnabend Chair and Co-Founder |
Stephanie Sonnabend is president of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, the hotel business her grandfather, A.M. Sonnabend, founded in the 1940s. In this position, Stephanie oversees the company’s 54 hotels, resorts, suites and Nile cruises located in the United States, Sint Maarten, Egypt, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. Stephanie is currently on the Board of Directors of Century Bank and Trust and Century Bancorp, where she is a member of the Audit Committee and chairs the Asset Liability Committee. Her professional memberships include World Presidents' Organization, Women Corporate Directors, Massachusetts Women’s Forum, and The Boston Club. She serves on the Boards of Overseers of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and of New England Conservatory of Music. A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University, Stephanie received her master’s degree from M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management. |
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Malli Gero Executive Director and Co-Founder |
Malli Gero is the principal of Gero Communications, a marketing communications firm. Prior to starting her business in 1984, Malli served as an account executive for public relations agencies in New York and Boston, working in the fashion and design, healthcare, B2B, and leisure industries. Today, she represents clients in the hospitality, healthcare, B2B, and women’s leadership fields. Malli is an active community volunteer. She currently serves as president of the board of the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, where she has been a director since 2000. She recently was elected chairman of the board of More Than Words, a social enterprise that empowers youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. Malli is a graduate of Hunter College. |
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Breanna Bakke Assistant Director |
Breanna Bakke is the Assistant Director for 2020 Women on Boards. Breanna graduated from Bentley University with a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Global Perspectives. She was an active member of Bentley University Cheerleading, studied in Florence, Italy, and was involved in the Women’s Center on campus. Her senior thesis focused on the role of Congresswomen in the passage of human trafficking policy in the U.S. House of Representatives. Breanna brings extensive knowledge of women’s leadership issues, and is an active advocate for gender equality. Prior to joining 2020, Breanna was a marketing intern at the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus where she built a statewide 2012 race-tracking database. Breanna is excited to bring new perspectives and fresh ideas as she works to build the 2020 Women on Boards campaign. |
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Katherine Costa Researcher |
Katherine Costa is a Researcher for 2020 Women on Boards. Katherine graduated from Hamilton College in 2012 with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in Women's Studies. At Hamilton she served as co-president of the Womyn's Center and worked to bring feminist voices to campus. Her senior thesis focused on how the social construction of masculinity affects both men and women. Katherine also spent a semester in India where she conducted research on the relationship between language and gender among married Indian women. She is passionate about gender equity, and combating violence against women in the U.S. and around the world.
Katherine hopes to explore a career in feminist advocacy through language and education. She is excited to contribute to the important cause of gender diversity on corporate boards. In addition to working with 2020WOB, Katherine works as an elementary school paraprofessional for Brookline Public Schools.
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