Lower Merion Woman Appointed To Montco's Commission for Women

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — Montgomery County recently named the members of its Commission for Women.

This commission advises the county on initiatives to promote opportunities for women, reduce gender inequality and discrimination, and to collaborate with Montgomery County organizations and institutions.

Twenty-one women were appointed to the commission, and Lisa Dent, of Lower Merion Township, is among them.

Dent and the other members will serve on the commission for two years and will meet several times a year.

The appointees were selected from more than 200 people who had expressed interest in the commission since the county put out a call for applications in March 2024. Applications came from 37 of the county’s municipalities, plus surrounding counties.

"It is heartening to see interest from across the whole County in the work that the Commission for Women will undertake," Jamila H. Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, said. "I’m proud to say that this Commission is representative of the diversity of Montgomery County, geographically, demographically, and professionally. The Commission will convene to further our mission of empowering women and girls in the County by recommending policies and promoting programs that can reduce discrimination and bias, and exploring avenues to uplift women and girls in all fields. Congratulations to our appointees, and I look forward to seeing the results of collaborations and interactions with the Commission."

The commission will serve three main functions.

One is to seek and increase County collaboration with outside stakeholders, different levels of government, and organizations focused on improving the lives of women in the County. The Commission will also be charged with recommending policies and initiatives, as well as advising the Board of Commissioners and the County’s Chief DEI Officer on issues relating to gender and wage equality, discrimination and bias, eliminating violence against women, and promoting opportunities in entrepreneurship, education and more.

"I look forward to having the Commission for Women advise on areas of policy where we can make a difference for women, both in terms of building on some of the things we’ve done – whether it’s paid leave or childcare – and other issues that disproportionately impact women and can help support women in the workplace," Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija said. "I also look forward to thinking about how we take an initiative like paid leave and bring that to other employers in Montgomery County to encourage them to enact policies that would support women in their workplaces. So we’re thinking not only what can the County do but what can we do across the County."

Below are new members of the commission:

• Iman Ahmad, Norristown Borough
• Dr. Bernadine Ahonkai, Lower Gwynedd Township
• Saba Al-Zaid, Bridgeport Borough
• Nancy Becker, Whitemarsh Township
• Marquita Bolden, Abington Township
• Melissa (Missy) Boyd, Franconia Township
• Wanda Brown, Pottstown Borough
• Rebecca Catagnus, Lower Providence Township
• Donna Chen, East Norriton Township
• Zoraida Cordero, Cheltenham Township
• Lisa Dent, Lower Merion Township
• Nelly Jimenez-Arevalo, West Goshen Township
• Dr. Paulette Jones, Plymouth Meeting
• Jennifer Kabir, Whitpain Township
• Shareese Nelson, Cheltenham Township
• Melissa Osborne, Upper Moreland Township
• Michelle Ross, Conshohocken Borough
• Anika Sangal, Lower Gwynedd Township
• Sandy Sharma, Douglass Township
• Nicole Werner, Upper Gwynedd Township
• Winnie Yin, Whitpain Township

Additional associate members are:

• Marisa Christie
• Carla Clanagan
• Ashley Faison
• Anne Frank
• Beverly Gordon
• Linda Morales
• Sujatha Kurian
• Victoria Tucker

Learn more about the commission online here.