Women To Watch Awards 2026 honors Lori Nelson

Lori Nelson is an accomplished government leader who currently serves as Senior Advisor in the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Inclusion on Racial Justice in Boston, Ma. In this role Lori works with community stakeholders, philanthropic and academic partners, and organizations to acknowledge the past while removing systemic barriers to create racial equity in Boston. Lori Nelson was most recently the Chief Resilience Officer for the city. As the city’s second CRO in its history, she served as co-chair of the COP (Community of Practice) creating best practice learning experiences under the RCities network; a 100 city global network focused on resilience, equity, and social justice. Her tenure in governmental affairs is always connected to advocating for the most marginalized and underserved.

Lori's political portfolio includes strategy and niche outreach approaches for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities for the following former/current elected officials: Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Massachusetts Senator and former presidential candidate, Elizabeth Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Current Attorney General of Massachusetts, Andrea Campbell and Former Mayor, Kim Janey. She is an elected member of the Affirmative Action committee of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Nelson has served in leadership with the Boston Branch of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts as the Chair of Strategic Planning and was named special advisor to the Emerge USA Young Leaders Cabinet. Nelson was recently named Color Magazine’s 50 influential DEI leaders in 2023. In November of 2025, she received the drum major for justice award named after the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Charles Ogletree of Harvard Law School, from the Red Sox Foundation and Black Church league.

Nelson’s senior leadership roles in city and state government include, Director of Communications and outreach, The Boston Housing Authority, Deputy Chief of Staff, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA); Deputy Director, Community Affairs and Special Projects, Governor Deval Patrick’s Administration.

Lori’s expertise lies in coalition and partnership building and development, systemic change in government agencies, and political strategies in urban areas. She is a graduate of Northeastern University earning a B.A. in English Literature and minor in African American Studies. Nelson was part of the inaugural cohort of students earning a certificate in the study of Urban Politics; a unique fellows program created by Black political leaders in Boston in addition to earning a leadership credential from Harvard Kennedy School on Black leadership.