Babson is an LGBT Chamber of Commerce Ally

MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Listen

On Monday, September 24, Babson College became the first college or university to sponsor the new Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce at its official public launch.

This unique opportunity was championed by Babson’s Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Craven, well-known for her years of professional and personal commitment to education in the Greater Boston community.

The new charter’s mission is “to create an inclusive economic growth state by promoting opportunities among LGBT-owned and allied businesses, corporations, and professionals.”

It is an affiliate of the national LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

Held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the launch featured keynote speaker Governor Charlie Baker, corporate sponsors, and partners.

As a strategic partner, Babson will join Boston Pride, Pride in Our Workplace, The Boston Foundation, and others to educate, advocate, and collaborate around efforts that enable LGBT businesses to flourish.

At the launch, Babson was represented by Chair of the Babson Board of Trustees Marla Capozzi MBA’96, Chief Inclusive Excellence Officer Sadie Burton, Vice President for Programming and Community Outreach Jane C. Edmonds, Senior Director of Boston Campus Management Terry Marroquin, and alumni Mark Mettler ’83, Eileen Burkhardt Rivera ’98, Tom Boudon ’98, and Dan Wheelock MBA’15.

Babson College prides itself on its diversity and inclusion efforts, including ongoing programming designed specifically to ensure a community of inclusion where LGBTQ+ individuals feel welcome, affirmed, and supported.

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Male college student meets with campus counselor
Here’s How Colleges Can Better Support Students’ Well-Being to Improve Their Success College students are reporting lower rates of depressive symptoms and anxiety for the third year in a row, but the mental health crisis is far from over, writes Babson College’s Ryan Travia for The Conversation.
By
December 10, 2025

Posted in Insights

Chicken sandwich
The Rise of Chicken, the Decline of Pizza Hut, and Other Franchising Trends Ab Igram MBA’96, of Babson’s Tariq Farid Franchise Institute, surveys the state of franchising. From the familiar names to the up-and-coming ventures, he talks chicken, sandwiches, and, uh, pet waste scooping.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
December 9, 2025

Posted in Insights

The Retailing Management course with Jaylen Brown and Joel Kamm MBA’12 outside their pop-up event.
Hands-On, All-In: Babson’s Retailing Management Students Create Unforgettable Pop-Up Experience The Retailing Management class, composed of mostly fourth-year students, brought experiential learning to life, executing a campus pop-up event with Jaylen Brown’s 741 Performance brand, culminating in all they’ve learned at Babson.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
December 8, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership