Sherisse Mayala-Nelson

Sherisse has worked in the Human Services Sector since 2012 before transitioning to a role in higher education in 2021. Her experience includes working closely with aging , low-income, and underserved populations in the Boston and Metro Boston area. She worked with a number of Aging Service Access Point Organizations, Home Care Agencies, as well as local Assisted Livings to help improve the quality of life for her clients.

Not only has Sherisse worked with organizations dedicated to helping those in need, but she also founded her own organization in 2017, the Black Umbrella Project(BUP). Black Umbrella Projects’ goal is to create visibility for local BIPOC owned businesses by supporting and promoting their products and services, and helping to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and their potential consumer base. “We are specifically focusing on the promotion of spending money with local entrepreneurs of color”. BUP’s mission is to propel a shift in the socio-economic narrative by promoting social equity, economic development, and community advocacy through empowering and educating BI-POC communities (Black, Indigenous, and People of color).

She’s an advocate for inclusion and has been a champion in connecting underserved individuals to resources and services they need to live a life of dignity.

Sherisse obtained her B.S in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and an M.S from Northeastern University in Nonprofit Management and Human Services.