Board of Directors
Rebecca Fenerty
Chair
Programming Committee
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Rebecca Fenerty, MSW, is a seasoned, heart-centered leader with over 25 years of experience as a director in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Her expertise includes grant and proposal writing, community assessment, program management, and budget oversight.
But… her true passion lies in helping people reach their fullest potential, and she is passionate about her community and developing deep connections with women.
In her current role, Rebecca has increased profitability, reduced costs, and secured new contracts to expand her company’s reach-supporting initiatives like serving homeless Veterans in LA County.
She is passionate about connecting with people and believes every story is worth illuminating and celebrating.
Outside of work, Rebecca can be found collecting sea glass on Waikiki Beach, enjoying cocktails at Mercy Tavern, cheering on her son at Salem State baseball games, volunteering for Salem Main Street events, browsing books at the Salem Library, or showing up to support the Sisterhood of Salem.
Leah McCoy
Vice Chair
Finance Committee
Programming Committee
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Leah McCoy is co-owner of Residency Records in Salem as well as a practicing attorney specializing in intellectual property and complex contracts.
She joined the Sisterhood when it was a nascent organization, thinking that her skills as an attorney and her perspective as a Salem business owner might be useful.
What she found, however, was a vibrant, interesting, and engaged group of women that have enriched her life in many ways.
She strongly believes that this community can, and will, enrich many other lives as well.
To her, the beauty of the Sisterhood is the unique combination of community and diversity – we all share similar experiences and challenges as women in the world, but we come together with a broad range of values and competencies and with so much to share.
As a resident of Salem for more than 20 years, it’s not at all surprising to Leah that there are so many wonderful women living and working in the area – what was a surprise, and frankly a delight, to Leah has been the generosity of spirit and willingness to exchange and collaborate that are pervasive in this community.
She feels lucky to serve on the board and is so excited to see what we can accomplish when we organize and focus our energies.
Tara McMullen-King
Secretary
Membership Committee
Webmistress
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Tara McMullen-King, known to many as “The Wedding Witch of Salem,” is the founder and creatrix of Witchy Woman Weddings, joyfully creating and officiating custom weddings, handfastings, and vow renewals for couples across New England.
Tara has also built a career in the fundraising industry, currently serving as Director of Research & Consulting at The Helen Brown Group, a firm that has supported hundreds of nonprofit organizations across the U.S., following senior prospect development roles at MIT, Harvard, Simmons College, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
An active contributor to her profession, Tara spent six years on the Board of Directors of NEDRA, New England’s professional association for prospect development, and has held volunteer leadership roles with Apra, the field’s international professional association, serving on its Membership Committee, Chapters Committee, and Bylaws Task Force.
Closer to home, Tara serves as President of the Board of Salem Playhouse, where she is helping lead efforts to transform the former First Universalist Church on Bridge Street into a vibrant, multifunctional performing arts space.
She shares life with her husband, Stephen King, a feminist girl dad and familiar face at Salem’s Badabing Barbershop.
Together, they love travel, antiquing, casinos, tattoos, drag, punk, Taco Bell, and their family, which includes Steve’s daughter, Lily Lightning, and their two black cats, Darth Vader and Pugsley Addams.
As a proud Smith College alumna, female business owner, and senior leader at a company both owned and led by women, Tara has built much of her life and career around supporting, celebrating, and empowering women, making her commitment to the Sisterhood of Salem a natural extension of the values she has long lived by.
Krystal Canavan
Treasurer
Membership Committee
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BIO COMING SOON
Shannon Reynolds
Founder
Programming Committee
Marketing Committee
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BIO COMING SOON
Jennifer Carey
Membership Committee
YouTube Channel Host
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Jennifer H. Carey, LMHC, is a psychotherapist, podcast host, retreat facilitator, and author whose mission is to help others illuminate the stories that bind them so they can live with more joy, purpose, and connection.
She first learned about the Sisterhood of Salem through one of her clients, who encouraged her to attend a meetup.
From her very first experience, she instantly fell in love with the creativity, connection, and community the Sisterhood offered.
For Jennifer, the Sisterhood aligns deeply with her values of uplifting and supporting women, celebrating unique gifts, and creating opportunities for healing, growth, and authentic self-expression.
In addition to her private psychotherapy practice in South Hamilton, Jennifer runs a series of transformative onsite workshops and retreats designed to help participants break through the stories holding them back.
She is also the author of Illuminating the Stories That Bind Us, available on Amazon, and regularly shares her insights on her podcast.
When she’s not working with clients or leading retreats, Jennifer brings mindfulness, creativity, and compassion to everything she does - always seeking to nurture balance and growth in herself and others.
Maria Connell
Finance Committee
Traffic Island Beautification Queen
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Maria Connell is a multi-generation Salemite whose deep gratitude for the land and sea she calls home guides everything she does.
As an entrepreneur, volunteer, and steward, Maria finds joy in helping others grow - blending financial wisdom with a love of gardens, community, and sustainability.
She is the founder of 360 Finance, LLC and Wild Gardens LLC, and she also maintains the Now & Zen Peace Garden at her home in the Willows.
Maria joined the Sisterhood of Salem because she believes in the strength that comes when women share their experiences.
For her, the Sisterhood is a circle of reciprocity - a space to lift one another up, give back, and cultivate new ways of thriving together.
Rooted in both the practical and the mindful, Maria embraces cycles of growth and connection.
Whether tending her botanic sanctuary at the Willows, volunteering across the North Shore, or sharing knowledge with peers, she nurtures balance, resilience, and possibility.
Beyond her community and business life, Maria shares her home with her partner, John, and their handsome cat, Kiny - together, they embrace a life of balance, connection, and love for Salem’s cherished landscapes.
Eryn DiPhilippo
Programming Committee
Marketing Committee
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Eryn DiPhilippo is a mom, creator, and community-builder whose business, Witch by Weekend, features a curated mix of locally made products and original designs that celebrate the spirit of Salem.
As a founding board member, Eryn joined the Sisterhood to connect with other women in business, but what she found was so much more - a safe, empowering space filled with advice, support, and genuine love.
For her, what started as a way to grow in business quickly became something much more meaningful – the women of the Sisterhood are now her community, her sounding board, and her inspiration.
Beyond her digital brilliance, Eryn brings authenticity, laughter, and connection into everything she does - embracing the ups and downs of life with humor and heart.
Veronica Dunlop
Programming Committee
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Veronica Leokadia Dunlop moved to Salem in November 2023 and joined the Sisterhood in June 2024, seeking connection and community.
A maritime attorney and self-proclaimed antisocial introvert, she famously avoids networking events - but made an exception for the Sisterhood.
Her very first meeting marked a turning point - it was the first time she didn’t feel overwhelmed by a room full of strangers; she felt welcomed, comfortable, and quickly accomplished her goal of making real friendships.
Now a proud board member, Veronica is passionate about local activism and community outreach.
Kim Fournier
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After years building a career in digital advertising and graphic design, Kim made the leap from corporate America to follow the one industry that truly lights her up: travel.
That passion led her to open her own travel agency, where she helps clients turn dreams into life-changing adventures and experiences.
Not content to plan trips from behind a desk, she also works as a local tour guide, bringing that same hands-on energy to the community right around her.
In 2021, she moved to Salem, because she was drawn to its city feel in a small local-focused community. She sought out the Sisterhood of Salem because of her desire to invest more in her community and surround herself with strong, supportive women. She's a firm believer that you can never have too many female friends in your corner.
Whether she's crafting a client's next big getaway or showing visitors around her adopted hometown, Kim is driven by one unifying mission: helping people find meaning, connection, and adventure – one journey at a time.
Ashley Hayes
Chair of Membership Committee
Programming Committee
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Ashley is a healthcare revenue cycle leader by day and the heart behind Light House Holistic Healing Arts during her evenings and weekends.
While those worlds may seem different, the same thing drives her in both: helping people feel supported, capable, and seen.
As an energy and sound healing practitioner, Ashley blends Reiki, Integrated Energy Therapy®, sound healing, meditation, breathwork, and intuitive practices to help people deepen their connection with themselves and explore healing in a way that feels supportive and accessible.
She also teaches Reiki, empowering others to understand energy and develop their own healing practices.
One of the roles closest to her heart is serving every Saturday as the “resident space holder” at an outpatient recovery program, where she offers a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space for people navigating addiction recovery and mental health challenges.
Ashley loves being part of the Sisterhood of Salem because having a genuine community of women is something she always dreamed of.
Serving on the board gives her the opportunity to help strengthen that community alongside powerful, intelligent women who share her values, genuinely support one another, and care deeply about the work they are doing together.
When she isn’t working or holding space for others, Ashley is a devoted wife to her husband, Kenny, a proud mom to her adult children, a loving “Glammy” to two beautiful girls, and a wildly devoted cat mom.
She loves vacationing with her family, going to metal shows, getting stronger at the gym, deepening her spiritual practice, enjoying really good food, and, like the true Cancer she is, finding peace in the moon’s cycles and by the ocean.
Mary Ellen Leahy
Marketing Committee
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After years of success in the corporate world, Mel co-founded the iconic New England brewery Notch Brewing, where she remains a proud owner.
More recently, she launched her first agency, Malefica Marketing, helping businesses and entrepreneurs streamline operations, gain deeper insights into their customers, and achieve significant growth.
As one of the earliest supporters of the Sisterhood, Mel is passionate about using her expertise to help locally sisterhood-owned businesses amplify their voices and thrive in the business landscape.
Kim Peterson
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Kim Peterson is an astrologer, author, and owner of Celestial Navigation Astrology & Wellness. She uses astrology, Reiki, sound healing, and intuitive development to help people understand themselves and chart their own course. Theatre and storytelling run through it all, including her lifelong love of a good ghost story.
She has been telling the stories of Salem since 2010, when she began leading walking tours. She founded Paranormal Salem and has spent years researching Salem’s history, leading ghost hunts, and creating experiences that explore the intersection of history, mediumship, and the paranormal.
Kim also holds a Master’s degree in Theatre Education and works as a theatre sound designer for local productions. She loves bringing storytelling and performance into her astrology classes too.
When she’s not working, she’s a member of Salem Ukulele Magic, a local group that has become one of her favorite places to make music, laugh, and connect with other people. She is also a mom to two kids and two cats.
Kim joined the Sisterhood of Salem because she believes some of the best things happen when women with wildly different talents, interests, and experiences come together. She’s excited to serve on the board and help build a supportive community where women can lift each other up and embrace what makes each of us unique.