Boston – June 30, 2025 – Maynard Resident Deb Roussell has been honored as a 2025 Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW). Roussell was nominated by Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow) for her years of dedicated service to the Maynard community and honored in the MCSW’s annual ceremony at the State House on June 26. 

According to the MCSW, the Commonwealth Heroines are women “who don’t make the news, but make the difference. Thousands of women in every community of the state perform unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live. Commonwealth Heroines use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community. They are mentors, volunteers, and innovators who strive to protect and represent the interests of seniors, victims of violence, children, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations. They are the glue that keeps a community together.” 

“Deb Roussell personifies the spirit of this award. Her devotion to the Maynard community, which includes raising money for cancer research, volunteering at the local food bank, and serving and organizing on behalf of Maynard seniors among other efforts, spans many years and is commendable,” said Rep. Hogan. “I am thrilled to have been able to nominate Deb Roussell for the Commonwealth Heroine Award and very grateful for her work in the Maynard community.”

During and after her 38-year career as a public school educator, Deb found time to volunteer in the Maynard community. For twenty years, she participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and served as a committee chairman. She also volunteers weekly at the Open Table food bank; assists and supports a Minuteman Senior Services program; served as a community service student mentor for the Maynard Little League; volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley’s Annual Road Race; and volunteers for many neighboring towns’ community events and organizations. Deb also served on the boards of several organizations, including the Maynard Citizen Corps and Medical Reserve Corps, the Maynard Country Club, and the Friends of Maynard Seniors, Inc.

Most recently, Deb put her formidable skills and civic-mindedness to work on behalf of Maynard’s seniors; she is a founding member of two senior-focused groups, including the Senior Center Focus Group and the Maynard Senior Center Committee, and was an integral part of the successful undertaking to open a new senior center in Maynard.

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) 

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. The MCSW provides a permanent, effective voice for the women of Massachusetts. A complete list of this year’s Commonwealth Heroine honorees is available by contacting the Commission at [email protected]. 

Representative Kate Hogan 

Representative Kate Hogan represents the Third Middlesex District, which includes the towns of Bolton, Hudson, Maynard, and Stow. She currently serves as Speaker Pro Tempore, a member of House leadership. Previously, she was First Division Chair, and before that, served as the House Chair on the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Co-Chair of the Legislature’s Elder Caucus. Rep. Hogan can be reached by phone at 617-722-2600 or by email at [email protected]. You can also connect with Rep. Hogan on Facebook (facebook.com/RepKateHogan) or Twitter (@repkatehogan).