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Builders of
Community and Dreams Project
Mary Upton Ferrin
1810-1881
Peabody Chamber of Commerce
Peabody, Massachusetts
Women's History Month in Peabody: A Retrospective
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2002
JUDY SELESNICK
by P. Nelson
One of the most
caring, tenacious, and participative community leaders in Peabody's
proud history, Judy Selesnick has displayed tremendous leadership
and selflessness to set the standard for women community leaders to
come. Her love for her city has helped it to prosper, as well as to
inspire younger women who will be our city's next generation of
leaders. Her participation has made an impact on Peabody, one
that will always be remembered. Throughout her life, she has worked
to set goals, and to meet them, and success has been the result.
With all of these amazing qualities, it is no wonder why she won the
2002 Mary Upton Ferrin Award.
Born of June 12, 1943 in Salem, Massachusetts, Judy Selesnick has
lived in Peabody for 37 years. During her time here, she achieved
great success and became a champion of her city. Judy received her
high school education from Salem High School, where afterwards she
went on to graduate from Boston University School of Management, and
then did a graduate study at both Boston University and Salem State
College. From there Selesnick began her political career. She
started out on the Save Brooksby Committee and the Community
Development Citizen's Advisory Conmittee in 1974, and then became
the Chair of the Peabody Arts Council in 1980.
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However, her community participation and
volunteer work was far from over. Selesnick held the positions of
President of the Peabody City Council in 1995, the Vice-President of
Haven from Hunger from 1998-2001, Chair of the Peabody International
Festival from 1984-2001, and Vice Chair of the Planning Board from
1986-1991, just to name a few. She is currently the Executive
Director of the Workforce Investment Association of Massachusetts
and a City of Peabody Councilor-at-Large.
Judy Selesnick, who cites her mother and former Peabody Mayor Peter
Torigian as her role models, has done an outstanding job as a
community leader and a dream builder for the youth of our city. She
has led the way for our city and has illuminated a path for the next
generation of leaders in our community. Her list of life
accomplishments is incredibly long, and it is still growing. As a
community shaper, leader and volunteer, Judy Selesnick has gone
above and beyond the call of duty, has earned herself, as well as
her city, great success. |
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"Award to us our proper
station in society; abolish all unjust laws in regard to us;
withhold from us no longer our natural rights as human beings,
children of one Parent, members of the same family... As husbands
and son, as fathers and brothers, show to the world that you are not
only manly, but humane; that you know how to pity as well as to
protect; which will reflect honor, not only to your head, but to
your heart, and future generations will revere your memory.
All that we ask, is what justly belongs to us; we ask it not only as
a favor, but as a right." - Memorial of the Female Signers of the
Several Petitions of Henry A. Hardy and Others, Presented March 1,
1849 to the "Gentleman of the Senate and House of Representatives"
by Mary Upton Ferrin. |