ESC Welcomes Klare Shaw, Dorothy Chen-Courtin, and Ron Ryan to Its Board of Directors
The ESC Board of Directors has elected three new members, bringing fresh perspectives and leadership to our organization: Dorothy Chen-Courtin, Ron Ryan, and Klare E. Shaw.
Klare E. Shaw brings deep experience from decades of leadership across public, private, and corporate philanthropy. Most recently, Klare served as National Director of Programs for Corporate Giving at Liberty Mutual Foundation, managing a team responsible for distributing $40 million in contributions. Throughout her career with organizations including the Boston Public Schools, Barr Foundation, and Mass. Cultural Council, Klare has focused on advancing justice, equity, and access across sectors such as education, arts, youth development, ESOL, and homelessness.
A Roxbury native and a dedicated community leader, Klare continues to provide training in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; strategic planning; evaluation; and corporate social responsibility. She is an active member of Bethel AME Church, and proud mother and grandmother.
Dorothy Chen-Courtin Dorothy Chen-Courtin is the founder and president of Marketing & Management Associates for Nonprofits, a 30+ year consultancy that adapts for-profit strategies for nonprofit clients. She has advised foundations, arts councils, museums, and service organizations on strategic planning, governance, audience development, and institutional growth. Her clients include the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Massachusetts Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Springfield Museums, to name a few.
Dorothy recently completed her term as Board President of the Worcester Art Museum and serves on the Executive Committee of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation and the Advisory Board of the Arts Extension Service at UMASS Amherst. She has held leadership roles with the YWCA of Boston, WGBH Community Board, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, and others. Dorothy was born in China, grew up in Malaysia, lived in Paris, France and now calls Massachusetts home. She holds a BA from Barnard College; MA and PhD from Columbia; and an MBA from Northeastern.
Ron Ryan has been a dedicated ESC consultant since 2008, serving as a trusted advisor to dozens of nonprofits in areas including strategic planning, governance, financial management, operations, and leadership coaching. He has worked with clients including Tufts University School of Medicine, Quincy Asian Resources, Danvers Historical Society, Justice at Work, English for New Bostonians, and Seeding Labs. Prior to joining ESC, he was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Haemonetics Corp. and CFO and SVP Operations at Converse Inc. as well as CFO of other global organizations. In addition to consulting, Ron has served as a longtime member of ESC’s training team, helping onboard new consultants while strengthening ESC’s capacity. He also serves as a mentor with the Boston YMCA Training, Inc. program for low-income adults.
An active member of ESC’s DEIB Committee, Ron helped lead the documentation of the organization’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging goals, strategies, and tactics to guide discussion and action.
“We are excited to have Klare, Dorothy, and Ron join the ESC Board,” said Julie Crockford, President of ESC. “Their hands-on experience with nonprofits of all sizes and stages will help us think more strategically about how we serve our clients. As ESC expands its programs and outreach, their leadership and understanding of the sector will play an important role in shaping our future direction.”
