40 Under Forty alumni: Robyn Kennedy, Class of 2020 - Worcester's newest state senator
Robyn Kennedy in 2020 and 2024
Photo | Matt Wright
The 40 Under Forty winners and alumni who visited the Jennessa Art studio in West Boylston were (from left) Hayley Haywood (Class of 2024), Jennessa Burks (Class of 2024), Emily Molstad (Class of 2024), Robyn Kennedy (Class of 2020), and Ron Ernenwein (Class of 2006).
- Class of 2020
- Then Associate executive director for mission, programs & community impact, YWCA Central Massachusetts, in Worcester
- Now State senator, Massachusetts State Senate, First Worcester District
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Robyn Kennedy assumed her role as a Massachusetts state senator in January 2023, but not before doing some very heavy lifting back at the YWCA.
While still in her leadership position at the YWCA Central Massachusetts, the organization completed a $24-million occupied renovation, expanding every program space during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. While the renovation was taking place, the YWCA helped support the community through safety initiatives including hosting testing sites and vaccine equity clinics.
In her role as state senator, Kennedy is the chairperson for the legislature's Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and vice chair for the Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy, in addition to her member roles on a number of other joint committees including those on agriculture, education, and public health, according to her profile on The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website. Kennedy has sponsored and co-sponsored petitions and bills aimed at addressing social and racial inequities throughout the state, including a petition to authorize the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families to create a bias-free child review team to assess emergency child removals and another to address racial and cultural bias training within educator professional development.
What did getting the 40u40 award mean to you at the time? It was powerful to join a collective of young leaders who are committed to improving our community through their unique talents.
What does it mean to you now? Each year, that collective of leaders under 40 grows, and the future of our community shines brighter and stronger.
What advice do you have for this year's 40u40 winners? Maya Angelou said it best, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. Keep striving to know more and do better.”
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