Laurie E. Perry

Over 40 years of leadership and management experience in public and private sectors including manufacturing, healthcare and tribal government. Worked as a National consultant for a Fortune 100 firm. Extensive experience in human resource planning and operations, organizational change and team building. Implemented a traditional style peacemaking, civil and appellate tribal court. Since 1963, as a very young advocate of civil rights and social justice, is still committed to using knowledge and skills to improve the lives of individuals and the community, valuing the rights of individuals differences and diversities, and willing to advocate for strategies that further the achievement of individual and collective social and economic justice. Laurie serves on various non-profit boards within MV community, is a Deacon of Faith Community Church, a Native of Martha’s Vineyard and a tribal member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

Joseph Carter

Joseph (Joe) Carter is a resident of Oak Bluffs, who served as the Chief of the Oak Bluffs Police Department from 1998 – 2003. Before assuming the Oak Bluffs post, Joe served as Superintendent of the Boston Police Department, where his work in investigating racially motivated crime and enforcing the landmark Massachusetts civil rights law and neighborhood crime watch received national acclaim and served as a model for other agencies throughout the Commonwealth as well as the nation. He also served as the Chief of Police of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit Police Department from 2003 to 2007, and from 2006 – 2007, was president of the 21,000 member International Association of Chiefs of Police, the world’s largest professional organization of police executives. Joe is a veteran with a thirty-eight-year military career. He is an active board member of several non-profit organizations in Greater Boston and on Martha’s Vineyard, is a member of The Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard, and has received numerous commendations and honors for professional, military and civic achievements.

Devin Fitzgerald Reston

Devin comes from a strong entrepreneurial background with varied experiences in creating and building startups in the fields of optical hardware, energy beverages, and medical software. He studied corporate finance as a business administration masters student at the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business. He is currently a year-round resident of the island working as a business consultant and in real estate sales. He is committed to the economic sustainability of the Martha’s Vineyard community, and the efforts to combat climate change, which he believes is a social justice issue. He believes in the equality for all individuals and against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, intellectual and physical disabilities, genetic information and military service.

Valerio Luis Destefani

Valerio came to the United States from Brazil in the spring of 2000 and made a home in Martha’s Vineyard. He graduated from farming school in the mid-80s, worked on a family farm for a little over a decade, and ran his own business before coming to America. Coming with the expectation of returning in just a few years, he did not get joined by his entire family until 2003: his wife, daughter, and two sons. As a devoted Roman Catholic, I have always eagerly engaged with Brazilians, Americans, and all community members. For the past 25 years, I have worked primarily in business, with half of the time spent at Cronig’s Market and the other half running my formerly owned (Bite On The Go & Sweet Bites).

Colleen Elizabeth Morris

Colleen is a resident of Oak Bluffs, who has participated in local municipal government since 1996 serving in various administrative roles including the board of health, the building department and the zoning board of appeals. In the role of assistant town clerk, she has served in both Oak Bluffs and now Tisbury. During her tenure as the elected town clerk in Oak Bluffs, in 2023 she was one of two island clerks who achieved the designation as (CMMC) Certified Municipal Massachusetts Clerk by the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association.

She is committed to public service and has served as an officer on various civic, educational and other charitable organizations including NAACP of Martha’s Vineyard, Library Friends of Oak Bluffs (LFOB), and the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard (ASMV). Since 2017 with LFOB she has championed and chaired the Richard C. Brown Memorial Scholarship Committee designated to those students pursuing higher education in the field of maritime and natural sciences.

Protecting and maintaining democracy is critical to her service and civic engagement. Her commitment to community, fairness and equality is unwavering.

Joao Silveira Barbosa

Joao Silveira Barbosa serves the Lord Jesus Christ in ministry as pastor and president of Souls for Jesus Ministry. His passion is to teach the Word of God, make disciples, and serve others with love, hospitality, generosity, and others as the Bible recommends.

A devoted husband to Sonia Cardoso Barbosa and father to Rebecca Cardoso Ribeiro and Jordan Silveira Barbosa, Joao values family, faith, and service to others.

Originally from Brazil, living in USA more than 40 years. Joao has lived on Martha’s Vineyard for more than 30 years. He has long been involved in the construction trade and works as a licensed builder and contractor supervisor, as well as in the real estate business.

Joao’s life testimony reflects perseverance, work ethic, and gratitude to God for the opportunities to serve both in ministry and in the marketplace for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Previous Directors

Jill De La Hunt

Jill De La Hunt is a clinical social worker, former attorney specializing in representation of Native tribal interests and environmental law, with some background in immigration work, and is a Buddhist Chaplain. Jill served as a Board Member from 9/2015 to 7/2025.

Eric V. Turner

is an attorney, educator, anti-corruption and good governance expert, and human rights advocate. Until his retirement in 2011, Mr. Turner was Managing Director and Associate General Counsel of the Connecticut. He has also served as an officer and director of many professional, civic, educational, arts and other charitable organizations, including the Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program.

Eric was a founding member of the Martha’s Vineyard Social Justice Leadership Foundation and served as a Board member from 2013 to 2024. He served as Treasurer from 2021 to 2024.

John Brannen was a Partner and Managing Director of Wellington Management International Ltd, the London-based affiliate of Wellington Management Company, LLP. In that role he oversaw the operation of the London office. He was the former Director of Human Resources globally for Wellington Management responsible for overseeing the management and development of the human resource policies, practices, programs, and systems that attract, retain, and develop a global professional workforce.

In his short time on the Board, John was integral to the strategic planning committee of the Martha’s Vineyard Social Justice Leadership Foundation. Our foundation greatly appreciates all of his hard work and dedication to the organization and its causes.

Memorial Directors

Arnie Reisman

Arnie Reisman, journalist, playwright, poet, television and film producer, and raconteur who led with a smile and backed it up with a quick wit, died suddenly on October 4, 2021. He was 79.
Arnie was a Board Member of the Martha’s Vineyard Social Justice Leadership Foundation and served as Treasurer from 2017 to his death.

A man who had his fingers on the pulse of nearly every corner of Island life and was curious about everything and everyone, he embraced politics, social justice issues, puns, ferry and Vineyard Haven post office woes, and turned everything into art. He was the Vineyard poet laureate from 2014-2017, was a member of the Cleaveland House Poets, and was the current board chairman of the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, where he also performed in numerous productions, many of which he wrote and directed. He also hosted the playhouse’s poetry cafe.
Arnie narrated the MVSJLF video on the homepage of our website.

Herb Foster
the perpetually vibrant linguist, library trustee and World War II veteran who trained his beaming smile on everyone he knew and met, died February 26, 2021 at his home in Edgartown. He was 93.
Herb was a founding member of the Martha’s Vineyard Social Justice Leadership Foundation and served as Secretary from 2013 to his death.

A lifelong educator and professor emeritus of the State University of New York School of Education, he was a prolific writer and speaker. Among other things, he had written extensively about Yiddish and Jive, including authoring books on the two slang languages.
Herb was known to just about everyone in Edgartown, where he cut a wide swath across socio-economic lines, from volunteering at the senior center to trekking the annual land bank cross-Island hike on National Trails Day every June.
A decorated World War II veteran and one of the last surviving Islanders from the Greatest Generation, he had served with the 24th Infantry Division in the occupation of Japan and was known perhaps best of all for his fixture role in the annual Veterans’ Day and Fourth of July parades on the Island.