There's Something About Mary Johnson

[image:17 align=right]We're here to shine a bright light on the answer that important question with this online publication, "Something About Mary Johnson."

About Mary
As head of the YWCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, Mary Reardon Johnson is a prominent and well-connected figure in the Western Massachusetts non-profit world. And she is one of nineteen commissioners on the "Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women". Mary also serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Human Service Forum, Hampden County Regional Employment Board (REB), and the National Association of YWCA Executives. She is a member of numerous boards and committees, including the Rotary Club, the Springfield Women’s Club, YWCA National Nominating Committee, Women's Statewide Legislative Network, and Springfield’s Welfare Advisory Committee.

Mary leverages her influence and connections in the community to help build the YWCA organization. For example, she counts as one of her close personal friends former State Senator Linda J. Melconian. Melconian has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the YWCA by lending her name to their annual golf tournament. Former Springfield Police Chief Paula Meara is also a close personal friend, and serves in a prominent position on the YWCA's Board of Directors.

So what is it about Mary?
The YWCA provides important services to many women in the Western Massachusetts community. We don't wish to undermine the many valuable programs it offers. Our aim is just the opposite. We want to help make the YWCA an even better and stronger organization.

But the reality is that if Mary does a bad job, the YWCA suffers, too. That's why we're concerned and it's the reason why we set this site up. We want Mary, or any person who holds the directorship at the Springfield YWCA, to enjoy an outstanding reputation in our community and with her staff so the YWCA can effectively carry out its vital mission.

Unfortunately, Mary has been making some public statements that have hurt her reputation. In an article that appeared in the Republican newspaper on November 15, 2005, she was quoted as saying that "We've been told by our lawyers it would be illegal to continue to recognize and deal" with us. In our many dealings with Mary, she has said some other things and behaved in ways that strike us as odd and misguided. All this leads us to question her effectiveness leading our community's YWCA program.

We have the responsibility to challenge Mary's behavior. There's too much at stake for women in our community and the YWCA. We encourage you to bookmark this site and visit here frequently as we collect more evidence, build our case, and search out possible solutions.