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LYNNFIELD — Samanda E. Morales has been appointed to the Salem State University Board of Trustees by Gov. Charlie Baker.
As a Salem State University alumna, Morales brings more than 20 years of experience in the finance and accounting industry to this new role.
Morales received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from SSU in 1998 and is currently finishing her M.B.A. at Northeastern University.
The co-founder and CEO of Ahora Inc., a social enterprise nonprofit organization that teaches financial education, helps to guide money management, and builds self-reliance and financial confidence, Morales was sworn in as a SSU Board of Trustees member in early April.
“I am humbled to serve as a trustee at Salem University, the same organization which empowered me with an education that continues to advance opportunity and economic growth for thousands of students and alumni across the nation,” Morales said.
Before co-founding Ahora Inc., Morales was a consultant at M.B.S. LLC, Management & Strategy Advisory. She also spent 18 years at Bank of New York Mellon, serving in various positions including the accounting group, the daily valuation and implementation group, and as project manager of accounting services. Morales began her career in finance at State Street Bank & Trust Company.
SSU Board of Trustees Chair Rob Lutts said Morales’ significant achievements and success in the financial industry, along with her commitment to serving the community, make her an exceptional addition to the board.
“I know that Trustee Morales’s talent, skill, and dedication will go far in our efforts to ensure that Salem State continues to thrive as a place of opportunity in the region for generations to come,” Lutts said.
Morales also serves on the Finance and Facilities Committee and the Advancement Committee at SSU, and on the boards of the Bethany Congregational Church in Lynn. She is a member of the North Shore Chamber’s Thrive Advisory Council, and the co-founder and past CEO and president of The Jolgorio de Mass Inc., a nonprofit that advances leadership among Latino youth by supporting and funding educational programs in Boston.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at adunnigan@itemlive.com.
