After a lengthy redistricting process following the results of the 2020 Census, the 193rd session of the Massachusetts Senate & House of Representatives kicked off with a few new faces representing districts across the Commonwealth. In the Merrimack Valley alone, there are six Representatives and one Senator serving for the first time in the state legislature. Each of these new legislators comes from a variety of backgrounds and collectively bring decades of knowledge and experience into their new roles. We have highlighted their bios below, as well as information on the communities they serve within the Merrimack Valley and their respective committee assignments for this legislative session.
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission looks forward to working with all of our State Representatives and Senators to further support our communities and the region.
State Representatives
Rep. Dawne Shand – 1st Essex District (D-Newburyport)
Originally from Selma, Alabama, Rep. Shand has been a Newburyport resident for the last twenty years. In 2017, she founded the North Shore chapter of the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, a non-partisan organization working towards electing more women to public office. She went on to manage a congressional campaign in 2020 before becoming the President of MWPC.
Communities: Newburyport, Merrimac, Salisbury, and Amesbury (Precincts 2-5)
Committees: Intergovernmental Affairs; Cannabis Policy; Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities; Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure; Municipalities & Regional Government
Rep. Kristin Kassner – 2nd Essex District (D-Hamilton)
After a recount was conducted, Rep. Kassner became the most recent legislator to be sworn into the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Prior to being elected, Kristin previously worked as the Planning Director for the Town of Burlington and has over twenty years of community planning experience. She also served as the President of the American Planning Association’s Massachusetts chapter.
Communities: Georgetown, Hamilton, Ipswich, Newbury, Rowley, Topsfield (Precinct 1)
Committees: Environment & Natural Resources; Public Health; Agriculture; and Global Warming & Climate Change
Rep. Estela Reyes – 4th Essex District (D-Lawrence)
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Rep. Reyes has lived in the City of Lawrence for over thirty years. She served as a five-term Lawrence City Councilor, most recently as the council’s Vice President. As a City Councilor, she served as a member of the Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) which advised the mayor on the distribution of Lawrence’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
Communities: Lawrence (Ward A Precincts 1 & 2, and Ward B) and Methuen (Precincts 1, 2, 4, 6A, 13, 14, and 15)
Committees: Bonding, Capital Expenditures & State Assets; Intergovernmental Affairs; Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure; State Administration & Regulatory Oversight; and Veterans & Federal Affairs
Rep. Adrianne Ramos – 14th Essex District (D-North Andover)
As a partner at the law firm Prince Lobel, Rep. Ramos specializes in family law and was named one of Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers in 2022. Originally from Abington, Massachusetts, she attended New England Law in Boston before settling in the Merrimack Valley.
Communities: Groveland, West Newbury, Amesbury (Precincts 1 & 6), Boxford (Precincts 2 & 3), and North Andover (Precincts 1-6)
Committees: Post Audit & Oversight; Advance Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity; Children Families, and Persons with Disabilities; and Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development
Rep. Ryan Hamilton – 15th Essex District (D-Methuen)
Prior to being elected as one of the youngest state representatives in Massachusetts, Rep. Hamilton served as an At-Large City Councilor for the City of Methuen in 2017. He went on to work for Congresswoman Lori Trahan and Methuen Mayor Neil Perry before graduating with a Bachelor’s degree from UMass Lowell in 2021.
Communities: Methuen (Precincts 5, 6, and 8-12) and Haverhill (Ward 2 Precincts 1 & 2; Ward 5 Precincts 1, 1A, 2, and 3; Ward 7 Precincts 1, 2, 2A, and 3A)
Committees: Financial Services; Higher Education; Municipalities & Regional Government; and Federal Stimulus & Census Oversight
Rep. Francisco Paulino – 16th Essex District (D-Methuen)
As a resident of the Merrimack Valley for over twenty years, Rep. Paulino began his career in public service as a community activist and a Lawrence School Committee member. He has a professional background as a tax associate, has a law degree from Suffolk University, and is also a small business owner.
Communities: Methuen (Precincts 3, 7, and 13A) and Lawrence (Ward A Precincts 2A, 3, and 4; Ward E Precincts 1A, 2, 3, and 4; and Ward F)
Committees: Federal Stimulus & Census Oversight; Emergency Preparedness & Management; Public Safety & Homeland Security; and Revenue
State Senate
Senator Pavel Payano – First Essex District (D-Lawrence)
Prior to his election to the State Senate, Senator Payano served the city of Lawrence for over a decade, first as a School Committee member and most recently as a City Councilor At-Large. He has experience working as a social worker for the Department of Transitional Assistance, as a graduate professor at Merrimack College, and as a math teacher for the Department of Youth Services. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UMass Amherst, a Master’s in Public Affairs from UMass Boston, and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.
Communities: Lawrence, Methuen, and Haverhill (Ward 1 Precincts 1, 2, and 3; Ward 2 Precinct 3; Ward 3 Precincts 1, 2, and 3; Ward 5 Precinct 1A; Ward 6 Precinct 2A; and Ward 7 Precinct 2A
Committees: Community Development & Small Business – Chair; Advanced Information Technology, the Internet, and Cybersecurity – Vice Chair; Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets; Cannabis Policy; Higher Education; Municipalities & Regional Government; Public Health; and Public Service