top of page
About Us
The mission of Know Your Neighbor Woburn is to foster and grow beloved, multicultural community within the city of Woburn, Massachusetts and the surrounding region. We achieve this by organizing and sponsoring a variety of friendly, welcoming, and inclusive events, designed to connect people from diverse cultures and faith communities. Organizers, Volunteers and Board members are a diverse and multicultural group of activists who are dedicated to growing equity, diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in our community.
Our events celebrate the region’s rich ethnic and cultural heritage, featuring music, food, dance, art, speaking programs, poetry, storytelling, and activities. Additionally, we develop programming that specifically enhances diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. These programs include educational workshops, cultural celebrations, community conversations, and community service projects that encourage
community building, mutual understanding, and respect.
To date, thousands of people have attended and participated in these events, reflecting a broad representation of the city’s diverse community. Through our continued efforts, we strive to build a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community where everyone feels welcomed, heard, valued, and connected.
Meet our Board
Chris DiMeo (he/him/his)
President and Executive Director
Chris is a retired IT executive with over 3 decades of experience in community organizing, social justice advocacy, and electoral politics, including 3 Presidential campaigns. He has worked in a wide range of roles including marketing, media communication, messaging strategy, field operations, volunteer recruiting, training and community outreach. With extensive experience in events planning and management, he has produced numerous community, multicultural, performance and visual arts events locally, throughout New England, and in New York City. A social justice activist, his advocacy has focused on racial justice, immigrant and refugee advocacy, criminal justice reform, as well as disability and LGBTQ+ rights. He is a Board member of the Youth Advocacy Foundation (EdLaw Project), founding member of the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, an active member of Woburn Welcomes, the Mystic Valley NAACP, has served on the Juneteenth Woburn committee, and is Ward 7 Chair of the Woburn Democratic City Committee.
Chris strives to be a culture change agent, and has a graduate certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Suffolk University.
Rob Toro
Vice President and Board Member
The owner of Toro Construction, Rob is a dedicated community activist and organizer, and currently serves the City of Woburn as Councilor at Large. With an educational and professional background in criminal justice, he is currently an active member of the Woburn Host Lions Club, and a member of the Woburn Disability Commission.
A longtime supporter of Woburn youth sports, he has been a Massachusetts Special Olympics volunteer for 15 years. Rob’s passion for community service includes providing scholarships for High School graduating seniors entering trade programs, and hosting events celebrating children and families including annual Ice Cream social, Back to School event, Woburn Porchfest, and Christmas Giving initiative. Rob is also an organizer of the Host Lions Club’s Annual Halloween Parade.
Robert Saoud
Treasurer and Board Member
Robert has over 30 years experience in the banking and financial services industry and is currently Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of Fidelity Investments. In addition to his primary career, Robert is a professional actor, singer, and cabaret performer and a member of Actors Equity Association (AEA). He has performed extensively throughout New England and in Boston and New York as well as engagements throughout the United States.
In addition to serving as Know Your Neighbor Woburn’s Treasurer, Robert is a member of the Board of the Theater Community Benevolent Fund. Robert holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from New Hampshire College.
Richard Haggerty
Board Member
Rich represents the 30th Middlesex District as State Representative in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Rich serves as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, and serves on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, along with the House Committee on Human Resources and Employee Engagement. Prior to election to the State Legislature, he was Woburn’s longest serving City Council President and was five times elected City Councilor at Large.
In addition to serving on the Board of Know Your Neighbor Woburn, Rich also serves on the Boards of the Woburn Friends of VNA, the Middlesex County Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Partnership, and is an active member of the Woburn Historical Society.
Julie Gage
Board Member
Julie is Executive Director of the James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club of Woburn. She has been with the Club since 2004 and has served as both the Arts & Education Director and Director of Program Development. She is a graduate of Bates College where her passion for working with youth developed as she designed ELL programs for Somali immigrant students in local schools. In 2014, she completed the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership program at Boston University and her programs have been honored for excellence both regionally and nationally.
In addition to serving on the Board of Know Your Neighbor Woburn, Julie also serves as President of the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and is a member of the Woburn Cultural Council.
Omar Mohuddin
Board Member
Omar grew up in Woburn with his Somali family and currently studies Business Administration with a concentration in Finance at Northeastern University on a full scholarship. He was Class President of Woburn Memorial High School Class of 2022 where he was a member of the Wrestling Team, Captain of both the Track and Cross Country teams, and an active member of several clubs and organizations including the embRACE Club.
Omar’s passion for community building and community service includes volunteering and leadership on Juneteenth Woburn and Know Your Neighbor Woburn events and he has advocated before the Woburn School Committee on numerous occasions. Omar was a candidate for Mayor of Woburn in the September 2023 preliminary election. Recently, Omar has been expanding his influence beyond the local community, including appearances on regional panels and national broadcast programs. Notably, he has recently appeared on PBS's "Stories From The Stage" sharing his unique perspective and insights on youth empowerment and activism.
As he continues to expand his work in academic, business, and community spaces, Omar remains dedicated to uplifting voices, driving positive change, and inspiring future leaders.
Mary Paris (she/her/hers)
Board Member
Mary, a lifelong resident of Woburn, is deeply committed to community building and uniting people. With a degree in Criminology and Sociology from Merrimack College, Mary has honed her skills to create and foster connections. As a Human Resources professional in the technology industry, her career journey reflects her passion for building relationships, facilitating collaboration, and advocating for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) programs within the workplace.
Beyond her career, Mary remains dedicated to activism and social justice causes. She strives to make a meaningful impact by bringing people together and championing the values of connection and inclusivity to create positive change in our community.
Anthony Langone Jr.
Board Member
A life-long Woburn resident, Air Force veteran, dedicated public servant, and community organizer, Anthony has been a Know Your Neighbor Woburn supporter since the outset of our initiative.
Since returning home, he has taken an active role in Woburn’s United Veterans Council and Disabled American Veterans’ chapter, helping organize and provide services to our city’s proud veteran community. Anthony is currently the Communications Specialist for the recently formed Office of the Veteran Advocate (OVA), an independent state agency dedicated to safeguarding the well-being and upholding the rights of the veteran community in the Commonwealth. He has previously served as the Chief of Staff at the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), And he has also worked as the Community and Digital Coordinator for the Commonwealth’s Veterans Office and as Legislative Aide to State Rep. Rich Haggerty. In addition to serving on the Board of Know Your Neighbor Woburn, Anthony volunteers as a Community Garden Coordinator and has served as Commissioner on Woburn’s Traffic and Conservation Commissions.
Anthony hopes to continue assisting our team with our online digital design and marketing, and increase outreach to Woburn’s veteran and youth community.
Andrins Renaudin
Board Member
Andrins currently serves as Shelter Services Director for the International Institute of New England providing services to clients in emergency shelters. A founding member of the Woburn Refugee Taskforce, she provides a lifeline for social, emotional, and trauma-informed care. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Cognitive Holistic Healing, a non-profit that provides mental health literacy support for parents with children with mental health diagnoses. She currently serves as the Document Translation Team Lead at the Haitian American Medical Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering culturally and linguistically appropriate health related resources to the Haitian community. She also contributed to their mission where she served as a board member for 7 years.
A community activist, Andrins is a Know Your Neighbor Woburn organizer and has recently been Honored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts House of Representatives with a Black Excellence on the Hill award.
Charles (Chuck) Viola
Board Member
A lifelong Woburnite with a long history of community service, activism, and public service, Chuck has been a Know Your Neighbor supporter and champion since its inception.
Chuck is a graduate of Middlesex Community College with a degree in Criminal Justice and has worked for the Middlesex Sherriff’s Office for the past 18 years as a Correctional Officer. In his professional and personal mission, Chuck has been dedicated to extensive work with young adults as a mentor and life skills and leadership development coach. A dedicated public servant, Chuck has an established track record of successfully investing personal time, energy, and enthusiasm in projects that enhance the quality of life for Woburn’s families and serves on the Woburn City Council representing Ward 7 (Woburn’s west side).
Chuck believes that multicultural community building is the essential foundation of an inclusive, diverse, vibrant, and thriving community where everyone is heard, valued, and respected.
Shafiq Ssemwogerere
Board Member
Shafiq’s journey from Uganda led him to Woburn in 2019 where he has dedicated himself to community service, community building and leadership. A nursing professional, he has diverse professional experience in Healthcare, Mental Health, Nursing, and Real Estate services. He is the President and Founder of FIQ Services, Inc., a property maintenance firm, and currently works as Lead Nurse at Mass General Brigham’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and at Boston Medical Center. Shafiq has recently coached the Boys & Girls Club Intrepid Keystone Club’s team in the SCI’s Youth Grant Pitch Contest and has enjoyed supporting their dreams, fostering their entrepreneurial spirit, and witnessing their professional growth. Shafiq is also Chair of Uganda Muslim Youth of Boston.
He is a Know Your Neighbor Woburn organizer and has recently appeared as a guest speaker in the “Sharing Our Stories” series. Shafiq is also overjoyed at recently becoming a Woburn homeowner.
bottom of page