Elaine Fersh

Elaine (Lainy) Fersh

Lainy Fersh is the Principal of Community Matters, a consulting firm based in Boston, MA. Established in 2001, Community Matters works with non-profit organizations, labor unions and public institutions to define and pursue new goals, effective strategies, and systemic changes.. Lainy brings extensive experience in non-profit management and organizational development from her long-term leadership of an advocacy and constituency-based organization with a deep commitment to racial justice and organizational equity and inclusion. Her work with organizations often includes: strategic planning, meeting planning and facilitation, program development, supporting teams, and leadership coaching.

As a long-time coach, Lainy encourages leaders to use coaching sessions to explore particular issues or situations through an adult learning cycle that invites them to share their experiences or particular situations, and in dialog, to reflect, discover, and apply what they are learning through this process to new or similar experiences. She actively encourages leaders to explore their identities, how they may impact their perspectives and actions, and what it means to work across difference when working with others.

Lainy has been a member of SEIU’s BOLD Center Faculty since 2005 and has worked extensively with Locals in each of SEIU’s sectors to support individual and team leadership development and organizational change. She co-facilitated SEIU’s BOLD/Rockwood Leadership program from 2014-2019 and is currently serving as the BOLD Center’s Interim Coaching Manager. She holds a B.A from the State University at Buffalo and an M.Ed in Counseling from Northeastern University.