From its inception in 2001, the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund designated in its by-laws that “there shall be an advisory committee” made up of families who lost loved ones on 9/11/01. Who is in a better position to advise a Board of Directors comprised of volunteers from a broad sector of professions and interests, than a representative group of those most affected? Ms. Teresa Mathai was designated to chair this committee which has been a fundamental contributor to every initiative, program and project in which the fund has engaged.

Ms. Mathai, joined by co-chair Christie Coombs, accepted an even more comprehensive responsibility beginning in 2011 as the Family Advisory Committee (FAC) became the core working body of the Fund. The Board of Directors made the decision to phase out the full-time programmatic and administrative staff and proceed as a fully volunteer organization. The achievement of that goal took place over two years and it is a testimony to the energy, will and commitment of the FAC that the mission of the Fund continues unabated.