At the Mystic River Annual Champions breakfast along the Malden River, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) honored and acknowledged three leaders in our communities. Amber Christoffersen, Trails and Greenway Planner at the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Alicia Hunt, Director of Planning, Development & Sustainability at the City of Medford, were awarded the Mystic Leadership Award for their work on the Clippership Connector. Danyal Najmi accepted the Mystic Champion award on behalf of Rosetta Languages.
Amber Christoffersen and Alicia Hunt accept the Mystic Leadership award, presented by Karl Alexander, MyRWA’s Greenways Program Sr. Manager. Photo: Isaiah Johnson
Amber and Alicia received the Mystic Leadership Award, which is given to champions from agencies and municipalities, for their vital contributions toward the decade-long envisioning, development, and construction of the Clippership Connector project, which is set to be open in the coming months. Greenways are places for walking, biking, rolling, and strolling that connect people to places, nature, and each other. The Clippership Connector is a critical ½ mile segment of the MyRWA’s Greenways vision. Alicia, in her role with the City, and Amber, first as the Greenways Director at MyRWA and now in DCR, worked tirelessly to connect the Medford public schools complex with Medford Square, and by virtue the Mystic River Reservation Path, both upstream and downstream into a larger regional greenways network.
“I can safely say that without Alicia and Amber we would still be talking about the need for Clippership Connector,” said Karl Alexander, Senior Greenways Manager. “But thanks to their hard work, leadership, and belief that everyone deserves safe access to our river – we will soon be able to roll, walk, bike, and run safely for 10 miles through this important connection. Truly, they exemplify agency and municipal leaders.”
Danyal Najmi accepts the Mystic Champion Award, presented by Daria Santollani, MyRWA’s Senior Engagement Manager. Photo: Isaiah Johnson
Rosetta Languages received the Champion Award, which is given to leaders in businesses or organizations, for their role, not just as translators and interpreters — but as collaborators, connectors, and community builders. Whether they are digging in the dirt alongside residents to plant trees, or offering time pro bono at meetings where neighbors are finding their voices, staff at Rosetta Languages are there for this watershed and our residents. The team at Rosetta Languages, led by Danyal Najmi, embodies the spirit of equity, access, and environmental justice, and helped ensure that language is not a barrier to engagement, but a bridge toward deeper connection.
“Through their partnership, more residents — especially those from communities who have historically been excluded from environmental decision-making — have been able to fully participate in shaping the future of the watershed,” said Daria Santollani, Senior Engagement Manager. “Rosetta hasn’t just translated words; they’ve helped translate power.”
The work of the Mystic River Watershed Association would not be possible without the commitment and hard work of its partners - from state and federal agencies to elected officials and municipal staff to local residents and community leaders who all strive to create change and make the Mystic River watershed a safe, clean, and resilient place to live, work, and play.
