Mary Bellavance has dedicated her professional life to serving the people of Peabody. During her 35+ years with the City of Peabody, she worked with three (3) different mayors where her role was both administrative and supportive in many ways. Her support roles included organizing and executing the City’s trademark International Festival, Concerts and all types of public facing civic events. Mary made sure these event were executed professionally, compassionately and with the highest quality. At every event Mary was always the first person there, the last person to leave, and the least to garner recognition for all that she did. Mary was never looking for the limelight; she was always looking to serve the people.

Upon her retirement Mary went to work for GraVoc on a part-time basis and volunteered her skills to help bring the Peabody Education Foundation to a new and far more impressive level. She made evenings like the George Peabody Legacy Awards memorable for the recipients and the participants. She introduced the Family Festival to engage students and their families in a fun day of outdoor activity. She is currently the co-chair of the foundation and has raised thousands of dollars to support the educational needs of our students. As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Mary has made a great life for herself, her family and all of us who have had the honor of working with her!

The late Maria Branquinho is an inspiring example of what hard work, intelligence, determination, demeanor, and passion can do to achieve the “American Dream.” Raised in a family that founded one of the community’s first folk-dance groups and prioritized education over factory work at age 16, she became a pioneering role model for younger students, especially young women.

Working against stereotypes in a pleasant way and with a quiet determination, she graduated from Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, completed her post-secondary education majoring in languages at Regis College, and embarked upon a career in public service, first in the government world before turning to public education in her home community – first as a German teacher, then as World Languages Department Head.

Dr. Herbert Levine’s remarkable career in education spans decades, reflecting not only professional excellence but an unwavering commitment to stepping forward whenever and wherever he was needed most. He began his journey in public education by teaching in Revere, the very community where he grew up, and has since devoted his life to improving opportunities for others across the entire state of Massachusetts. Over the years, Dr. Levine has repeatedly answered the call to lead districts during critical moments of transition and need, serving as Superintendent in numerous communities including Salem, Blackstone-Millville Regional, Marblehead, Wakefield, and Peabody.

Wherever he went, he consistently brought calm leadership, integrity, compassion, and stability, earning the deep trust of each community he stepped up to guide. Beyond his institutional impact, his influence extends profoundly on a personal level; he served as a cherished mentor to many educators, including the late, beloved Cara Murtagh. Ultimately, Dr. Levine’s legacy lives on through the policies he shaped and the countless leaders he inspired, leaving an immeasurable mark on Peabody and representing the very best of what it means to be an upstanding citizen.