Speaker Series: Salem stories with District Attorney Paul Tucker, Representative Manny Cruz, and Salem City Councilor Caroline Watson-Felt.

PAUL F. TUCKER

Paul F. Tucker is a lifelong resident of Essex County and has spent his entire career devoted to law enforcement. A basketball player in the Salem High Class of 1976, Tucker graduated from Salem State College. He began his career as a campus police officer before joining the Nashua, N.H., Police Department. He soon returned home and joined the Salem Police Department in 1983 as a patrol officer. Over the course of his career, he earned a masters degree from Anna Maria College. He also rose to detective, chief of detectives and, ultimately, chief of police in 2009. In that position, he managed a staff of over 100 and a budget exceeding $10 million.

Along the way, Tucker attended the FBI National Academy, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and directed the North Shore Drug Task Force. He also spent nights attending the Massachusetts School of Law, from which he received his juris doctor. In addition, he spent over 20 years teaching criminal justice at Endicott College and Salem State.

In 2014, Tucker stepped down as chief and was elected to represent Salem in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He was a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and focused his legislative attention on criminal justice issues.

In 2022, he was elected Essex County District Attorney, leading a staff of nearly 200 to serve and protect the residents of 34 cities and towns extending from Lynn to Gloucester, Lawrence and Newburyport.

He and his wife, Ann, have three children, six grandchildren – and four dogs.

MANNY CRUZ

Manny Cruz is an elected school committee member, entrepreneur, and community leader in the city of Salem and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Upon graduating from the Salem Public Schools, he attended Salem State University and he later transferred to Northeastern University where he graduated with honors and a degree in Political Science.

Manny previously served as the legislative aide for former State Representative Juana Matias (D, Lawrence) and State Representative Paul F. Tucker (D, Salem) where he specialized in education and immigration policy. In 2017 Manny became an elected member of the Salem School Committee where he now serves the students and families of the Salem Public School District. Manny is the first Afro-Latino of Dominican descent to serve on the Salem School Committee. He has been appointed to the Personnel, Policy, and Building and Grounds subcommittees, and also serves as the school committee’s liaison on student voice. Manny now serves as a Senior Policy Fellow for Latinos for Education and leads organizations efforts to close the digital divide and is the senior policy advisory to the Educator Diversity Act Coalition.

On his personal time, Manny is a mentor for youth and is highly involved with youth-serving organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem, and LEAP for Education. He serves on the boards of LEAP for Education, The Massachusetts Alliance for Early College and Plummer Youth Promise.

In 2022 he successfully campaigned in a 3-way democratic primary to join the Massachusetts House of Representatives and was elected as the first Afro-Latino State Representative for the 7th Essex District-Salem.

CAROLINE WATSON-FELT

Caroline Watson-Felt is a life-long Salem resident, graduate of Salem State University, local nonprofit leader and Salem’s Ward 2 City Councillor.

In her day-to-day work life, Caroline is currently a Communications strategist and Change Lead for FM Global, one of the world’s largest leading Risk Engineering Consultancies and Commercial Insurance Underwriters. Her diverse professional background includes roles as special event planner, project manager, head of experience and engagement, and communications consultant.

In service to Salem, Caroline joined the workforce at the age of seventeen as part of the Salem Partnership team. Later Caroline joined the staff of Mayor’s Office during the Usovicz Administration as the Principal Clerk, and in 2020 served as the Executive Director of the Woman’s Friend Society. Caroline’s volunteer work extends across a host of organizations in the city including Salem Main Streets, Salem Theatre Company, Go Out Loud, and Historic Salem Inc. (President 2020-2022). She is currently a member of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board.

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance, Caroline truly believes in the power of language, human connection, and that it is imperative to speak the truth no matter the risk. She resides in Salem’s Bridge Street Neck with her wife Catherine, their son Gavin, two cats, one dog, and two fish.