Acton civic leader honored as 2025 Commonwealth Heroine

Kristen Varsames Tyson has taken on tough legal cases, chaired foundations, and wrangled non-profit budgets. But ask her what accomplishment tops the list, and she’ll point to her kids.

Tyson was recently named a 2025 Commonwealth Heroine, an annual honor recognizing women who make extraordinary contributions to their communities. The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women presents the award, with recipients nominated by their state legislators. 

Despite the accolades, Tyson expressed humility about the recognition. “Being a mom is the best part of all of this,” she said. “You can only hope to create good citizens, and I feel like my kids are awesome people.”

Tyson’s involvement in the community has been shaped by the values she wants to pass on to her children, she said. She has volunteered with the National Charity League, where mothers and daughters collaborate to support local causes. Tyson’s eldest daughter, now a college freshman, participated in the NCL while in high school, and her youngest has just started with the organization.

Tyson has held leadership roles with local organizations, including the Acton-Carlisle Community Foundation and the Alcott Elementary School Parent-Teacher Group. 

With the help of the rest of the executive team, she and the community foundation raised and distributed more than $500,000 annually to individuals in need and the organizations that assist them. 

She also helped start the Community Closet, a free resource for residents of Acton and Carlisle. Created in partnership with TriCon Church, the Community Closet provides items such as clothing, household goods, and personal care items to those who need them. 

What made Tyson get so involved with her community? Her response: “How can you say no when you know there’s all this need?” 

State Rep. Simon Cataldo, who nominated Tyson, sang her praises. “Krissy’s blend of leadership, advocacy, and collaboration makes her stand out among the many successful civic leaders in the 14th Middlesex District,” he said in a news release about Tyson, who has worked as a bar advocate since 2017. 

“Her dedicated and skillful commitment to the Acton-Carlisle community and the clients that she serves in her law practice make her the perfect addition to this year’s Commonwealth Heroines class.”

Tyson gives much of the credit back to others in her community, noting that her sense of responsibility is a shared trait among many local mothers. 

“I don’t know a single woman in our community who’s not volunteering somewhere, balancing raising their children, being a wife, a daughter, a sister,” she said. “That is just what we do.”