"Jim Jordan worked with our public safety staff and community leaders to help develop our newly formed team and create a winning strategic plan. His expertise and personality won over a hesitant staff and helped us improve upon initial designs and plans."

— Andrew Scribner-McClean
The Reading, MA Police Department

Liz O'Connor

Jim Jordan

Jennifer Freeman

Kathleen Traphagen

Jill Asser

Brenda Noel

 

Kathleen Traphagen

Consultant

Biography:
Kathleen Traphagen developed expertise in school & non-profit partnerships, after-school programming, youth development, early childhood care & education, and workforce development through nearly 20 years in the non-profit and government sectors.

Before becoming an independent consultant, Kathleen was Executive Director of the Mayor's 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative in Boston, where she worked closely with the Boston Public Schools and community-based organizations to expand and improve after-school programming for Boston's young people. Previously, Kathleen was on staff of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Office of Intergovernmental Relations (IGR). In IGR, Kathleen led efforts to encourage city departments and the Boston Public Schools to collaborate strategically with each other, non-profits, and the funding community to access significant federal, state and private resources. Kathleen was also a Senior Planner for Action for Boston Community Development, the city's anti-poverty agency. Kathleen received her BA in Professional Writing with University Honors from Carnegie Mellon University and her MBA from Northeastern University, where she was honored for the highest academic achievement in her graduating class.

Experience:
A few of Kathleen's recent projects include:

• Serving as Project Director for the Citizen Commission on Academic Success for Boston Children, a diverse 17-member commission that published Transforming the Boston Public Schools: A Roadmap for the New Superintendent in June 2006 (see http://www.massadvocates.org);


• Designing and delivering a training seminar focused on sustainability to members of the Boston Full Service Schools Roundtable, a collaborative focused on advancing the healthy development and academic success of public school students through integrated school/community partnerships;


• Completing strategic communications and sustainable financing plans for a full service elementary school;


• Guiding several school districts as they plan to expand their school day;


• Writing proposals for several after-school programs and university, school and nonprofit partnerships, including: increasing academic achievement among Latino students; ensuring more low- income and students of color attend post-secondary education; and deepening the connections between the school day and after-school program;


• Facilitating a collaborative of Western Massachusetts after-school programs through a discussion on successes, challenges and possibilities for resource sharing and development; and


• Data gathering and analysis about the supply/demand for summer programming in Springfield and Holyoke.