Debra Mclaughlin Email & Phone Number

Greenfield, Ma

Provide leadership, direction, and capacity building of the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region. Oversee the administration, budget, programs, and strategic plan of the Task Force. Supervise a team of six and work in concert with Task Force's five committees and their workgroups, which focus on health, housing and workforce development, public safety, education, and prevention as well as treatment and recovery. Using a public health approach to policy development and practice, collaborate with a wide range of local, state, and federal partners and policymakers. Work closely with an Executive Council to implement the Task Force's strategic priorities.Also work to secure funding to address community priorities to address opioid misuse, which has resulted in $7,250,000 of new federal and state funding since 2017 to expand the services of the Franklin County Family Drug Court, better serve opioid-affected young adults, ages 16-24 years old in the Western Massachusetts/North Quabbin region, launch a post-opioid overdose follow-up and outreach program, launch a cultural humility initiative, and identify strategies to prevent overdose-related fatalities.

Guilford, Vermont

Founder of consulting practice dedicated to promoting social change in the areas of community development, youth development, arts, and education. For more information, visit: www.kunnusta.com.Client Roster: AFC Mentoring (now Silver Lining Mentoring)American Teenager ProjectBuilding Bright Futures of Southeast VermontFun World MusicMassachusetts Afterschool PartnershipMassachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (Massachusetts Governor's Summit on Afterschool)Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (21st Century Community Learning Centers Program)Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School TimeNellie Mae Education FoundationNew England Network for Child, Youth, and Family Services (now Youth Catalytics)New York City Coalition Against Hunger (now Hunger Free America)Shape Up SomervilleStrong Women, Strong GirlsThe Finance ProjectWinthrop 21st CCLC Program

Williston, Vermont (Remote Office In Guilford, Vermont)

An integral part of state and regional backbone organization to support state-wide early childhood system-building efforts in Vermont, funded by the Race-To-The Top Early Learning Challenge grant. Managed a team of 12 regional coordinators working through 12 regional councils, building their skills, providing technical assistance, capturing knowledge, and sharing best practices state-wide to promote the well-being of Vermont’s families and young children, 0-8 years. Successfully led a regional action planning process, using Theory of Change, producing 12 robust regional action plans, identifying pressing needs, and highlighting actions to improve child outcomes. Worked in five key areas (systems building, collective impact, communications/community outreach, family engagement, and regional council operations) to realize the promise of every Vermont child. Monitored federal and state grant deliverables. Researched, authored, and edited MOUs, Scopes of Work, fact sheets, briefings, reports, and presentations for staff, federal, state-wide and regional audiences. Represented the organization in national, state, and regional settings.

Somerville, Ma

Co-founded event planning and services company that specialized in building community through food, fun, and art that showcased the talents and small business owners in the greater Boston area. Events included Battle for the Bottle Bill with Jimmy Tingle, Trash Bash: Somerville's First Recycled Art Competition, Sproton Layer, Cupcake Camp Boston 2013, which raised funds for the Somerville Winter Farmers Market, and SomTwestival - Somerville's first Twestival, which focused on raising funds for non-profit organizations.https://3gracesproductions.wordpress.com/

Somerville, Massachusetts

Founded and oversaw a vibrant and award-winning community arts center in a historic armory in Somerville. Supervised a team of nearly 20 full and part-time staff to manage a 7,000-square-foot performance hall and a newly opened 1,400-square-foot cafe serving over 30,000 adults and over 3,000 youth. Hosted arts, cultural, corporate, private, and non-profit events. Produced and curated art shows and developed other arts, cultural and community programming. Engaged in strategic planning, budget development, community relations, marketing, grant writing, and fundraising. Wrote by-laws, Articles of Incorporation, and set up Board of Directors. Acted as liaison to municipal government for all zoning, permit, and community meetings. Helped secure entertainment, Common Victualler, and pro bono beer and wine licenses for the facility. Won Phoenix's Best of Boston for Best Non-Gallery Art Space for 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Quincy, Massachusetts

Short-term engagement to support the launch of the foundation's $1.4 M District Level Systems Change Initiative (DLSC) - an effort focusing on student-centered learning in New England. Crafted rubrics and other tools. Created learning opportunities with thought partners for DLSC implementation strategy. Oversaw community asset mapping efforts in 12 New England sites. Wrote "Youth First: A Report of the June 2010 Thought Leader Meetings", which gleaned insights from and for the field to promote student-centered learning and engagement.

Boston, Massachusetts

Managed the largest public/private partnership devoted to children's issues in Boston's history serving 5,000 urban children and youth. Fifteen different municipal, corporate, education, and private foundations invested over $35M over 5-years to improve access, improve learning and sustain out-of-school time programming for Boston's youth population. Oversaw allocation process of nearly $7M of pooled grant funds to over 70 different youth-serving agencies. Supervised four staff and over 10 consultants that staffed Partnership’s multiple workgroups and research projects including parent, teen, and provider surveys and research papers.Part of the team that secured a $750,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and oversaw the transition to merge Partnership with a city agency to create a new entity (www.bostonbeyond.org) into a thriving and robust non-profit.

Boston, Massachusetts

Held senior position in Governor’s cabinet-level agency to advise on health and human service policy.Managed three statewide initiatives worth $7M to address the needs of high-risk youth. Supervised staff and consultants. Wrote RFPs and allocated funds, monitored grant compliance, developed work and technical assistance plans, and convened statewide technical assistance meetings. Staffed a 16-member state agency committee, including the Governor’s Office, devoted to working on statewide after-school opportunities. Oversaw development of report about state role. Helped develop MassCares Initiative – a rural technology project increasing access to existing human services. Wrote a three-year $536,500 federal grant to support this effort; one of 35 grants funded from 661 applications in the United States.

Amherst, Massachusetts

Worked in a non-profit organization to address the health and human services needs of rural residents. Designed Rural Health Outreach Program and successfully obtained a three-year federal grant to launch this new effort; one of 30 funded in the U.S.Member of an international consortium to teach community development and organizing to Russian community activists. Organized a successful two-week site visit of a Russian delegation to the U.S. Co-founded two state associations created to support community leaders.

Greenfield, Massachusetts

Appointed position in county government that was responsible for coordinating human services in 26 rural towns. Distributed nearly $200,000 of grants annually to address a range of human service needs. Created and oversaw four federal and state-funded community-based coalition prevention efforts that addressed teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and smoking, which lead to the formation of the Brick House Community Resource Center and the Community Coalition for Teens (now called Communities That Care - Partnership for Youth).

Greenfield, Massachusetts

Taught introductory level courses for Human Services Associates Degree program.

Greenfield, Ma

Worked directly with low-income teens and adults to help them find work in the Franklin County and North Quabbin regions when known as the Franklin/Hampshire Employment and Training Center.Developed and taught employment workshops for low-income adults and teens. Counseled individuals on networking, interviewing, resume development, communication skills, and job search.