Rachel Meketon Email & Phone Number

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

• Guides process facilitation and sets strategic direction for equity-driven small business, workforce, and economic development projects as a member of the Equitable Economic Development team• Collaborates with cross-functional teams on the development of community wealth building strategies • Advances local economic development through trainings, coaching, guidebooks, and learning tools• Conducts research on best practices and policies, interviews stakeholders, and builds case studies• Strengthens connections between clients, community stakeholders, and economic development leaders • Supports team members in the management of a portfolio of contracts and projects for HUD• Composes project proposals with scope of work and resource allocation • Tracks weekly KPI’s, accomplishments, tasks, and progress for projects, offering updates to leadership

Dayton, Ohio, United States

• Spearheaded program development for a non-profit that incubates mission-driven cooperative enterprises that expand access to good jobs, fresh food, quality housing, and responsive health care • Provided technical assistance to 100+ activists and entrepreneurs, representing 20 cooperative enterprises, supporting their ventures with market research, business plan development, financial modeling, and governance• Coordinated and facilitated speaking engagements for co-op educational sessions and workshops, bringing in subject matter experts to offer guidance to the community of cooperative entrepreneurs • Developed accountability structures, inclusive decision-making processes, and open book finances within the organization, while sustainably growing the budget and staff to advance the mission • Served as the POC for the Board of Directors for governance, strategic planning, financial reports, annual budgets, grant applications, and regular compliance and reporting requirements • Facilitated and streamlined staff meetings with trainings, agendas, and task management toolsKey Accomplishments: • Partnered with local co-op founders and business organizations to design and launch a 9-month program to support teams of co-op entrepreneurs in building their business models, resulting in the establishment of 6 enterprises and 30 jobs by 2021• Worked closely with co-op leaders to develop plans, engage community members, write grant applications, and utilize New Markets Tax Credits, resulting in the successful opening of a $7M grocery co-op that had 3,000+ community members invested in the business before launch• Successfully raised more than $2M in 2021 for the organization through effective proposal writing to corporate and philanthropic foundations, government agencies, and high-net-worth individuals

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

• Completed multiple projects in support of local agencies with research and analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning• Assembled reports and presentations that displayed research with case studies, Excel models, GIS and other data visualizations• Led meetings with businesses, employees, community members, and other key stakeholders to gain insights and build consensusKey Accomplishments: • Completed extensive research for the City of Somerville on mitigating and adapting to climate change through their zoning code, leading to the city’s adoption of major zoning policy changes • Contributed to the analysis of the local healthcare industry and workforce opportunities for the City of Brockton, completing research, drafting, and presenting a comprehensive economic development plan that included pathways for local workers to access a projected 2,000 additional healthcare jobs• Organized the union employees of a contract cleaning company at Boston Logan Airport, conducting assessments of employment needs in efforts to cultivate leadership and address management issues • Worked closely with the Executive Director of the Brookline Housing Authority to research and design initiatives that increased financial services for residents as outlined in the Authority's strategic plan

Lowell, Ma

• Collaborated with labor, community, and faith organizations in Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill to successfully pass statewide minimum wage and earned sick time policies• Led the canvassing operation in the cities of Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, analyzing maps, creating territories, and tracking progress• Hired and managed 15 canvassers that educated community members on the legislative proposals• Prepared talking points for canvassers and trained the team to communicate policy effectively Key Accomplishments: • Successfully led canvassing campaign, contributing to a majority vote in favor of statewide earned sick time

Chelsea, Ma

• Expanded community relations in Revere, MA for a nonprofit organization focused on equitable revitalization of low-income neighborhoods• Engaged community partners, managed and funded neighborhood revitalization projects • Partnered with the City of Revere and Metropolitan Area Planning Council to coordinate a comprehensive neighborhood planning process, including small business priorities for the commercial district • Mentored and managed teams of canvassers to drive community engagement for multiple campaigns• Organized and facilitated a neighborhood association, conducting meetings and addressing residents’ concerns while developing leaders and citizen activists within the communityKey Accomplishments: • Spearheaded a significant increase in meeting and event participation from 50 people in 2010 to 1,500 unique individuals in 2012 and 2013 through effective relationship cultivation, canvassing strategies, and partnership development• Organized and facilitated 200+ public meetings and events, tracking attendance data in Salesforce and crafting communications to grow and drive civic engagement• Collaborated with the city and other organizations to rebuild the neighborhood playground and revitalize the MBTA Station entry plaza, providing a safe play space for hundreds of children and enhancing neighborhood amenities for residents and businesses

Master In City Planning

Bachelor Of Arts