RIZE Massachusetts Adds New Hires to its Executive Team — Seasoned professionals will bolster program development and public affairs

RIZE News

September 27, 2021

For Immediate Release: September 27, 2021

BOSTON — September 27 — RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), an independent nonprofit
foundation working to end the overdose epidemic in Massachusetts, today announced the
appointment of Dr. Thérèse Fitzgerald as chief program officer and Kathleen Glunz Skarin as
senior engagement officer. Both bring decades of experience and seasoned leadership to their
respective posts.

“With the two experienced professionals we have in Thérèse and Kathleen, RIZE is building its
team to meet this important moment given the state of the overdose epidemic in Massachusetts,”
said RIZE President & CEO Julie Burns. “Their public health expertise and demonstrated
success building coalitions to effect change will enable RIZE to make a real impact on our work
to end the overdose crisis.”

Thérèse Fitzgerald, Chief Program Officer

Thérèse Fitzgerald, PhD, MSW is joining RIZE as chief program officer. In her new role,
Thérèse will lead the strategic growth of RIZE’s grantmaking and programmatic initiatives,
helping scale the foundation’s efforts to achieve its vision of zero stigma and zero deaths.
Dr. Fitzgerald has spent her career working to improve health care for underserved populations
as a researcher, policy expert, and advocate. Before joining RIZE, Thérèse served as the director
of research for The American City Coalition (TACC) conducting community-based research to
address the social determinants of health in marginalized communities. Prior to her work at
TACC, she was the director of healthcare research, analytics & insights at the Massachusetts
Medical Society. Thérèse also served as the director of women’s health policy & advocacy at the
Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health & Gender Biology at Brigham and
Women’s Hospital advocating for changes in public policy locally, nationally, and globally.

She has extensive research and policy experience in the field of addiction having served as the
associate director of the Center for Addiction Research and Services (CARS) at Boston
University’s School of Social Work andcontinues her work in higher education teaching and
mentoring as an instructor of practice at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health
and as a lecturer at Boston University School of Social Work.

Dr. Fitzgerald received her PhD and MSW from Boston University and a BS from the University
of Massachusetts Boston in Management and Psychology.

Kathleen Glunz Skarin, Senior Engagement Officer

Kathleen Glunz Skarin is senior engagement officer at RIZE Massachusetts Foundation. In this
role, Kathleen oversees public affairs, including government relations, communications, and
board relations. Prior to her position at RIZE, Kathleen spent more than 25 years in high-
intensity political and professional environments. Her career began in Washington, DC in the
United States Senate where she served on the legislative staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
After four years in the Senate, she joined Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Washington office where
she spent seven years working with Congress and the executive branch on issues important to the
city of Chicago.

After moving to Boston in 2005, she held several senior executive and management positions in
the public sector. She served as staff director on two committees in the Massachusetts
Legislature: The Joint Committee on Public Health (2007-2009) and the Joint Committee on
Financial Services (2009-2011). During this time, she managed the daily operations of the
respective committees and developed the policy agenda with the chairman and committee staff.
As chief of staff at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office for nearly a decade, she served as a member of
the sheriff’s command staff and was involved in executing priority initiatives, including the
medication assisted treatment pilot program involving several Massachusetts sheriffs.
Most recently as director of strategic partnerships for the New England Aquarium, Kathleen
identified and established affiliate relationships in support of strategic priorities for the New
England Aquarium.

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About RIZE Massachusetts

RIZE Massachusetts is an independent nonprofit foundation committed to achieving zero stigma
and zero deaths related to opioid use disorder by investing in meaningful solutions and
employing broad perspectives that will save lives, reduce harm, and end the opioid epidemic in
Massachusetts.

Position Summary

The Massachusetts Harm Reduction Workforce Coalition (MAHRWC), established in 2024, is a statewide organization designed to strengthen, connect, and sustain the harm reduction workforce across Massachusetts through community, training, mutual support, and collective action.

The first of its kind in Massachusetts, MAHRWC continues to grow its network of harm reduction workers, advocates, and partners committed to saving lives and advancing justice across the Commonwealth.

The project coordinator will be fully dedicated to MAHRWC, providing day-to-day support for coalition operations, communications, and member engagement. This role helps ensure coalition activities run smoothly by:

  • Managing administrative systems and internal coordination.
  • Coordinating meetings, events, agendas, and follow-up materials.
  • Supporting data tracking, reporting, and documentation.
  • Serving as a key point of contact for members, partners, and other stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, committed to public health and harm reduction principles, and comfortable working with diverse stakeholders, including community-based organizations, healthcare providers, policymakers, and people with lived and living experience.

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Administrative & Operational Support

  • Manage coalition calendars, schedules, and meeting logistics.
  • Coordinate virtual and in-person meetings, including agenda preparation and note-taking. This includes the coalition advisory board's regular bimonthly meetings.
  • Maintain shared drives, databases, and internal documentation systems (Google Suite, Zoom, Constant Contact).
  • Support the executive director with activities related to contract and grant reporting.
  • Provide logistical support for trainings, conferences, and coalition events.

2. Communications & Member Engagement

  • Serve as the first point of contact for coalition inquiries.
  • Maintain membership lists and distribution groups.
  • Draft and distribute newsletters, meeting summaries, and updates.
  • Support social media and website updates (if applicable) alongside other staff and consultants.
  • Assist in preparing reports, briefs, and presentations.

3. Data & Reporting Support

  • Track coalition activities, deliverables, and metrics.
  • Assist with grant reporting and compliance documentation.
  • Compile and organize workforce data and partner updates.

4. Event & Training Coordination

  • Coordinate registration and materials for workforce training along with the training coordinator.
  • Support the training coordinator with speaker communication and event logistics.
  • Gather participant feedback and evaluation data.

 

Qualifications

Required

  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual meeting platforms
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

  • Experience in public health, behavioral health, or harm reduction
  • Familiarity with workforce development initiatives
  • Experience supporting coalitions or multi-partner collaborations
  • Experience working with communities disproportionately impacted by substance use and overdose

Core Competencies

  • Commitment to harm reduction philosophy and health equity
  • Cultural humility and trauma-informed approach
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative mindset
  • High level of discretion and professionalism

 

Work Environment

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), launched in 2017, is the only public-private partnership dedicated to ending the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, creating programming, and supporting community partners using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment. Since its inception, RIZE has awarded over $30 million to more than 275 organizations aligned with its mission.

As MAHRWC’s fiscal partner, RIZE provides financial and administrative support while respecting the group's autonomy and self-determination and supports the coalition’s efforts to dismantle systemic inequities and help build a future where compassion, dignity, and support replace stigma and neglect.

This position reports to RIZE’s chief program officer and works closely with the chief executive officer. It is a full-time, hybrid role with the expectation of two days in the office. RIZE is in downtown Boston, and occasional travel, primarily in-state, will be required for meetings and events as needed. This role may require evening and occasional weekend work.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, or other status protected under the law.

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