RIZE Massachusetts Appoints Chief Program Officer and Associate Program Officers

RIZE News

June 18, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Molly McKinney, Ball Consulting Group, LLC
Phone: 617-243-9950; Email: molly@ballcg.com

RIZE Massachusetts Appoints Chief Program Officer and Associate Program Officers

BOSTON, Mass. (June 18, 2024) – RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), an independent nonprofit foundation solely dedicated to funding and creating solutions to end the overdose crisis in Massachusetts, today announced the recent appointments of Jennifer Tracey as chief program officer, along with two new associate program officers, Annmarie Benedict Pagliano and Elizabeth Kinnard.

The program team will manage the strategic growth and implementation of RIZE’s programmatic initiatives, focusing on grants administration, community building and thought leadership. They will work closely with stakeholders to strengthen relationships, networks, philanthropic partnerships, strategic coalitions, and in support of the foundation’s innovative approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment. The team will lead the implementation of comprehensive evaluation and learning strategies to understand and strengthen the foundation’s impact.

“Our grantmaking and programmatic initiatives are the primary function of our organization and we are excited to welcome Jen, Annmarie and Elizabeth to the team,” said RIZE President and CEO Julie Burns. “They are all accomplished professionals with deep appreciation and passion for RIZE’s mission, vision and values.

“Their experience in program design, grantmaking practices and evaluation will be a tremendous asset for our mission, especially as we launch the Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership,” Burns added. Mosaic is a public-private partnership between RIZE and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health specifically designed to support communities and populations that have been historically underserved and have experienced a high rate of opioid-related overdose deaths through support from opioid settlement funds.

Tracey previously served as the inaugural director of the Boston Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services (ORS), the first municipal substance use recovery office in the country that leads all substance use recovery policy and initiatives for the City of Boston. Prior to her tenure at ORS, she served as the director of youth and young adult services for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) developing age-appropriate recovery services for young adults, including the first young adult residential treatment programs, and helped supervise the opening of Massachusetts’ first recovery high schools. Tracey started her career at BSAS as Boston regional manager, overseeing substance use prevention, intervention and support services throughout the city’s neighborhoods.

Tracey served on the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council, where she was instrumental in developing recommendations for the expenditure of the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Trust Fund to mitigate the impacts of the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth. The Dorchester resident earned a bachelor’s degree from Providence College and holds a master’s degree in social work from Salem State University.

Pagliano previously served as grants management consultant at Disability Rights Fund, helping redesign grantmaking processes. She served as migration narrative executive at Social Change Initiative in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she designed and lead a multimillion-dollar grantmaking program to increase the communications capacity of non-governmental agencies welcoming migrants across Europe. Throughout Pagliano’s 14 years at The Atlantic Philanthropies (USA) Inc., she directed grant programs seeking criminal justice reform and protecting human rights.

Pagliano volunteers as a strategy and grantmaking advisor for a fund at the Tides Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and earned a master’s degree in fine arts from The New School.

Kinnard will focus on monitoring, evaluation and learning in her new role at RIZE. She previously served as associate director of implementation science on the HEALing Communities Study at Boston Medical Center, focused on reducing overdose deaths in Massachusetts through community-engaged research. Kinnard also served as a research analyst in the behavioral health research division of RTI International, conducting research on disparities in access to naloxone. She supported state and national organizations in substance use disorder advocacy as a program associate for Community Catalyst.

Kinnard earned a bachelor’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in behavioral and social health services from Brown University. She holds a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley.

About RIZE Massachusetts

RIZE Massachusetts is solely dedicated to funding and creating solutions to end the overdose crisis.  Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, designing programming, and supporting community partners who are using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment. Learn more at rizema.org.

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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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