Staff Bios
Dawn Chávez, Boston Youth Environmental Network Coordinator
Dawn co-coordinates the Boston Youth Environmental Network, a citywide network connecting individuals and organizations to resources to improve the quality and quantity of environmental education and employment opportunities for young people in Boston. Before joining the Boston Beyond team, Dawn worked as Education Director for the Urban Ecology Institute and directed a residential environmental education center in the Berkshires for students from New York City. Prior to moving to Boston, she worked for eight years leading inner city students from New York (her hometown) in environmental learning experiences. Dawn holds a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University, a M.A. in Environmental Studies from Montclair University, and is pursuing a PhD from Antioch University New England.
Helen Christou, Boston Youth Environmental Network, Assistant Network Coordinator
Helen Christou earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts with an Art Therapy concentration in 1999 from Emmanuel College. While at Emmanuel, Helen worked as a child care worker in a shelter for adolescents and in a residential treatment program for children. Then in Lancaster, MA Helen was employed by Dr. Franklin Perkins School into a dual position. As activity coordinator she directed the recreation department of an adult day health program. She also served as an activity assistant implementing a variety of recreational programs for 7-21 year olds in a residential treatment center. In this position Helen realized the benefits of and initiated community partnerships for the purpose of implementing new programming. In Boston Helen worked as the Assistant Director of Therapeutic Recreation at Rogerson House, a residential treatment center for persons with dementia. Helen then joined the YMCA of Greater Boston, first as Teen Outreach Director and then as Senior Program Officer. With the help of partnerships she more than doubled the program hours serving youth, more than tripled the staff and launched over seventy new initiatives. In 2003 she was awarded the YMCA of Greater Boston's Mehaffee Award for innovative and strong programming. As Senior Program Officer she helped secure and managed a grant that aimed to replicate best practices, outdoor recreation, environmental education and environmental youth employment programs from her home branch into other YMCA urban branches. Helen now works as Assistant Network Coordinator for the Boston Youth Environmental Network to encourage the sharing of resources and development of connections among members in support of environmental youth employment in Boston.
Chris Lynch, Boston Youth Sports Intitiative Coordinator
Chris Lynch has been with the BYSI from its launch in October of 2003. He has spent the past twelve years in urban youth sports. Prior to joining the BYSI, Lynch was the Managing Director for MetroLacrosse, an out of school time program for 500 middle and high school students from Boston, Cambridge and Chelsea which used lacrosse as a medium to teach participants about R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Responsibility, Effort, Sportsmanship, Enthusiasm, Communication and Teamwork). Lynch spent five years prior to this working with SquashBusters, a Boston-based youth development program which works with middle and high school students from Boston and Cambridge to learn the sport of squash, receive academic tutoring, become involved in community service and mentoring.
Lynch was an elementary school teacher and middle school coach for over ten years before becoming involved in urban youth sports. He has a B.A. from Bates College and a MEd. from Lesley University.
Patricia McGuiness, Knowledge Projects Manager
Patricia assists the Director of Knowledge Management with the coordination and implementation of various data and evaluation projects. For the past three years, she conducted policy research and program evaluation of state education programs at the South Carolina Educational Policy Center. Patricia has a range of clinical experience including, most recently, social worker at a Department of Juvenile Justice facility in South Carolina, individual and group therapy with college students at the University of South Carolina, and volunteer for the Families and Schools Together (F.A.S.T.) program in Columbia, South Carolina. Patricia graduated from Stonehill College in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She then completed a Masters of Social Work in 2004 at the University of South Carolina.
Janette McKinnon, Director of Partners for Student Success
Janette has over 10 years of experience in the out-of-school and human services field. In her most recent role at the Department of Human Service Programs of the City of Cambridge, Janette had overall responsibility for the management and oversight of approximately 65 staff in six National Association for the Education of Young Children accredited and state licensed preschools, seven state licensed afterschools and numerous citywide family support services. Janette also spent several years at ABCD, Parents United for Child Care and Boston Centers for Youth & Families where she oversaw the Boston Community Learning Center Initiative.Janette has a strong commitment to children and youth and to creating opportunities for equity and access to quality programs. Her demonstrated abilities to create and maintain strong partnerships that enable high quality programming will be an asset to Boston Beyond. Janette attended Northeastern University and has her Master of Management degree from Cambridge College.
Whitney Prior, Administrative Assistant
Whitney offers administrative and project support to Boston Beyond staff. Prior to joining Boston After School & Beyond, Whitney worked for the Supported Employment Program at Boston College, a program which incorporates developmentally disabled adults into a competitive work environment. She also worked with children with special needs as a volunteer in the Infant/Toddler Program at the Perkins School for the Blind. She has served nationally and internationally as a volunteer with Hands On Disaster Response, a nonprofit organization dedicated to timely disaster response and relief. Whitney, a native of Portland, Maine, received her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development with a minor in Faith, Peace and Justice from Boston College.
Adam Shyevitch, Teen Initiative Director
Adam came to Boston After School & Beyond with over five years of urban development experience, gained while serving as Project Manager for Housing Investments, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts, and Development Project Manager for The Community Builders, Inc. also in Boston. Adam also served as a consultant for various firms across Boston from 1998-2000. Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Colgate University. He then went on to a Master of Theological Studies from the Harvard University Divinity School, and a Master of Business Administration in Nonprofit Management and Finance from Boston University.
Chris Smith, Executive Director
Chris was appointed executive director on October 1, 2008. Before joining Boston Beyond, he worked at the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) for ten years, as Chief of Staff and director of employer partnerships. He led key policy, measurement and programmatic initiatives to advance employment and learning opportunities for young people in Boston. In collaboration with local business leaders, Chris created Classroom at the Workplace, an innovative program that combines intensive academic remediation and employment for students who failed MCAS. Since its inception, the program has served more than 1,000 students, helping hundreds graduate high school. He played a lead role in developing dropout legislation, signed by Governor Patrick this August, to establish a statewide commission that aims to decrease the dropout rate in Massachusetts. Before joining the PIC in 1998, Chris worked at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC on the Secretary of Education’s family and community involvement in education initiative. A native of Worcester, Chris earned an MBA at the FW Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and a BA in American Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.