Following her tenure as the first woman and first person of color to lead Boston as its mayor, Kim Janey will now be stepping in to head the nonprofit Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) as its president and CEO.
EMPath uses a “mobility mentoring” approach to help those struggling with poverty, providing them with resources, skills and programs to help modify behavior and create economic independence. The organization also has a research arm that conducts studies on poverty and economic mobility.
Janey succeeds Beth Babcock, who announced her retirement last year after 16 years at the helm.
The announcement of Janey’s new job is a full-circle moment for the former mayor, who was once an EMPath client herself as a young mother. She said the organization helped her finish high school as a pregnant teenager.
“I am truly excited to lead this organization, as someone who has the lived experience of those who this organization helps every single day,” Janey said. “I have worked to disrupt poverty and support children and families my entire career. So I see this as a continuation of that work. And for me, you know, this hits home.”
Prior to becoming mayor, Janey was elected to the Boston City Council in 2017 as the first woman to represent District 7. During her time on the council, she served as council president before taking over as acting mayor following the departure of Mayor Martin Walsh, who vacated the office for a position in President Biden’s administration.