It’s been an exciting year at the helm of EMPath. The organization kicked off new programs, expanded existing programs, and launched new partnerships that will ensure we can support and partner with EMPath families more deeply. We also heard powerful stories from our participants and saw their incredible progress along the way. And there’s so much to come, especially as EMPath heads into its 200th year.

In conjunction with her one-year anniversary, we sat down with Kim to hear about what stood out to her over this past year and what she’s looking forward to most in the coming months and years. (And if you haven’t yet, be sure to check out this feature in the Boston Business Journal highlighting Kim’s first year as President & CEO!).

First, congratulations on your one-year anniversary! What has been the most fulfilling part of leading EMPath so far?

Thank you! It’s been an incredible year, especially the full circle moment of returning to the organization that did so much for me as a young mom. As I look back on this past year to what’s been most fulfilling, by far, it’s been partnering with the participants – supporting individuals who have faced incredible hardship, who are oftentimes in the most vulnerable place they’ve ever been. I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to spend time with EMPath participants, as they’ve not only shared challenges they’ve experienced, but also the goals they’re working towards with the support of their EMPath mentor to live out their biggest dreams.

What are some of the highlights from this past year as President & CEO?

A recent highlight is the Industry Insights event with local Duke University alumni that provided our participants with a great networking opportunity. Our participants were able to chat and brainstorm one-on-one with alum about where they want to advance in their careers. They also received advice on their resumes, interview tips, and much more. It was amazing to see participants form those connections and work towards their goals.

Overall, it’s been really meaningful to match my purpose with my profession. I know not everyone has the opportunity to do this, so I appreciate it wholeheartedly. To be able to lead an organization that has not only helped me on my own journey, but has helped thousands achieve their goals in life, that truly feeds my soul.

What’s a powerful story about the work of EMPath that has stood out to you?

I’ve been blown away by the participants who have shared their stories at our events and other gatherings. At our gala, one of the participants from our flagship program, Career Family Opportunity (CFO), shared her story about the hard work she’s done to improve her finances, particularly building up her savings and increasing her credit score. She did this all with an eye towards eventually purchasing a home in the future. It was so powerful to hear her speak.

It was not only the power of participants’ journey and the goals they were working towards that stood out when hearing their stories; it was also hearing the common theme of working closely with their mentors and the trusting relationships they had built together. It speaks to both the hard work of the participants and the incredible staff here at EMPath.

How has your own lived experience continued to inform your leadership at EMPath?

When I think of my own lived experience – whether it’s experiencing housing security and sleeping on a shelter bed when I was 12, to securing my first apartment with a Section 8 Voucher, to buying my first home with the support of a first-time homebuyers program - I know it all couldn’t be possible without mentors in my life.

This truly illustrates and connects back to the work we do here at EMPath – that we shouldn’t have to do it alone. We all deserve a supportive community, the encouragement of a mentor, and access to the right tools and resources. It's incredibly important.

Having experienced all of the above as a child and as a young adult, I know what worked for me. However, it's critical in this field that we listen with open ears and an open heart to what participants are sharing with us. They know what will work for them. If we’re really serious about moving away from outdated approaches and moving the field forward in a way that best supports families, we need to always be learning and centering participants in our work. This will allow us to always be innovating and advancing meaningful change.

What are you most excited about in the coming year?

I’m so excited for the major milestones we have to look forward to in 2024. First, it’s the 200-year anniversary of our two legacy organizations – Crittenton, Inc. and the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union. We're also celebrating 100 years of Hastings House, our congregant shelter, 15 years of our economic mobility coaching model, Mobility Mentoring, as well as our flagship program, Career Family Opportunity (CFO), where we first began implementing Mobility Mentoring. And finally, it’s the 10-year anniversary of our Economic Mobility Exchange, our global network of human service organizations and government agencies that adapt our coaching model in their own work to support families. It's a season of celebrations!

What can we expect from EMPath in the coming years?  

I’m looking forward to the growth of our organization and the direction we’re going. It's so important because we know poverty isn't about individual failure, but is instead, a result of policy decisions. In particular, we’ll be ramping up our work to advance upward economic mobility in a few different ways.

First, we’re expanding our advocacy work to advance policies that better support families. We've long advocated here at the state level and are now working on policy change at the federal level. We’re fortunate to have a superstar congressional delegation here in Massachusetts and excited to continue to partner with them on meaningful change.

We're also working towards scaling our coaching model, Mobility Mentoring, in a bigger way by growing our Exchange network and getting our research-backed model into the hands of more and more member organizations. Given our new federal legislative advocacy, we also hope to work collaboratively with members of our Exchange to advance policy change in other states across the country.

Finally, we’re exploring a new area for our economic mobility work: asset-building. As we continue to support individuals as they work towards their biggest goals, we also know how important it is for families to have greater access to tools and resources to ensure they can build a strong long-term foundation for themselves – a foundation that will truly create intergenerational wealth and break the cycle of poverty for their children and generations to come.

Congrats on your first year, Kim! What an incredible ride it’s been. Looking forward to what’s to come and the amazing strides our participants will continue to make in the coming years.

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