David Shapiro, president and CEO of Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), will leave his position at the end of the year to become the CEO of MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership. MENTOR works to promote and expand quality mentoring in collaboration with state mentoring partnerships such as MMP and mentoring programs around the country. Over the next year, MENTOR will also move its headquarters to Boston.
Shapiro, who has lead MMP since 2004, says, "It has been an honor to work in partnership with so many mentoring programs, businesses, community organizations, foundations, government leaders and other supporters of mentoring. I have learned so much and been inspired by the tireless work being done to make a difference in the lives of youth here in Massachusetts."
Why is David so devoted to mentoring?
Who or what inspired David to be so passionate about his chosen field, to lead an organization devoted to helping others become aware of and involved in mentoring? When I asked him why and whether it had anything to do with who mentored him, this is what David told me.
“I did not have one mentor,” he said. “I grew with an abundance of mentors – adults with time for me who encouraged me to reach out to them, to learn from them, to seek connections and development through them.
Because my family and other coaches left such a big imprint on me, that’s exactly why I am dedicated to expanding quality structured mentoring opportunities for youth.
Although I was born into a life path that was filled with mentors at every turn and through every structure; many of our nation’s kids are not. Structured, quality mentoring programs can bring that additional adult into those children’s lives; adults who can act as non-judgmental friend and guide and who can pay undivided attention to them – that is the treasure of mentoring.”
During Shapiro's tenure, MMP opened a Western Massachusetts office and launched initiatives including: Champions of Mentoring at Fenway Park, Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring, Red Sox Mentoring Challenge, Quality-Based Membership, Mass Mentoring Counts, and the Bill Russell Mentoring Grants Program. MMP has grown by 400%, protected and increased state funding for mentoring, collaborated to attract federal funding, and now annually distributes more than $300,000 in grants to the field and $250,000 in mentor-mentee activities and scholarships for mentees.
MMP's work with high quality mentoring programs driving impact in critical societal issues from youth violence prevention to academic achievement to workforce development has contributed to the almost 50% increase in the number of young people matched in quality mentoring relationships during Shapiro's tenure.
Regina M. Pisa, MMP's board chair and chairman and managing partner of the law firm of Goodwin Procter says, "We are extremely grateful for the work David has done to build Mass Mentoring into a powerful force for quality youth mentoring in Massachusetts. We wish him great success in leading the mentoring movement nationally and strengthening the resources for all mentoring programs. We will launch a search for a dynamic leader to guide the next chapter in Mass Mentoring's history."
Congratulations, David. Mentoring nationwide will be enriched by your considerable expertise and dedication.
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