Events
From Classroom to Career: A New Vision for High School in Massachusetts
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
9:00 - 10:45AM
MBAE and The Boston Foundation partnered together to host a timely event about the need for Massachusetts to set a clear vision and strategy for better preparing high school students for college and careers. The event focused primarily on one foundational pillar for reimagining the high school experience: creating deeper connections to future careers through effective advising, intentional course sequencing, and work-based experiential learning such as internships, externships, and apprenticeships.
Pedro Martinez, the recently appointed commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, shared his vision for expanding career-focused opportunities in high school and building stronger education pathways to the workforce. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper outlined her priorities and discussed opportunities and challenges in Boston. A panel of local school and district leaders and national experts shared examples of promising initiatives, assessed the current landscape of career-connected learning, and examined how the high school experience can be transformed to advance students’ readiness, exposure, and connection to the workforce.
Lunch & Learn: Early Literacy Crisis
Thursday, June 26, 2025
12:00 - 12:45PM
While the inclusion of $25 million for high-dosage tutoring for 10,000 students in the FY26 state budget is a major step forward in addressing Massachusetts' literacy crisis, it is not enough to move outcomes for the overwhelming percentage of the state’s third graders reading below grade-level. Research is clear: high-quality, evidence-based instruction and materials are critical to ensuring all students learn to read. Yet, half of Massachusetts districts are using low-quality materials and outdated approaches that leave children behind.
During this member-exclusive Lunch & Learn, Mary Tamer, Executive Director of Mass Potential, provided a deep dive on the state's early literacy crisis and what needs to be done to get all students reading at grade level. Tamer presented data on student reading outcomes in Massachusetts, highlighted work the Mass Reads Coalition is doing to address literacy challenges, and broke down the importance of the Right to Read Act (H.698).
Lunch & Learn: Apprenticeship Degrees
Thursday, June 26, 2025
12:00 - 12:45PM
Traditional apprenticeship programs are a long-proven approach to building a highly skilled and competitive workforce in key sectors. Today, states across the country are taking that model further by launching innovative new Apprenticeship Degree programs that combine on-the-job experience with classroom instruction to prepare students for jobs in industries outside the skilled trades that require postsecondary credentials such as allied health, nursing, behavioral health, IT, and more.
During this member-exclusive program, Marjorie Ringrose, Director of Education at the Smith Family Foundation, gave an inside look at the evolving apprenticeship landscape in Massachusetts, broke down the Apprenticeship Degree model, and explored how Massachusetts can harness Apprenticeship Degrees to meet its workforce needs across various industries and expand economic opportunity.
Featured Speaker:
- Marjorie Ringrose, Director of Education, Smith Family Foundation
MBAE Second Annual Luncheon & Awards
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
11:00 - 1:30PM
UMASS Club
MBAE hosted its Second Annual Luncheon & Awards in celebration of exceptional leaders who have made substantial contributions to improving educational opportunities for the Commonwealth's students.
This year, MBAE awarded Henry Thomas III with the MBAE Paul Reville Leader in Education Award. Thomas, a long-term leader of the Urban League of Springfield, devoted more than five decades to advocating for his community and promoting equity in education.
Rick Burnes, a successful venture capitalist and philanthropist known for his commitment to improving educational opportunities in Boston Public Schools, was awarded the MBAE Jack Rennie Business Impact in Education Award.
Featured Speakers:
- Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll
- Pedro Martinez, incoming Commissioner of Elementary & Secondary Education
- Katherine Craven, Board Chair, MA Board of Education
- Bill Walczack, Board Chair, MBAE Board of Directors
- Eileen Rudden, MBAE Board of Directors
Lunch & Learn: Early College
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
12:00 - 12:45PM
MBAE’s new Lunch & Learn webinar series on key education initiatives allows you to learn and engage during your lunch-time routine in just 45 minutes. Throughout the quarterly series, MBAE members and affiliates will enjoy exclusive access to presentations and Q+A sessions led by state and national experts in the field.
Massachusetts Alliance for Early College’s (MA4EC) Executive Director Erika Giampietro kicked off the series with a deep-dive on one of the most promising K–12 strategies that’s addressing Massachusetts workforce needs and narrowing opportunity gaps – Early College. Erika shared an overview of Early College’s evolution and impact since its 2017 pilot, spotlighting significant gains in college enrollment and persistence among participants. She also shared MA4EC’s continued efforts to deepen career theming within the model to help address Massachusetts's workforce needs.
Speaker:
- Erika Giampietro, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance for Early College
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
1:00PM - 2:00PM
An early literacy high-dosage tutoring program for Massachusetts first graders that are behind in their reading skills is showing impressive gains in getting students on grade level. The program is a critical component of a multi-pronged approach to improving reading outcomes and, if access is expanded, could close achievement gaps and dramatically improve third grade reading outcomes statewide.
At the webinar, MBAE broke down the program model and how it works. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University presented an evaluation of the program’s outcomes. District, school, and classroom leaders shared their experiences with the program. Acting state education Commissioner Russell Johnston offered closing remarks, reflected on the Johns Hopkins data, and discussed steps the state is taking to address the Commonwealth’s growing literacy crisis.
Speakers:
- Russell Johnston, Acting Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Amanda Neitzel, Johns Hopkins University
- Joseph Reilly, Johns Hopkins University
- Mandy McLaren, The Boston Globe (Moderator)
- Dianne Kelly, Superintendent, Revere Public Schools
- Katie Schubmehl, K-4 Literacy and Humanities Coordinator, Chelsea Public Schools
- Stefanie Porrazzo, Literacy Coach, Revere Public Schools
- Carrie Anderson, 1st Grade Educator, Chelsea Public Schools
Annual Luncheon & Awards
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
11:30AM - 1:30PM
University of Massachusetts Club, Boston
In celebration of the legacy of business commitment to student achievement, MBAE is hosting its first Annual Luncheon & Awards (by invitation only). The event will feature the presentation of awards to distinguished leaders who have made substantial contributions to the betterment of our state’s education system, the foundation of strong communities and the engine of economic prosperity. MBAE is grateful to its members, affiliates, and partners for their support of our mission to improve educational opportunities for all students.
Speakers:
- Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll
- Sec. of Education Patrick Tutwiler
- Bill Walczak, Chair of the Board, MBAE
- Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry, MBAE Board Member
- Paul Reville, MBAE Co-founder, former MA Sec. of Education, Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education
- Joan Christel, President, State Street Foundation
- Jay Ash, President & CEO, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership
Accelerating Student Learning: The Need for Urgency and Innovation
Monday, December 11, 2023
9:00-10:30 AM
University of Massachusetts Club, Boston
Newly-released information gives us the clearest picture yet of how the pandemic impacted student learning, and now is the time for state leaders to take action and address this urgent crisis. Join MBAE and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership on December 11 for a conversation about how the Commonwealth can strengthen its K-12 education system to address the learning impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and, in turn, bolster the state's economic competitiveness.
Featured speakers:
- Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll
- Jeff Riley, Commissioner, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Senator Jason Lewis, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Education
- Mary Bourque, Deputy Superintendent, MA Association of Superintendents
- Karen Hawley Miles, CEO, Education Resource Strategies
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
9:00–10:30 AM
Despite a booming economy, the benefits of Massachusetts’ economic engine aren’t being shared equally, particularly in communities of color. What can our business, political and education leaders do differently to connect Black and Latino students to pathways to careers that our thriving life sciences, health, clean tech, and other sectors so urgently need to fill?
MBAE, in partnership with Latinos for Education and the Education Trust in Massachusetts, commissioned a series of interviews with a diverse array of leaders of color to gather their insights on how we can give our students a jumpstart on their future, close persistent equity gaps, and create a cooperative culture of success across our Commonwealth. At this event, hear from some of those leaders and top business and political leaders on this important issue.
Featured speakers:
- Emerson Foster, Head of Human Resources, U.S. Business Unit, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
- Turahn Dorsey, Chief Impact Officer, Eastern Bank Foundation
- Dr. Almi Abeyta, Superintendent, Chelsea Public Schools
- Rev. Dr. Debora Jackson, Dean of the Business School, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Phylitia Jamerson, Executive Director of Early College, MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
- Darien Johnson, Executive Director, MassHire Workforce Board, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
- Neil Sullivan, Executive Director, Boston Private Industry Council
- Representative Manny Cruz, 7th Essex District, Salem
- Representative Chris Worrell, 5th Suffolk, Boston
Improving Student Opportunity, Preparing Our Future Workforce
Thursday, June 15, 2023
10:00 - 11:15 AM
Massachusetts State House
MBAE and the Student Pathways to Success Coalition hosted a legislative briefing at the State House on strengthening and scaling college and career pathways in Massachusetts. Organized in partnership with Senator John Cronin and Representative Chynah Tyler, the briefing highlighted innovative pathways policies that, if implemented, would connect more students across the Commonwealth to future career and economic opportunities aligned with our state’s workforce needs.
The event featured a presentation from a national expert who examined pathways best practices across the nation. A panel of Massachusetts leaders offered insights on the work we must undertake to advance students' academic and professional futures.
Speakers:
- Rep. Chynah Tyler, 7th Suffolk
- Sen. John Cronin, Worcester and Middlesex
- Quentin Suffren, Senior Advisor, Innovation Policy, ExcelinEd
- Amanda Fernandez, CEO & Founder, Latinos for Education
- Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, CEO & President, MassBio
- Robert Lewis Jr., CEO & President, Boys and Girls Clubs Boston
Wednesday, November 29, 2022
1:00 PM
How can we strengthen and scale pathways to college and career success that benefit every single student? What innovative policies—proven to work in other states—should Massachusetts implement to better connect what students are learning in high school to the career opportunities companies are creating?
A recent poll shows that 88% of voters say making improvements to education to ensure students are ready for college and careers should be among the Governor's top priorities. Join the Student Pathways to Success coalition for a virtual event on November 29th at 1:00pm for a discussion with state and national leaders:
- Kim Driscoll, Mayor of Salem, Massachusetts and champion of improving our state's public education system
- Assistant Secretary Amy Loyd from the U.S. Department of Education
- Tom Vander Ark, national expert on innovative learning
Student Pathways to Success is a cross-sector coalition of organizations committed to educational equity that represent students, parents, educators, and employers. It aims to universalize access to a meaningful and relevant high school education for all students that puts them on a pathway to college and career success.