About Us

Governor Charlie Baker speaks at our annual Youth Mentoring Day.
MMP Board Member Sonja Kelly with 2015 KELLY Award winner, Tynnetta Jerry.

Based in Boston, Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP) is fueling the movement to expand empowering youth-adult relationships  across Massachusetts. MMP serves more than 250 mentoring and youth development programs statewide supporting more than 33,000 youth in mentoring relationships. We assess programmatic needs and organizational capacity, as well as provide customized strategies that empower youth, families and communities.

Our program network includes schools, religious organizations, community non-profits, and workplaces serving youth 5 to 18-years-old. These institutions utilize a variety of program structures including one-to-one mentoring, group mentoring and e-mentoring.

History and Accomplishments

Mass Mentoring Partnership was founded in 1992 by the then-president of Boston College, J. Donald Monan, S.J., and the CEO of New England Telephone, Paul O'Brien, as Greater Boston One-to-One, the first local extension of the national organization One-to-One. Since then, MMP has had a rich history of catalytic involvement in the start-up and sustainability of high-quality mentoring programs.

Our highlights from 2015 include:

  • Expanding our mission to include providing services and support to youth serving organizations in addition to mentoring programs, growing our number of youth impacted to more than 250,000.
  • Increasing state funding by 20% for state Mentoring Matching Grants line item from $400,000 to $500,000 thanks to advocacy from programs and the support of numerous legislative champions.
  • Fully launching the Mayor’s Mentoring Movement, an exciting initiative to increase the number of empowering relationships for youth in Boston, in coordination with the City of Boston and Mayor Martin J. Walsh.
  • Creating and implementing several new, specially-designed trainings, including Cultural Responsiveness Level II, Supporting Youth with Disabilities, and Opening the Door for Men to Volunteer.

Awards

  • 2014 winner, Excellence in Communications award, Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
  • 2013 co-winner, Boston Business Journal Corporate Citizenship Summit Partner of the Year, for partnership with Bank of America
  • 2013 Charity Navigator 4-Star charity rating, the highest rating, illustrating sound fiscal management
  • 2013 GuideStar Exchange Silver Participant, one of the highest levels of membership, demonstrating a commitment to transparency
  • 2012 featured initiative for the Boston Business Journal Leaders in Diversity Event
  • 2010 finalist for Mass Nonprofit Network’s Annual Excellence in Advocacy Award
  • 2009 MENTOR Manza Excellence in Leadership Award in recognition of the highest-performing state mentoring partnership in the country
  • Selected in each consecutive year since 2007 by the Celtics as the sole community partner for the Season Ticket Exchange, providing more than $850,000 in tickets to mentoring matches statewide
  • Recipient of Eastern Bank’s inaugural “Community Quarterbacks” for outstanding leadership and commitment to the community
  • Winner of the New England Publicity Club’s top Bell Ringer Award for the Red Sox Mentoring Challenge

Our Mission

Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP) is fueling the movement to expand empowering youth-adult relationships across Massachusetts. Through our Relationships in Action approach, MMP serves hundreds of programs statewide supporting over 33,000 youth in quality relationships. We work with mentoring programs and youth development organizations to assess programmatic needs and organizational capacity to provide customized strategies that strengthen youth, families, and communities.

Our Strategic Partners

Meet Our Team

Executive
Lily E. Mendez
Title: President and CEO
Phone: 617.695.1200
Email: lmendez@massmentors.org
Department: Executive

Lily Mendez joined Mass Mentoring Partnership as President & CEO in 2018. She brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience, including in government, education, philanthropy and community services. She came to MMP from the American Red Cross of Massachusetts, where she served as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to her role at the Red Cross, she was the Executive Director of Alumni Relations at UMass Lowell. She also served in Governor Deval Patrick’s administration as a senior member of his staff and then as  Deputy Secretary of Transportation. From 2000 - 2007, she served as Program Director and then as Executive Director of the Access Strategies Fund, a family foundation that distributes annual grants to nonprofit organizations serving underserved communities across Massachusetts.

 

In her current role, Lily oversees MMP’s mission to ensure that all young people have access to empowering youth-adult relationships and that the mentoring movement is diverse and reflective of the communities being served across Massachusetts.

 

Lily holds a BS in Communications from Emerson College and an MPA from the McCormack Institute at UMass Boston.

 
External Affairs
C.T. Ransdell
Title: Director of Development
Phone: 617.695.2432
Email: ctransdell@massmentors.org
Department: External Affairs

C.T. Ransdell brings with him seven years of experience in the Boston nonprofit sector. He moved to Boston to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, transitioning into a full-time development role at one of our partner organizations – Generations Incorporated, where he served as Director of Development. In his current role, C.T. oversees MMP’s fundraising operations including grants management, individual cultivation and stewardship, and maintains and improves development systems. In addition to his professional experience, C.T has been civically engaged as a Partner in Our Commonwealth, a Boston-based organization that facilitates and accelerates friendships among emerging leaders, and has supported local organizations by doing things such as serving as a Big Brother or running 100 miles in the Zach Attack 100-Miler for the Progeria Research Foundation. C.T. holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Northeastern University.

Chelsea Aquino
Title: Manager of Government Relations & Public Policy
Phone: 617-695-2476
Email: caquino@massmentors.org
Department: External Affairs

Chelsea Aquino joined Mass Mentoring Partnership in May of 2016. As the manager of Government Relations and Public Policy, she develops and manages MMP’s policy efforts and advocacy campaigns, maintains relationships with state and local agencies, and constructs approaches for driving public financial resources to the field. Prior to her work at MMP, Chelsea served as the Associate Director for the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus and was the former Finance Director for Boston City Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley’s ticket-topping 2011 and 2013 re-elections. A Cum Laude graduate of UMass Amherst with a BA in Political Science, Chelsea also received a Graduate Certificate from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy program at UMass Boston. Chelsea is also involved with Big Sister’s Big for a Day program and the New Frontier Network at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. 

Kelsey Renner
Title: Manager of Resource Development
Phone: 617-695-2440
Email: krenner@massmentors.org
Department: External Affairs

Kelsey joined Mass Mentoring Partnership in October 2016 as the Development Associate. Prior to that, Kelsey served in Worcester, Massachusetts at African Community Education as a Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring. Kelsey's professional background lies in youth work and program coordination, working in non-profits in the United States and abroad. She holds a BA in International Development and Social Change and MA in Community Development and Planning, both from Clark University.

Alex Lewis
Title: Manager of Graphic Design
Phone: 617-695-2438
Email: alewis@massmentors.org
Department: External Affairs

Alex joined Mass Mentoring Partnership in April 2018 as the Marketing Department’s Manager of Graphic Design. After obtaining degrees in Graphic Design & Advertising, and International Studies, Alex moved to Boston in 2014 to work in the city’s thriving non-profit sector. In his role, he brings creativity and critical thinking together with storytelling and design to help communicate the meaningful impact and importance of mentoring in the community through illustration and graphic design.

Operations
Greg Smith
Title: Senior Manager of Operations
Phone: 617.695.2441
Email: gsmith@massmentors.org
Department: Operations

Greg joined MMP in June 2015 as the Operations Manager.  In his role, he provides day-to-day human resources, IT, financial administration and office management.  Prior to joining MMP, he was a program manager at a cross-cultural consulting firm.  Originally from Delaware, Greg attended high school in Switzerland and received his BA in Economics from The University of Vermont.

Zainab Ilumoka
Title: Operations Associate
Phone: 617.695.2477
Email: zilumoka@massmentors.org
Department: Operations

Zainab joined MMP in November 2016. Prior to joining MMP, she worked as a claims advocate for disabled veterans. She also served as an intern with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, The George Wiley Center, and Khadarlis Global for Development as well as serving as a Democracy Coach with Generation Citizen. She graduated from Rhode Island College with a BA in Political Science and Public Administration. She received a graduate certificate from the Gender, Leadership and Public Policy Program at UMass Boston, where she is currently pursuing an MPA.

Brandon Tunney
Title: Director of Finance and Administration
Phone: 617.695.2430
Email: btunney@massmentors.org
Department: Operations

Brandon joined MMP in October 2016 and brings 10 years of nonprofit experience. In his role as Director of Finance and Administration, he oversees finance, HR, and IT functions for the organization. Prior to MMP, Brandon worked at Victory Programs as Accounting Manager and at the GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project as Director of Administration and Finance. He earned his BA and MBA at Framingham State University.  

Program Services
Beth Fraster
Title: Vice President & Chief Program Officer
Phone: 617.695.2431
Email: bfraster@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services
Beth joined MMP in 2014, and has more than 25 years of experience leading, evaluating, and managing youth development programs. Beth has provided training and technical assistance to behavioral health programs throughout Massachusetts and across the country while also providing consultant services to federal agencies. Beth leads the Program Services team to promote the most effective and high-quality standards in all aspects of mentoring, and the development of sound and sustainable organizations. She earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts and an MSW from Boston University.
Janeen Smith
Title: Senior Manager of Program Services
Phone: 617.695.2436
Email: jsmith@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Janeen Smith joined MMP in March 2015 as a manager of training and technical assistance. In her role, she builds the capacity of youth mentoring and other youth-serving programs across the state.  She gained experience in youth development and program management during her time as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow and most recently worked in adult programming at YWCA Boston.  A New Jersey native, Janeen earned her BA from Smith College and an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the Heller School at Brandeis University.

 

Melany Mendoza
Title: Manager of Targeted Communities, Western MA
Phone: 413-262-1227
Email: mmendoza@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Melany joined Mass Mentoring Partnership in April 2016 as a Manager of Targeted Communities with a focus on Western Massachusetts. Melany has 15 years of experience leading and supporting after school programs.  Melany has also provided training and support to youth development programs in Western Mass. In her role, her main focus is building relationships and mobilizing resources that raise the profile of empowering youth-adult relationships across Massachusetts.  A native of Puerto Rico,  Melany graduated with a BA from the University of Puerto Rico and an MBA in Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovative Practices from Bay Path University.

Thomas McGee
Title: Program Manager of the Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring Program
Phone: 617.695.2473
Email: tmcgee@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Tom joined MMP in December 2016 as Program Manager of the Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring Program. In his role, he builds the capacity of the AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring (AOM) in their service at mentor-focused programs across Massachusetts. Tom's experience in youth development includes serving as an Urban Education Fellow at Match Education and most recently as Site Manager for the Jumpstart for Young Children program at Boston University. Tom earned his B.A. in Communications from the University of Connecticut. 

 
Cameron Fear
Title: Manager of Training and Technical Assistance
Phone: 617.695.2439
Email: cfear@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Cameron Fear joined MMP in August 2017 as a Manager of Training and Technical Assistance. In his role, he builds the capacity of youth mentoring and other youth-serving programs across the state. Since the time he was a youth in Colorado, Cam has been passionate about growing youth voice in his communities. For the past two years, he has worked to empower young people across the Commonwealth. Cam has a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Smith College.

Danielle Drummond
Title: Manager of Community Engagement
Phone: 617.695.2471
Email: ddrummond@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Danielle brings over a decade of experience working in the nonprofit and public sectors. As the manager of the community engagement Danielle is a strategic partner to the communities of Boston, Lawrence, Lynn and Salem, strengthening our current relationships and expanding MMP's network of programs and community partners. Danielle has worked at the city level as Sr. Planner of Special Initiatives for the Economic Development Industrial Corporation, and brings a wide range of skills and community connections from her work in the youth development, community corrections, public health and education sectors. A native Bostonian, Danielle attended Boston Latin School and earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College.

Nestor Rivera
Title: Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring
Phone: 413-239-9751
Email: nrivera@massmentors.org
Department: Program Services

Nestor has been serving with MMP since August 2018 as a Highland Street AmeriCorps Ambassador of Mentoring.  Nestor’s service includes assisting the Manager of Targeted Communities in Western Massachusetts to build relationships with youth-serving programs.  He has nearly 20 years of experience mentoring middle and high school aged students through an after-school program, having been mentored himself through the same program. Nestor was born in Puerto Rico, but has lived in Holyoke for most of his life.  He has an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Holyoke Community College. 

Board Members

Chair: George Neble, Retired from EY
Vice-Chair: Steven W. Powell, StatPro Inc.
Treasurer: John J. Mahoney, retired from Staples Inc.
Clerk: Ann Burke, Economic Development Council of Western MA
 
Directors:
Colin Burch, Boston Red Sox
Tom Caron, New England Sports Network
Jacqui Conrad, Cambridge College
Paul Cronin, KeyBank
Mark Eldridge, ALKU
​Josh Franklin, Crystal Financial
John Griffin, State Street Corporation
Sonja Kelly, The Kelly Family Foundation
Deb Lawrence, Bank of America
Paul C. O’Brien, The O’Brien Group (co-founder)
Regina M. Pisa, Goodwin Procter
Randall P. Seidl, Revenue Acceleration, LLC
Brian Sullivan, Commonwealth Financial Network
Warren Zola, Boston College Chief Executives Club
 
Past Chairs:
Jim Connolly, National Bank Holdings Corp
Edmund F. Kelly, Liberty Mutual Group
Regina M. Pisa, Goodwin Procter
 
Co-Founder:
Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J., Boston College

Program Leadership Council

Pamela-Headshot_thumb.png

Chair: Pamela Civins, Boston Partners in Education 

Deborah Ansourlian, Girls Inc. -- Lynn
Denise Cogman, Springfield School Volunteers
Tracey Crago, Falmouth Volunteers in Public Schools
Wendy Foster, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay 
Dani Letourneau-Therrien, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County
Harvey Lowell, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters
Rebecca Mooney, Melrose Alliance Against Violence
Deb Re, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
Vicente Sanabria, LUK Mentoring
Regina Snowden, Partners for Youth with Disabilities
Elizabeth Sweeney, Family Services of Merrimack Valley
Colby Swettberg, Silver Lining Mentoring

Jobs at MMP

Title Posted Date
Director of Marketing & External Affairs Thursday, February 21, 2019
Youth Leadership Council (Seeking 4-5 High School Students!) Friday, November 9, 2018

Jobs in the Mentoring Field

Job Title Organization Name Posted Date
Associate Director of Development Big Sister Association of Greater Boston Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Access, Success & Career Counselors Bottom Line Friday, March 16, 2018