Senior Management
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, President and Chief Executive Officer
Edward Kelley began his human services career in 1968 as an outreach youth worker for the city of Cambridge’s Division of Community and Youth Services, a community-based agency that worked with at-risk and delinquent children. He later served as its director. In 1981, he joined Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps as deputy executive director, and in 1985, he was appointed executive director. Ed holds a Bachelor of Arts from Roger Williams University and a Master of Arts in education from Boston University.
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, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Alan Klein has spent a long and distinguished career in child welfare. After serving as director of child care services at Boys Village Youth and Family Services in Milford, Conn., Alan came to Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps in 1980 as director of the Lancaster Adolescent Diagnostic Center. He then served as director of the Rotenberg School. From 1987 to 1990, Alan left to serve as deputy assistant commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services and returned to the agency in 1990 as deputy executive director.
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, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administration
Terry Shanley has been with Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps since 1994. Prior to joining the agency, he was a human resources consultant with Lynch Ryan and Associates. He worked as director of human resources for Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. in Worcester, Mass., for nearly 11 years. Terry began his career as a counselor for troubled teens and holds a Master of Business Administration from Anna Maria College.
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, Vice President of Organizational Management and Strategy
Letitia Howland has been with Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps since 2003. She came to the agency after spending one year volunteering for Covenant House in New York City. Previously, she spent more than 10 years at General Electric Company in a variety of finance and business management positions. Letitia holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from St. Lawrence University.
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, Vice President of Development and External Affairs
Cecilia Roddy joined Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps in January 2009. Previously, she worked as a senior consultant for Development Guild/DDI, a consulting firm working with not-for-profit leaders to build organizational capacity and strengthen philanthropic support. Cecilia also worked for Palladia, Inc., a New York City based multi-service agency serving families in need, offering temporary and permanent substance abuse services and domestic violence shelter. She holds a Master of Social Work from the Columbia University School of Social Work.
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, Vice President of Business Development
As the vice president of business development for Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps, a part-time position, Beth Skidmore assists program managers with program diversification and funding. She also serves as CEO of Skidmore & Company, a national consulting and training firm that provides management, workforce and leadership consultation, technical support and professional development services to corporate, nonprofit and government entities. Previously, she served as executive director of the Child Welfare Institute and director of leadership programs with the Child Welfare League of America. Beth holds an MBA from Franklin Pierce College.
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, Vice President of Financial Management
Alden Wells joined Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps in 1999 as chief financial officer after spending eight years as purchase of service director for the Department of Youth Services. Alden has also served as director of contracts for the Department of Public Health's Division of Substance Abuse. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in management.
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, Director of Operations
John has been in the Human Service field for nearly 15 years and began his journey working for the Boys and Girls Club of America. John has worked for both the Department of Mental Retardation, and as a Social Worker for the Department of Social Services. John served the disabled population in Central Ma as a Program Manager for Justice Resource Institute, and served in several administrative positions during 5 years at the Dr. Franklin Perkins School. John came to RFK as Program Director of Robert F. Kennedy School in Westborough, and was then tapped for transfer to the Western Youth Service Center (DYS) in Springfield MA to oversee campus operations. John holds a B.A. in Human Development from Lesley University in Cambridge MA, and an M.A. is Business Management from the University of Phoenix, School of Business in Westborough MA.
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, Director of Adoption Services
Karen Cheyney joined the agency in December 2008 when Bright Futures Adoption Center which she co-founded merged with Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps. For twenty years, Karen has provided a broad range of legal and counseling services for parents and children. She is also an adoptive parent. Karen has a JD from Harvard Law School and is also a licensed social worker.
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, Area Director, Southeast Region
Kathy Felt began her work in this field in 1990 at the Devereux Foundation. She has worked with other child welfare agencies including YOU Inc., Eliot Community Human Services and Family Continuity before joining RFK in 2004. Kathy is responsible for program development and over site of existing residential and community-based programs in the Southeast Region. She has an M.Ed in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College.
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, Director of Training & Quality Assurance
Kevin McNeeley has been with the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps since1991. Prior to his arrival at RFK he had served in an administrative capacity at several Juvenile Justice programs. During his tenure with RFK, he has held the positions of Campus Administrator at Tinkham Road, Western Region Juvenile Justice Director and Agency Juvenile Justice Administrator. Kevin holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Northeastern University.
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, Principal, Robert F. Kennedy Lancaster School.
Valerie Paen has served as Principal on the Lancaster Campus since 1992. Before her promotion to Principal she held the role of a supervising teacher. Her tenure at the RFK Lancaster School spans 26 years. Before joining RFK she worked in an integrated pre-school program at Head Start for 3 years. Valerie is involved in the Wachusett Chamber of Commerce and is on the committee for the “Taste of Wachusett”. Valerie holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Fitchburg State College
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, Area Director, Boston
Nichelle Sadler oversees two community based programs. Raised in Boston she actively participated in Boston’s local community centers throughout her youth. Following college, she joined the staff of Boston Community Centers’ Streetworker program where she worked with high-risk youth at a very difficult time for the city when crime among youth was high. Nichelle’s experience at Youth Opportunity Boston, along with her experience at the RFK Children’s Action Corps, provides her with the kind of leadership and experience that is needed to undertake community initiatives serving high risk youth.
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, Director of Juvenile Justice Services
Prior to joining Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps in 2006 as the director of training and quality assurance, Dave Strong was a senior executive for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Youth Services as well as a regional director for North American Family Institute. He assumed his current position in 2008. Dave is an adjunct professor at Cambridge College, where he assisted in developing the college's juvenile justice certificate program. He received his Master of Science in public affairs at the McCormick Institute at the University of Massachusetts
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, Director of Child Welfare Services
Adrienne Williams oversees child welfare services at Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, providing programs funded by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and the Department of Early and Secondary Education. She brings 30 years of experience in the service of vulnerable children, youth and their families. She served for 18 years as a certified special needs teacher, educational supervisor, behavioral specialist and program administrator at Boston Children's Services Association and is the former New England region director of the Child Welfare League of America. She served as director of program development and national trainer for SPIN®USA National Training Institute, based in Carlisle, MA. As a consultant, she specialized in strengths-based service delivery, management/supervision, team-building, effective leadership and cultural competence. Adrienne holds a Master of Education from UMass Dartmouth.
But those who are serious about the future have the obligation to direct those energies and talents toward concrete objectives consistent with the ideals they profess. From those of you that take that course will come the fresh ideas and leadership, which are the compelling needs of America.
Robert F. Kennedy
