The MSAC Board and Staff: Leadership For the Field Today

CHARMAINE L. ARTHUR started her career in out-of-school time and youth development programming in 1993 as a case manager/program coordinator at the Mo Vaughn Youth Development Program. After five years in the direct service field she took a position at Parents United for Child Care in May of 1998 as a Boston School Age Child Care (BSACCP)/Making the Most of Out of School Time (MOST) Project Manager. Charmaine received training as a Quality Advisor by the National Institute on Out-of-School time and through her work, she collaborated with providers to improve the quality of programming in Boston. Charmaine specializes in educating families on domestic violence issues, health education, and prevention/intervention strategies. Charmaine has studied at Newbury Junior College and Lasell College, majoring in sociology. She is currently the Program Director at Urban Dreams Youth Development Program, a program designed to sevre middle and high school youth and she is the founder of "The Ladies 1st Project" and "A Sister's Strength" series, a program designed to support women of all cultural backgrounds and girls of color. Charmaine is also the parent of two sons, Gerald Christopher and Ahsad Jauchari.

CHERYL BROWN Secretary of the MSAC Board, is the Unit Manager for After School Programming for the City of Boston --Boston Centers for Youth & Families (formally known as Boston Community Centers). Ms. Brown started at Boston Community Centers in January 1990 as an Integrated Specialist. She was responsible for integrating special needs children into licensed Afterschool Programs within Boston Community Centers. While her ten year at Boston Center 's for Youth & Families she became the Program Manager of the Afterschool Program, Camp Joy Program Manager/Director and Youth Challenges Program Manager and continued on to the Unit Manager's Position for the After School Programs.

• Camp Joy is the largest therapeutic recreational program for special needs children and adults in the City of Boston.
• Youth Challenges was an integrated middle school afterschool program for children between the ages of 10-16.

Ms. Brown is also a steering committee member and a consultant for the LOYD Project (Leadership Opportunities for Youth with Disabilities). She is a committee member of PUCC (Parents United for Child Care, Strengthening Programs Working Group, Youth Director's Round Table), she is also on the Advisory Council for Easter Seals, Ready Set Go program, and a PASS trainer (Professional Advancement for School Age Staff).

Ms. Brown attended Boston State College where she majored in Elementary Education & Special Education/Psychology. She currently holds a Master's Degree of Education.

JOANNE GRAVELL has enjoyed her job at Child Care Connection for the past 16 years and has served as program director for the past 10 years. Joanne received her Master's degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and began working on early childhood issues as a parent representative on the statewide Child Care Coalition in 1985. She began her professional career as program coordinator for a Worcester-based federal grant "The Family Child Care Health & Safety Project". She joined Child Care Connection, the Worcester area child care resource and referral agency, in 1989 and became the program director in 1996. She serves as a member of the Massachusetts School Age Coalition, public policy chairperson of the Worcester Area Association for the Education of Young Children, and secretary of the Massachusetts Child Care Resource and Referral Network. She is a trainer for the SACERS (School Age Environmental Rating Scale) and directed "Advancing School Age Professionalism" a 3 year DOE grant that was a partnership with MSAC and Quinsigamond Community College. She is mom of three adolescents/young adults ages 20, 16 and 14 years. This year for her 50th birthday, she went whitewater rafting for the first time ever!

DONNA JASAK, Board President and the executive director of Southborough Extended Day Program, Inc., has been working with school-age children for over 12 years. She began her career as a game room supervisor in a Boys and Girls Club while still in college. When Donna received her BA in early childhood education from Westfield State College, she began working as a group leader in Belchertown Day School's After- School Program. The program director, Orlaine Martin, mentored Donna and encouraged her to pursue a career in the school-age field. Although this was supposed to be only a temporary position while she looked for a teaching job, Donna immediately became attached to the fun atmosphere of school-age child-care. Since then, Donna has worked in several after-school programs as the administrator and program director. She has expertise in curriculum development, creative programming, space design and vacation programming. In addition, Donna is an ARQ technical advisor and an NSACA accreditation endorser.