Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA Welcomes Richard Harris

BOSTON, NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM), one of the nation’s leading one-to-one youth mentoring programs and New England’s largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate, has appointed Richard Harris, of North Attleboro, to the agency’s Board of Directors.

Harris brings more than two decades of experience uplifting young people through community programs and academic institutions. As an immigrant who came to this country from Central America at just four-years-old and a first-generation college graduate, he knows firsthand the value of mentorship. He describes his upbringing with a do or die mentality. He watched his parents work hard to afford him opportunities to lean into his strengths – communication and STEM education – that not every child was fortunate to access living in Brooklyn, NY. He credits a man he refers to as General Jesse Jones who started a Drum & Bugle Corps, that was later transformed into the former youth enrichment program called The Hurricanes for helping to shape the trajectory of his life.

“Do what you say you’re going to do – it’s a simple motto that I live by and it’s what matters to young people,” says Harris. “I fully believe in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts’ work and mission – helping those coming behind us to provide a hand up as opposed to a handout, facilitating ways to meet young people where they are in their journey and helping them be their true authentic selves. It’s having that consistent adult mentor in their corner who does what they say they will that can make all the difference.”

Professionally, Harris wears many hats: Associate Dean of DEI, Director of NUPRIME (Northeastern University Program In Multicultural Engineering); College of Engineering Co-Chair for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee; Affiliate Professor of Africana Studies in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH); and former Special Advisor for Educational Pathways Programs to the Office of the Provost. In all he does, he works to create and facilitate pathways for helping youth to reach their fullest potential so they can create meaningful change in this world.

Since 2007, Harris has been Co-Leader/Co-Principal Investigator and Senior Team member on several National Science Foundation, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences and Howard Hughes Mentoring (Medical) Institute grants totaling in the tens of millions of dollars to create equity in education. He is a member and official chapter advisor to both the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National GEM Consortium; University representative of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME); American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) member; American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) member; National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates (NAMEPA) member; and a Fellow of the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences.

Harris has received numerous recognitions for his work, including the 2022 Inaugural Northeastern University Impact Award, 2020 College of Engineering Dean’s Meritorious Award, 2019 NSBE Minority Program Director of the Year and 2019 NSBE Boston Professional STEM Advocate Award. He was appointed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu to sit on the Commission for Black Men and Boys and he currently serves as a community advisory board member (CAB) for the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Community Health Improvement (CCHI); President of the Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc.; and Advocate for the Empower Yourself Youth-based program. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master of Science in Applied Educational Psychology and is an ABD-Doctoral Candidate (All but Dissertation).

“Richard and I have known each other for twenty-years and I know he will be instrumental in moving our mission forward,” says BBBSEM President & CEO Mark O’Donnell, who first met Harris when working as Associate Dean for the College of Engineering at Northeastern University before coming to the agency. “His leadership and drive to assist our advocacy, recruitment and pathway initiatives will undoubtedly help us to strengthen and expand our ability to support more youth and families across the region.”

BBBSEM Board of Directors commit to serving the organization over the course of two years. As a member, Harris will help to advance the agency’s mission, service to children and impact. As a group, the Board establishes agency policy and sets strategic goals, as well as provides leadership and counsel to staff for specifically identified strategic initiatives. Board members serve as enthusiastic goodwill ambassadors and actively advocate on behalf of the nonprofit and BBBSEM community.

Entering its 75th year in 2024, BBBSEM has created and served more than 20,000 matches. The nonprofit is now enrolling and matching Littles and Bigs. For more information, to register your children or to become a volunteer, visit: www.emassbigs.org.

About Big Brother Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of nearly 4,000 youth annually by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor in long-term, professionally supported relationships. With research and proven outcomes at its core, the nonprofit is working to defend the potential of children facing adversity and ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Eastern Massachusetts by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. Throughout its 74 years, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 20,000 matches. For more information about the agency and its mission, visit www.emassbigs.org.

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