To Whom It May Concern:

It is with enthusiasm, vision and confidence that I am applying for the position of Associate Director at Outreach Housing Boston. As a career educator, special education parent, advocate, teacher, principal, superintendent of schools and Executive Director of one of the largest direct service special education collaboratives in New England, I have intimate knowledge of the challenges facing students--- particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I have had a successful and fulfilling career in public education, my greatest professional passion throughout my career has been creating cost-effective, mission-driven educational opportunities for all students and community stakeholders—particularly students with intellectual disabilities and mitigating the traumatic impacts of poverty upon the students I serve. The work we, as a team, accomplished at the Central Massachusetts Collaborative galvanizing staff to develop business and educational action plans around converting sections of an abandoned warehouse in the center of Worcester into a vibrant, 200,000 sf educational/ conference facility was, as described by the board and community, transformative for students and staff. I was fortunate enough to present the process of this project to my Executive Director peers nationally at the AESA Conference in San Antonio in 2017 and I submit it to you to demonstrate some of the

“transferrable skills” such as team-building and leadership strengths, adopting elements from private businesses (New England Center for Children), public schools districts and regional collaborations and partnerships while managing the local, state and federal program guidelines, budget and compliance guidelines to build award winning schools and programs. I also have more than 25 years of experience in partnership with court systems, DSS, advocates and other entities working in the best interest for students and families in need of housing and human services. On a personal note, my wife, Ramona, and I have been blessed to have three wonderful children, Ben, Julia and Caroline. Our lives, career paths and advocacy have intersected in many ways that coincide with the mission of The Pine Street Inn. Ramona is a Program Leader with the Social Security Administration’s Office of Quality Review in Boston, Julia is a public interest law student at Northeastern University and soon to be a corporate litigator at Ropes and Gray, Caroline is dually certified teacher finishing her last semester at Emmanuel College, and Ben works providing “Meals on Wheels” through his Day Hab program Ventures Community Services. Our journey, as a family, navigating Ben’s educational, residential, day habilitation and wonderful social network; from his early days at The New England Center for Children through his current Adult Placement and Day Hab Program at Ventures Community Services has been incredibly fulfilling. This experience continues to drive in me a perspective and respect for the range, depth and need for housing, human rights and advocacy for all people, students and families.

I feel that I have the appropriate skills, experience, passion and drive to serve as Associate Director of Outreach Housing Placement at the Pine Street Inn. I am particularly interested in collaboratively developing a strategic plan that best serves the vision, mission and objectives of the Pine Street Inn in serving clients as ethically and expeditiously as possible. I can be reached by email or phone at 774-***-****, and I look forward to hearing from you or meeting with you at your earliest convenience. Sincerely,

Michael C. Tempesta