Campbell will succeed Jill Dagilis who has served as Executive Director of the WCAC since 2006 upon her retirement. Under Dagilis' leadership, WCAC has grown from a $13 million annual budget to a $22.7 million organization that provides expanded early childhood education, fuel assistance, youth employment, adult education, banking support, tax assistance, and home weatherization services for over 75,000 area residents. WCAC employs 110 community residents in Worcester, Webster, and Southbridge, Massachusetts.

                                                                                               

"I am excited to be named the WCAC's next Executive Director," said Marybeth Campbell. "It is an honor for me to take the helm of this well respected organization that has made an immense impact on our community. I am looking forward to working with the WCAC Board, staff, and leaders across the City and our region to ensure the programs and partnerships we have across education, workforce, energy, and families continue and deepen for everyone we serve. I can't wait to start."

Campbell currently serves as the executive director of SkillWorks, a public/private partnership to improve workforce development in Boston and across the Commonwealth by helping low-income residents move to family-sustaining jobs and helping employers find and retain skilled employees. She has nineteen years of experience in public policy, public education and project management in the areas of clean energy, education, economic and workforce development.   From 2012-2014, Campbell served as the Commonwealth's first cross-secretariat Director of Education and Workforce Development advising the Patrick Administration's cabinet secretaries in the Executive Offices of Education, Labor and Workforce and Housing and Economic Development on workforce and education policy development, program strategy and implementation.  

She previously served as the state's first Workforce Development Director at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center establishing national-leading green jobs programs by working with higher education, vocational schools, labor organizations and community based nonprofits to develop training and workforce capacity that supports the Commonwealth's growing clean energy industry. She also served as Public Education Manager for the former Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust where she oversaw two education initiatives to increase awareness among teachers, students and the public about the benefits of clean energy, and as a senior research analyst for the Massachusetts House of Representatives Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. Campbell earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Providence College and attended Suffolk University Law School. A native of Worcester, MA, she looks forward to returning to Worcester to work with the City and area business partners to continue to develop opportunities for area residents as Worcester grows.

"Worcester Community Action Council's Search Committee conducted a comprehensive and inclusive, regional search to identify the next leader," said Noreen Johnson Smith, WCAC's Board Chairperson. "We are very excited to welcome Marybeth Campbell to the WCAC. She is a collaborative, strategic, experienced leader with a deep commitment to the City of Worcester and the multicultural communities we serve."

The WCAC search was supported by Koya Leadership Partners, a national executive search firm that specializes in leading searches exclusively for mission-driven clients .