Julie Boatright Wilson

Julie Boatright Wilson is the Harry Kahn Senior Lecturer in Social Policy. She is the Faculty co-Chair of two Harvard Kennedy School executive programs: Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations (joint with Harvard Business School) and Leading Successful Social Programs: Using Evidence to Assess Effectiveness. Her teaching and research focuses on poverty policy, family policy, and child welfare and juvenile justice issues. She also teaches courses in research design and research methods. Among her recent projects are several case studies on adoption from public agencies, child welfare and juvenile justice reform, and community-based strategies for strengthening families' capacities to parent. Wilson spent three years at the New York State Department of Social Services, where she directed the Office of Program Planning, Analysis, and Development.

Outside Professional Activities

Transparent Engagement

Harvard Kennedy School is proud of its energetic involvement in the world. To better understand how to solve public problems by improving policy and leadership, we engage directly with policymakers, public leaders, governments, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses whose activities affect those problems. However, we recognize that such engagement can raise questions about perceived and potential conflicts of interest, so we disclose publicly the key professional activities of our faculty outside the Kennedy School.

Outside Professional Activities For Julie Boatright Wilson

Board Memberships

Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Corporation, V. Pres. (member since 2000). This board raises funds for the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter which is located in the basement of University Lutheran Church. Most funds are raised through an annual campaign among Cambridge residents. The board also mentors student volunteer directors of the shelter. Until a year ago, this was the only homeless shelter in the country run totally by student volunteers. Unpaid.

Youth Housing Initiative Advisory Board, member. (since 2013) The Harvard undergraduates who run the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter are beginning work to develop a shelter for homeless youth (18-24) in Harvard Square. This is a new initiative and the board is working with the students on identify a space, designing the renovation, raising funds to renovate and operate the shelter, develop programming for youth, etc. Unpaid.

Massachusetts Caseload Forecasting Advisory Board, member. (Since 2011) This group, appointed by the Massachusetts Senate, meets periodically to review the forecasting methodology and forecasts for health care and early childhood education expenditures. Unpaid

Massachusetts Dually-Involved Youth Working Group, member. (Since 2013). This group of primarily state agency and judical members is developing a strategy for better supporting and dealing with the issues faced by children and youth caught up in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Massachusetts. Unpaid.

Research

Increasing the number of Canadian Crown Wards who are adopted or enter other permanency arrangements, including customay care. This research is funded by Until the Last Child, a new nonprofit organization in Toronto. Funded. (AY14)