LYNNFIELD — Starting June 1, A Healthy Lynnfield (AHL) will have a new face on board to help kids stay safe.
Julie Greene, a Hampton Falls, N.H., resident, has been hired as the organization’s Drug Free Communities (DFC) coordinator.
Greene was selected from a wide pool of applicants after a thorough search and interview process. She said she is anxious to hit the ground running, albeit with added logistical challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Everyone I met during the interview process was very welcoming and I am very excited to come to Lynnfield, said Greene. “I know there are added challenges during this time. Working virtually with the kids at first will be challenging, as you don’t really work with kids that way, so it will be a learning experience for everyone. But I’m ready to work and bring a skill set in and see what we do in Lynnfield and support kids and families with more youth programs.”
A 2016 Suffolk University graduate, Greene will oversee A Healthy Lynnfield’s youth programming, collaborating closely with the school and recreation departments and the Lynnfield Community Schools program to create positive substance use prevention and social, emotional skill-building activities for youth.
“Julie will be part of the team working with the coalition and the community to further our goal of reducing youth substance use,” said Peg Sallade, Substance Use Prevention Coordinator for the Town of Lynnfield.“
Sallade said Greene brings a wealth of valuable experience implementing programs for youths of different ages. Greene served as The YMCA of the North Shore Director of Teen Programming, Manager of the Positive Alternatives to Suspension program, which gives local high school students the opportunity to participate in rehabilitative programs in lieu of out-of-school suspension and Youth Director for the Be Healthy Beverly’s DFC program from December, 2018 until present.
Greene also served as a program director for the YMCA of Greater Boston after school programs from May 2015 through December, 2018. Greene said her experience has taught her that finding solutions to problems needs to be tailored to each individual.
“Every youth does not require the same type of support or resource and I believe in finding the best support and resource for each individual to reach their own determined success,” said Greene. “I’m looking forward to helping the youth of Lynnfield in my new role.”
AHL Chairman Phil Crawford said that the new position aligns perfectly with the vision of AHL’s founders.
“We are very excited about having Julie come on board and work with schools and programming that we envisioned,” said Crawford. “This is one of the goals we had from the very start of this organization and one of the milestones we had hoped to achieve. It’s just amazing that what we had talked about in the first couple of weeks has become almost a blueprint of how we evolved over time.
“I know that our community and the schools, parents and residents alike will be very happy with Julie and what she will be able to do with the kids. It is clear from our school partners that prioritizing youth programming is the direction for next year, and we all felt that Julie was the best fit for this role.”
The position will be funded from the proceeds of a $125,000 federal Drug Free Community (DFC) grant received by A Healthy Lynnfield in January, 2020 from The Substance and Mental Health Services Administration.
A Healthy Lynnfield is an active community partnership and a 501(c)3 charitable organization working hard to prevent substance abuse and to ensure those impacted have the help they need. Its mission is to empower residents to make positive choices every day by preventing substance misuse, improving the quality of life for those impacted, and supporting programs that help all young people thrive. Learn more at www.Ahealthylynnfield.org.
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
