Baker-Polito Administration To Expand Apprenticeship Opportunities with $200,000 Federal Grant

Baker-Polito Administration To Expand Apprenticeship Opportunities with $200,000 Federal Grant BOSTON, MA, July 28, 2016 --- The Baker-Polito Administration’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced today that $200,000 in federal ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grant funding from the United States Department of Labor will be used to expand and diversify apprenticeship opportunities and strengthen existing programs in Massachusetts. “We welcome the flexibility and tools this funding provides to continue our focus on addressing the workforce skills gap and expanding apprenticeship opportunities that prepare a pipeline of skilled workers for future employment,” said Governor Charlie Baker.“Ensuring our strong and skilled workforce continues to develop and succeed results in a prospering economic environment across the Commonwealth.”  The grant will enable the Massachusetts Apprenticeship Initiative - a collaboration of 50 businesses, the state Department of Career Services, Division of Apprentice Standards, the Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office, the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, and six local workforce development boards - to expand opportunities to other areas of the state, new industries, occupations and additional employers. “As our state’s economy continues to grow, apprenticeships will play an increasingly important role in training individuals for job openings now and into the future, and supporting job growth and economic development across Massachusetts,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said.   The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, through the Department of Career Services and Division of Apprentice Standards, will build upon partnerships in an effort to expand the number of employers with apprenticeship programs. “We look forward to the opportunities this funding will support to create more strategic partnerships in industries that already employ apprentices, while also reaching out to nontraditional industries for apprenticeship opportunities such as IT, healthcare, cyber-security, advanced manufacturing and others,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker, II said. “ Under DOL requirements, all registered apprenticeship programs must include five components – on-the-job training, direct business involvement, related instruction, rewards for skill gains, and a national occupational credential.  The average starting salary for an apprentice graduate is more than $50,000 a year, and over the course of their careers apprentices earn $300,000 more, on average, in wages and benefits than their peers who did not participate in a registered apprentice program, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

BOSTON, MA, July 28, 2016 --- The Baker-Polito Administration’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced today that $200,000 in federal ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grant funding from the United States Department of Labor will be used to expand and diversify apprenticeship opportunities and strengthen existing programs in Massachusetts. “We welcome the flexibility and tools this funding provides to continue our focus on addressing the workforce skills gap and expanding apprenticeship opportunities that prepare a pipeline of skilled workers for future employment,” said Governor Charlie Baker.“Ensuring our strong and skilled workforce continues to develop and succeed results in a prospering economic environment across the Commonwealth.”  The grant will enable the Massachusetts Apprenticeship Initiative - a collaboration of 50 businesses, the state Department of Career Services, Division of Apprentice Standards, the Massachusetts Community Colleges Executive Office, the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, and six local workforce development boards - to expand opportunities to other areas of the state, new industries, occupations and additional employers. “As our state’s economy continues to grow, apprenticeships will play an increasingly important role in training individuals for job openings now and into the future, and supporting job growth and economic development across Massachusetts,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said.   The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, through the Department of Career Services and Division of Apprentice Standards, will build upon partnerships in an effort to expand the number of employers with apprenticeship programs. “We look forward to the opportunities this funding will support to create more strategic partnerships in industries that already employ apprentices, while also reaching out to nontraditional industries for apprenticeship opportunities such as IT, healthcare, cyber-security, advanced manufacturing and others,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker, II said. “ Under DOL requirements, all registered apprenticeship programs must include five components – on-the-job training, direct business involvement, related instruction, rewards for skill gains, and a national occupational credential.  The average starting salary for an apprentice graduate is more than $50,000 a year, and over the course of their careers apprentices earn $300,000 more, on average, in wages and benefits than their peers who did not participate in a registered apprentice program, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

City and State team up to house chronically homeless elders

City and State team up to house chronically homeless elders

First of its kind “housing surge” focused on housing elders

while qualifying them for services and support

The City of Boston, in partnership with the state’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs, today hosted a first of its kind “housing surge”, designed to connect chronically homeless seniors with housing and services.  The event, held at the Laboure Center in South Boston, marks the first time housing and integrated care services have been offered together, and launches a new partnership between the city and state designed to end chronic homelessness in senior populations across Massachusetts.  

“Innovative ways of removing the barriers to health and housing are how we will end chronic homelessness in Boston, “ said Mayor Walsh. “We are so lucky to have such strong partners working with us to house our homeless residents. I am grateful to the state for coming to the table, allowing us to offer services and housing at the same time.”

Secretary MaryLou Sudders of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said, “The Baker Administration is committed to working in full partnership with the City of Boston and Mayor Marty Walsh’s efforts to provide housing for some of our city’s most vulnerable residents. Addressing the complex care needs of elders jointly with housing is a huge part of the solution and crucial to providing a stable living situation.”

Secretary Alice Bonner, of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, said, “We are pleased to be a partner in this important initiative helping older adults to live independently and thrive by pairing housing with vital services and supports.”

Attended by Secretary Alice F. Bonner, PhD, RN of the State’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Daniel Tsai, Assistant Secretary for MassHealth, Boston’s Elderly Commissioner Emily Shea, Boston Housing Authority’s Gail Livingston, Deputy Administrator for Housing Programs, and Boston’s Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon, today’s surge was staffed by 25 different agencies.  Seniors attending the event were given “passports”, which guided them from table to table where they were able to determine their eligibility for various types of support services.

Seniors were able to meet with representatives from state programs including the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE); Senior Care Options (SCO); Pay for Success and Community Supports for Persons Experiencing Chronic Homelessness (CSPECH) to determine their eligibility and interest in these programs.  

At today’s surge, the Boston Housing Authority was able to connect 16 homeless seniors with units of permanent supportive housing. This is the first time that guests at a housing surge have been offered specific units of housing, rather than vouchers.  The BHA was able to accomplish this by creating a super-priority for chronically homeless elders who are going to be receiving services.

In preparation for the event, city, state, and non-profit partners worked together to create a list of chronically homeless older adults, and undertook significant outreach at shelters and throughout the city to spread awareness of this opportunity.

The chronically homeless seniors who attended the surge were identified as likely eligible for state benefits including long-term services, supports, and integrated care.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines chronically homeless individuals as adults with a disability who have been either living in an emergency shelter or in a place not meant for human habitation continuously for 12 months or more, or who have had four occasions of homelessness in the past three years that total 12 months or more.

Those individuals in need of translation services were identified in advance, and translators were on hand to assist with language barriers. In addition, individuals with accessibility issues had also been identified ahead of time, with accommodations made in advance for their specific issues. Individuals also received breakfast and coffee, provided and served by volunteers from the BostonHome Interfaith Collaborative. BostonHome Interfaith Collaborative faith community partners also donated gift cards for attendees.

This is the sixth in a series of housing surges hosted by the City of Boston.  The first three surges focused on homeless veterans; the last two focused on all chronically homeless individuals.  The previous events have in total served over 200 homeless individuals, during which 41 received permanent housing vouchers on the spot, along with enrollment in housing search, while others received rapid rehousing assistance, applied for housing and obtained documentation that will help them secure permanent housing.

Partners for today’s surge included (alphabetical):

Bay Cove

Boston Department of Neighborhood Development

Boston Elderly Commission

Boston Health Care for the Homeless

Boston Housing Authority

Boston Medical Center HealthNet

Boston Public Health Commission

BostonHome Interfaith Collaborative

Children's Services of Roxbury

Commonwealth Care Alliance

East Boston Elder Service Plan

Eliot Human Services

Hearth, Inc.

HomeStart

Labouré Center / Catholic Charities

MassHealth

Massachusetts Department of Mental Health

Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs

Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance

Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership

NaviCare

Pine Street Inn

Saint Francis House

Senior Whole Health

Social Security Administration

Tufts Health Plan

United Healthcare

Uphams Corner Elder Service Program

For more information on the City of Boston’s plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness, please visit our new presence on boston.gov or follow us on Twitter: @BostonsWayHome.

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Salem $1.7 Million Clean Energy Grant

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Salem $1.7 Million Clean Energy Grant

Grant Will Fund Solar Installation Projects at Public Schools

BOSTON – July 28, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced a $1,764,510 grant award to the City of Salem for the installation of two solar projects at Salem public schools. The grant is part of an agreement by the Commonwealth to assist host municipalities of active or decommissioned coal generation facilities with developing and implementing a clean energy strategy, including the building of a renewable energy project within the community.

“Massachusetts is a national leader in embracing clean, emerging technologies,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By embracing clean solar energy technologies, Salem will save hundreds of thousands of dollars going forward that can be reinvested in other vital municipal functions.”

“Our Administration is committed to working with our municipal partners to meet our ambitious shared clean energy goals,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “By working with the City of Salem to transition from traditional power generation to clean alternatives, our administration is affirming our commitment to a diverse energy portfolio.”

The grant awarded today is for the installation of rooftop solar installations at two elementary schools owned by the City of Salem. The grant will fund a 430 kW system at the Bentley Elementary School that will offset $75,996 in annual electrical costs, and a 491 kW system at Witchcraft Heights Elementary School that will offset $86,772 in yearly electrical costs.  The combined capacity of the two projects will generate enough energy to offset 100 percent of the electricity needs of the two buildings.

“The installation of two solar arrays at Salem public schools will have long-term positive economic and environmental benefits for Salem and our Commonwealth as a whole,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to working with our municipal partners across Massachusetts to lower energy consumption and reduce emissions.”

“DOER is proud of our partnership with the City of Salem and continued support their efforts to adopt clean energy technology,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. “These solar arrays will build upon Salem’s already impressive efforts as a Green Community and solidifies their place a statewide leader in clean energy adoption.”

Salem was home to the now decommissioned Salem Harbor Generating Station, a 740 MW coal and oil fired  power generation plant that operated until being shut down on June 1, 2014. It was replaced by the Salem Harbor Station, a 674MW natural gas-fired electric generation facility. 

Salem has been a designated Green Community since 2010 and has received nearly $700,000 in grant funding for energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability projects. There are 155 Green Communities in the Commonwealth.

“Both of these projects make good sense environmentally and fiscally for the City of Salem,” stated State Senator Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem). “Salem has been a leader in implementing alternative energy and green friendly initiatives. These solar arrays will add to their already impressive portfolio.”

“This grant re-affirms Salem's designation as a proud Green Community and demonstrates our commitment to renewable energy which benefits our city environmentally and economically,” said State Representative Paul Tucker (D-Salem). “I am grateful to Governor Baker and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for this investment which will pay dividends well into the future.”

“The City of Salem is excited and grateful for the opportunity to install over 900kw of Solar PV on two elementary schools in Salem,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “Through the Department of Energy Resources Decommissioned Coal Plant Grant Program, Salem will offset 100% of the energy usage in these two schools while also producing solar renewable credits that generate income for the Salem School Department. This renewable energy project demonstrates Salem’s continued commitment to sustainable energy generation and a leader in energy resiliency in the Commonwealth.”

The funding for this award is to come Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP), which are paid by electrical retail suppliers if they have insufficient Renewable or Alternative Energy Certificates to meet their compliance obligations under the Renewable and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard programs.

駐芝加哥新任總領事到職 洪磊設厭晤僑胞

應邀轉載

驻芝加哥总领事洪磊举行到任招待会

（《芝加哥华语论坛》报记者张大卫报道）几天前刚刚抵达芝加哥就任总领事的前外交部发言人洪磊，当地时间7月28日晚在芝市中心的半岛酒店举行盛大的到任招待会。来自大芝加哥地区和美国中部地区九个州的侨界领袖、社团组织的骨干，留学人员和留学生等近五百人应邀出席。

洪磊总领事在热烈的掌声中讲话。他说，出任中国驻芝加哥总领事，我深感使命崇高，责任重大。他提出要与各位侨胞一起努力实现五个愿景：坚定不移地推动中美关系发展；坚定不移地推动领区中美务实合作；坚定不移地推动领区中美人文交流；坚定不移地推动中国和平统一；坚定不移地服务领区广大华侨华人。

洪磊说，驻芝加哥总领馆领区九州是美国经济、金融重地，许多侨胞为中国国内建设和中国与美国中西部地区经济合作牵线搭桥，力促双方实现互利共赢。近年来，中国与各州的务实合作蓬勃发展，各州表现出发展对华关系的强烈愿望，双方合作前景广阔，潜力巨大。我们要以开创精神推动各州与中国在贸易、投资等方面的合作，帮助领区美国经商界参与中国经济结构转型升级，同时帮助更多走出来的中国企业投资落户美国中西部。

洪磊赞扬领区广大侨胞大力弘扬中华文化，形式多样的“中国日”、“中国节”、春节联欢会等活动点燃了“中国热“，构成了一道道亮丽的风景线，成为当地美国民众了解中国的重要途径。我们要把领区各州弘扬中华文化、深化中美人文交流活动搞得更加红火。洪磊还指出，当前，反“独”促统形势出现了新变化，我们要共同努力，为促进海峡两岸关系和平发展，实现早日和平统一贡献力量。

大芝加哥华侨华人联合会主席汪兴无代表华侨华人同胞们对洪磊出任驻芝加哥总领事表示无比热烈的欢迎。他说，洪总到达芝加哥后不顾旅途的疲劳和十分繁忙的工作日程，立即马不停蹄地走访侨社。他的平易近人、和蔼可亲和大国风范，令人可敬可佩。我们坚信，洪磊这样杰出的外交官来芝加哥，一定能在美国中西部地区为中美两国关系的友好发展开拓出一片肥沃的土地。

底特律中国人协会主席王丽莎在讲话中说，我们离开祖国多年，但随着祖国日益强大，我们时刻觉得祖国就在眼前，中国就在身边。作为身在美国的华人，尤其关注中美关系的走向。我们华侨华人要为所居住地区与中国的友好关系，促进双边发展等方面发挥桥梁作用，中美关系的友好发展也一定会有助于华人社区和每一位华人的发展。

在招待会上，与会者频频举杯，为中美关系健康稳定的发展，为祖国的繁荣昌盛祝福。整个招待会充满喜庆和谐的气氛。招待会由中国副总领事王永主持。副总领事刘军、余鹏，侨务组长卢晓晖等也出席了招待会。

AARP徵夥伴教50歲以上人士自僱

AARP Foundation is requesting applications from eligible organizations to partner with the Foundation to host the First Look Workshop component of Work for Yourself@50+℠- a new initiative aimed at providing low income adults age 50+ understands the pros and cons of self-employment and educate them on the early steps needed to take to be successful. Partner organizations will host and facilitate 90-minute First Lookworkshops designed by AARP Foundation to walk participants through the Work for Yourself@50+ materials. In addition, partner organizations will: connect program participants with local, accessible resources; submit timely reports on workshop attendance and participant referrals; and regularly participate in a “community of practice” with other grantees to assist with the evaluation of this initiative and help to build a body of evidence regarding its effectiveness.

Application Deadline: Applications are due August 26, 2016 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and must be completed online.

瘋一夏暑期夏令營開幕

璞石中華文化工作室25日在波士頓華僑文教中心推出內容包括特技、雜耍及文化課程的　「瘋一夏暑期夏令營」，邀有廖景源老師教學。僑教中心主任歐宏偉出席營隊始業式，致詞時肯定主辦單位推展僑教及傳承文化的貢獻。（圖片由僑教中心提供）

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Upgrades to Recreational Facilities Throughout Commonwealth

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Upgrades to Recreational Facilities Throughout Commonwealth
Investments made to provide increased access in time for summer recreational season

 
BOSTON – July 28, 2016 – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced that it has made critical investments to outdoor athletic facilities at many of the state’s campgrounds, and within urban communities and Gateway Cities. To date, the Administration has allocated $860,000 for the restoration of basketball, street hockey, and tennis courts, as well as the resurfacing of walkways and driveways in several of the state’s most heavily trafficked campgrounds.

“With students enjoying summer vacation, it is important that kids have access to quality outdoor athletic facilities to stay active, healthy, and safe,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “From pickup games to sports leagues, our residents are drawn to the Commonwealth’s vast recreational resources and the thousands of acres of protected public land, and it is our responsibility to ensure those lands remain protected and our parks available for years to come.”

“Today’s announcement demonstrates a proactive, forward-thinking approach to providing cities and towns across the Commonwealth with the necessary recreational resources for children, families, friends and neighbors to congregate and enjoy the beautiful weather together,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

The recently made improvements coincide with the Baker-Polito Administration’s continued commitment to ensuring positive recreational opportunities for children and their families during the summer months. Last week, Governor Charlie Baker announced the extension of operating hours at select urban pools and athletic complexes throughout the state as part of the Administration’s “Summer Nights Program,” which provides children and their families with special programming during the week to visit local state parks beyond normal operating hours.

“Summertime offers residents a great opportunity to visit the states vast array of outdoor recreational resources, and these athletic facility improvements build on the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to the public to increase access for us all,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “It is important children are provided with increased access to state managed athletic facilities to incorporate an active, healthy lifestyle that will be benefit them for the rest of their lives.”

“The investments made by the Baker-Polito Administration to state managed outdoor athletic and recreational facilities serves as an excellent example of the dedication the Administration has to ensuring there are places for today’s youth and their families to enjoy,” said DCR Commissioner Leo Roy.

Communities that have recently received outdoor recreational facility improvements made by the Baker-Polito Administration include:

• Riverfront Park in Lawrence (resurfaced basketball, street hockey, and tennis courts; installation of new backboards and net; and the repaving of parking lots and walkways);

• Ryan Tennis Courts in South Boston (installation of new tennis posts and nets);

• Tenean Beach in Dorchester (installation of new tennis posts and nets);
• Ventura Playground in Dorchester (installation of a basketball half-court; and the rehabilitation of walkways);

• McMorrow Courts in Dorchester (resurfaced basketball court; installation of new backboards and rims; walls painted; and fencing replaced);

• Myles Standish State Forest in Carver (construction of a new basketball half-court at the campground; and the repaving of driveways and roads);
   
• Daughters of the American Revolution State Forest in Goshen (construction of a new basketball half-court at the campground); and,
   
• Otter River State Forest in Baldwinville (construction of a new basketball half-court).

“The upgrades to the basketball half court and campground driveways and roads at Myles Standish are a wonderful 100th birthday gift from the Baker-Polito Administration,” said State Representative Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham), who participated  in the celebration on July 16th. “I share the commitment to preserving and increasing access for all to one of our greatest resources, our state forests.”

“Increasing access to recreational activities is important to bringing up a healthier generation of children,”said State Representative Matthew Muratore (R-Plymouth). “The investments the Administration is making will go a long way in making improvements to our public spaces for children and families throughout the Commonwealth.”

“These state funds that have been used to improve and maintain existing recreational and parking facilities at Riverfront Park in Lawrence are a great investment by the state,” said State Senator Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover), who represents Lawrence in addition to Andover, Tewksbury and Dracut.  “Located on the banks of the Merrimack River, this is a heavily used park that provides many options for both passive and strenuous recreational activities for children, teens and adults, including street hockey, basketball and tennis, in addition to wooded walking paths that provide a scenic escape for residents.”

Governor Baker Nominates Four to Massachusetts Appeals Court

Governor Baker Nominates Four to Massachusetts Appeals Court

Candidates bring diverse backgrounds to the Commonwealth’s intermediate appellate court

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker has nominated the Honorable Superior Court Justices Kenneth V. Desmond and James R. Lemire, State Solicitor Peter Sacks, and Assistant Attorney General Sookyoung Shin to the Massachusetts Appeals Court.

“I am proud to nominate such an accomplished and diverse group to the Appeals Court," said Governor Charlie Baker. "The combined trial, appellate and administrative law experience of this group will be a tremendous addition to the court and our judicial system. I thank the Judicial Nominating Commission for their hard work in presenting these outstanding candidates and look forward to the Governor’s Council’s thoughtful consideration of their nominations."

“I am confident that if confirmed, these nominees will maintain the high level of legal talent at the Appeals Court,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “With two Superior Court Justices and two seasoned appellate lawyers, this slate brings a wide range of experience that will allow the Court to issue thoughtful, well-reasoned decisions in an efficient manner across the broad range of legal issues that are heard by the Appeals Court.”

The Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court to which most appeals from the Massachusetts Trial Courts and a number of administrative bodies are made.  The Court has 1 Chief and 24 Associate Justices. Last year, Governor Baker nominated the Honorable Scott L. Kafker to serve as Chief Justice of the Appeals Court.  Governor Baker nominated three additional associate justices to the Appeals Court in October of 2015.

“The Governor has nominated a first-rate slate of talented trial judges and appellate advocates for the Appeals Court,” said Appeals Court Chief Justice Scott Kafker. “They would bring to our court a wealth of civil and criminal, and trial and appellate experience, and enhance our diversity.”

Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February, 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth's diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April, 2015.

About the Honorable Kenneth V. Desmond:

A graduate of Tufts University and Boston College Law School, Judge Kenneth V. Desmond Jr. began his career as an Assistant District Attorney for Suffolk County, where he served from 1990-1997. From 1997-2005, he served as Deputy Chief Legal Counsel for the Sheriff of Middlesex County. In 2005 he was appointed Associate Justice to the Boston Municipal Court, and was presiding justice of the Dorchester Drug Court from 2007-2012. In 2012, Desmond joined the Massachusetts Superior Court. He served as a member of the Supreme Judicial Court’s Committee to Study the Code of Judicial Conduct, and is presently a member of Trial Courts Judicial Performance Committee, Chair of the Trial Courts Departmental Race and Implicit Bias Advisory Committee and  Vice-Chair of the Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Board on Probation. Desmond previously served on the Board of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and is a Vice- President of the Massachusetts Black Judges Conference.

About the Honorable James R. Lemire:

After graduating from Assumption College in Worcester with a BA in Political Science in 1975 and from New England Law in 1978, Judge James Lemire’s 40-year law career began in the Worcester County District Attorney’s office, where he remained until 1989, serving as Chief of the Sexual Assault Unit, then Chief of the Drug Unit. For the next twelve years he worked Criminal and Civil Litigation while working at a private law practice in Holden, MA. Mr. Lemire returned to the District Attorney’s office in 2001 and became Chief of the Financial Crime Unit until 2006 when he joined the Superior Court. Since 2007, he has participated in the Superior Court’s judicial mentoring and education programs for new judges. He also served as the Regional Administrative Judge for the Worcester Region from 2011 to 2014. From 1981-2014, he served as an adjunct professor of continuing education at Assumption College for classes and lectures related to Business Law, Criminal Law, Litigation, Real Estate law, Paralegal Programs, and Criminal Justice Programs.

About Peter Sacks:

State Solicitor Peter Sacks graduated with a BA Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College and later magna cum laude from Harvard Law School where he served on the Harvard Law Review. Following his graduation, Sacks clerked first for Judge Edward Gignoux, U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, and then for Judge Frank Coffin, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Since 1988, Sacks has worked as an Assistant Attorney General, where he served as the Elections Counsel, as the Opinions Coordinator, and as the Deputy Chief of the Government Bureau. In 2013, Attorney Sacks was appointed to be the first State Solicitor in Massachusetts, serving as the principal advisor to the Attorney General on appellate strategy for cases affecting the Commonwealth. He has served as an active member of the Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure for the past 18 years.

About Sookyoung Shin:

A graduate of Brown University and Harvard Law School, Assistant Attorney General Sookyoung Shin began her law career in 1999, serving as a patent litigator for Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner in Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter, she began working as a staff law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. From 2002 to 2003, Shin served as law clerk for the Honorable Joel M. Flaum of the 7th Circuit Court, before returning to Washington D.C. to work as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis L.L.P., specializing in appeals and dispositive motions. In 2005, she began working for the Office of the Attorney General in Boston, where she is currently an Assistant Attorney General in the Administrative Law Division. Ms. Shin has also lectured at Boston University School of Law, and in 2011 was a Supreme Court Fellow for the National Association of Attorneys General.