A Decade of Light Honoree: Emma Chinman ‘17
Since 2017, Emma has grown from a Petey Greene Program Fellow to Organizing Director for Maura Healey & Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll.
Emma is an alumni honoree at A Decade of Light, CFSI’s 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 7, 2026. Support future student outcomes like Emma’s with your gift.
Emma came to SITC with a passion for addressing social challenges like homelessness and poverty, especially as they intersect with women’s issues. She found a perfect match at The Petey Greene Program, where she supported Salesforce data entry, social media marketing efforts, and research on prisons and other criminal justice/education organizations for potential partnerships. She also tutored two times per week at The Roslindale County Jail and the Middlesex State Prison, supporting incarcerated individuals in improving their educational outcomes, reducing recidivism, and successfully reintegrating into society post-release.
After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 2019 with her Bachelor’s in Social Work and Women’s Studies, Emma joined Fathers’ Uplift, where she helped provide counseling, mentorship, and other resources to fathers building strong relationships with their children. Emma continued her work in public policy through various levels of campaign work with Partners in Democracy, and, since February, has served as the Organizing Director for the Healey-Driscoll Reelection Campaign.
What was one lesson you learned during your time with CFSI?
“Semester in the city helped me not only realize my passion for prison reform, but also helped me to realize that although change can happen on the direct service level, significant change happens on the policy level.”