A Decade of Light Honoree: Masami Dustin ‘20
From fellow to Executive & Strategic Projects Manager at FamilyAid, Masami sparks change by strengthening family outcomes across Greater Boston.
Masami is an alumni honoree at A Decade of Light, CFSI’s 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 7, 2026. Support future student outcomes like Masami’s with your gift.
In Spring 2020, Masami Dustin was placed at FamilyAid, a leading nonprofit that provides solutions to family homelessness in Greater Boston. As a Strategic Projects Associate Fellow, he created a comprehensive guide to support programming transitions and lead teams for Boston’s two highest-visibility, homeless community-centered annual events. To him, it was most valuable to learn from “like-minded city and state leaders who looked to improve communities and systems of care, especially in the face of the start of COVID and the significant impacts it had on vulnerable populations.”
Post Semester in the City, Masami immediately moved into a part-time role at FamilyAid while completing his final year at UNH's Paul College. That year, he took on new roles at the university, including a Coach/Mentor and a Program Recruiter for UNH's Changemaker Collaborative, and as a Paul College Dean's Ambassador while completing the school's scholar program. Masami graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2021 as a first-generation student and was the recipient of multiple awards, including the University's prestigious Hood Achievement Prize and Rising Alumni Leader Award.
Currently, Masami is the Executive and Strategic Projects Manager at FamilyAid. Masami plays a central role in aligning organizational strategy with day-to-day operations, coordinating executive functions, and overseeing high-impact initiatives that strengthen outcomes for families across Greater Boston. His work spans strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, executive and board support, and cross-departmental project leadership. He most recently played a lead role in overseeing a $1 million initiative to improve systems of care and address the social determinants of health of children with parents experiencing homelessness. The four-year project involved over 125 organizations in collaborative problem-solving and received national recognition from the Aspen Institute as one of 15 best practices aimed at preventing and ending family homelessness.
What sparks you to make change?
“Knowing how many other people—of all backgrounds and experiences—want to make the world a better place too, and seeing the passion and energy they put in to break down barriers. I see them successfully work through the most challenging cases and bring hundreds of families to stability each year, while ensuring thousands of children who are homeless can still experience a real childhood and have a smile on their faces”