Detailed Agenda

Now You Know: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Kitty Dukakis

Sponsored by the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, this symposium will celebrate women’s leadership in public service as exemplified by the life and legacy of Kitty Dukakis. Bringing together policymakers, practitioners, community members and researchers, we will collectively explore how to make meaningful progress across four policy areas championed by the former Massachusetts First Lady: housing insecurity, mental health, environmental preservation, and support for the arts. The goal is to form new coalitions across the public, private, non-profit, and academic sectors that will actively work together to move the needle in each area and fulfill the collective vision of Kitty and Michael Dukakis to build a thriving community that serves the most vulnerable residents of the Commonwealth.

Date and Time: Thursday May 14, 2026, 12-6:30pm

Location: John D. O’Bryant African American Institute, Cabral Center, Northeastern University

Luncheon and Keynote Speaker – 12:00-1:15pm

Arrival and Lunch (12:00-12:20pm)

Opening Remarks (12:20-12:30pm)

Keynote Speech (12:30-12:40pm)

Fireside Chat (12:40-12:50pm)

Alicia, Ted, member(s) of the Dukakis Family, and keynote speaker

“Engage, Think and Do” Award Presentation (12:50-1:00pm)

Alicia and Ted present the award to the Keynote Speaker

Break (1:00-1:15pm)

Panel 1: Addressing Housing Insecurity and Affordability – 1:15-2:15pm

Moderator

Alicia Modestino, Director, Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy

Confirmed Panelists

  • Patrice Williams, Assistant Research Professor of Participatory Action Research and Provost Impact Fellow
  • Dr. Williams is a member of the Healthy Neighborhoods Research Consortium, which leads the Healthy Neighborhoods Study (HNS) – a 7-year multidisciplinary, multi-site participatory action researchproject focused on neighborhood change in 9 low-income, racially/ethnically diverse communities in metropolitan Boston. Her work focuses on understanding the systems of benefit and harm influencing real estate development at the neighborhood level which have constrained inventory such that housing production has not kept up with demand, causing prices to skyrocket. Alongside a group of resident researchers, she helped develop two interactive data tools that(1) will allow neighborhoods to look up corporate ownership of properties within their neighborhoods as well as the eviction history of corporate-owned property, and (2) enable residents to look up different types of subsidized housing available in its neighborhoods and the disparity between what is deemed affordable for residents and the housing options that meet their needs.
  • Rachel Heller, CEO, Massachusetts Housing Partnership
  • Aisha Miller, Related Beal

Panel 2: Destigmatizing Mental Health and Substance Use – 2:15-3:15pm

Moderator

Kim Lucas, Associate Director for Civic Research , Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy

Panelists

  • Beth Molnar, Professor, Public Health and Health Sciences, Social/emotional difficulties among children 1-8 years are associated with future psychopathology and other impairments. However, only 25% in need receive services, with underrepresented minorities experiencing worse gaps. Family Partners (FP) are paraprofessionals and parents who raised children with health/mental health difficulties. Working with the Boston Public Health Commission, we will utilize user-centered, participatory design approaches to develop smartphone technology to enhance and personalize care coordination and family support provided in a model we previously evaluated pairing FPs with mental health clinicians. Development of innovative technological tools has potential to decrease gaps in screening, referrals, and services and to promote sustainability.

Coffee Break 3:15—3:30pm

Panel 3: Building Resilient Urban Neighborhoods– 3:30-4:30pm

Moderator

Joan Fitzgerald, Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

Panelists

Panel 4: Preserving Community through the Arts and the Built Environment – 4:30-5:30pm

Moderator

Ted Landsmark, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

Panelists

Student Awards and Closing Remarks – 4:30-6:00pm

  • Dukakis Scholarship Presentation(5:30-5:35pm)
    • Massachusetts Historical Society and student winner
  • Ted Landsmark “Good Trouble” Award (5:35-5:40pm)
    • Ted Landsmark and student winner
  • Closing Remarks and Reflections 5:40-6:00pm
    • Ted Landsmark and Alicia Modestino

Reception in Celebration of Ted Landsmark: 6:00-6:30pm