Senior Leadership Team

Eric Schwarz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Citizen Schools. He has been tapped to speak about education reform and Expanded Learning Time at numerous conferences across the country. He has served as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's Task Force on 21st Century Skills, the Center for American Progress working group on Expanded Learning Time, the transition team of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and the Social Entrepreneur Advisory Board for the New Profit, Inc. Gathering of Leaders. He is the author of Realizing the American Dream: Historical Scorecard, Current Challenges, Future Opportunities, a widely cited essay examining social change efforts and the role of social entrepreneurs, and co-editor of The Case for Twenty-First Century Learning. Schwarz wrote a chapter, “Calling All Citizens,” in the recently published best-selling book, Waiting for Superman: How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools.

Previously, Schwarz served as a Public Service Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, as Executive Director of City Year Boston, and as a Vice President at City Year. He also served as national student director for Gary Hart’s 1984 Presidential campaign and as a journalist and columnist at The Oakland Tribune and The Patriot Ledger, where he won two national awards and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Schwarz earned his B.A. at the University of Vermont and his Masters in Education at Harvard University. He lives in Brookline with his wife, Maureen Coffey, and their two children.

Emily McCann joined Citizen Schools in 2003 as the Chief Financial Officer and is now President and COO, responsible for developing and overseeing top-level financial, technology, human resources, and administrative support services for the organization. Before coming to Citizen Schools, Emily worked in Business Planning & Development for the Walt Disney Company and in North American Mergers & Acquisitions for J.P Morgan & Company. She earned an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Harvard College and a graduate degree from Harvard Business School.

Kate Mehr joined Citizen Schools in 2005. After beginning her career as a teacher, Kate helped found the Massachusetts Legislative Children's Caucus and launched the Massachusetts State Commission on National Service. Kate was asked by Governor William Weld to run the Massachusetts Summit on Children and Youth. In 1998, she was appointed to a White Fellowship for national leadership. Kate then launched the United States- Canada Program for Ashoka. Kate served as the Vice President of Community Impact for the United Way of America, assisting 3,000 United Ways to increase impact in communities. She attended Amherst College and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.