Blandine Jean-Paul Joins Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA

QUINCY, Mass. – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM), one of the nation’s leading one-to-one youth mentoring programs and New England’s largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate, is pleased to welcome Blandine Jean-Paul, Vice President of Brand and Marketing at Garden Remedies, to the nonprofit’s Board of Directors.

Jean-Paul, 48, of Quincy, brings more than 20 years of marketing and media experience. At Garden Remedies, she leverages research and develops storylines and campaigns to help deepen the consumer brand experience. Previously, she worked in marketing and brand strategy for major companies, including Hardware & Lumber Limited, Smile Direct Club, Hasbro, The HEINEKEN Company, Diageo, ESPN and TV Guide. A quad-linguist, Jean-Paul has received numerous awards for her work, including the 2014 Leadership Award from the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, the 2013 Executive Leadership Award from Women in Telecommunications & Cable and more. She holds a B.A. in Communications and Media from Boston College and M.B.A. in marketing and International Management from Northeastern University.

Growing up in Boston, life was difficult for the first-generation Haitian American. Prevalent racism was hard to ignore as the city fought to stop bussing. Jean-Paul remembers protests outside of her school on the first day of kindergarten. Throughout her childhood, she was teased for her Caribbean decent. She credits the women in her family, her biggest mentors, for helping her to navigate and thrive in school. Her parents worked two sometimes three jobs to ensure her family had what they needed to survive and integrate into American culture.

“As my parents reminded me daily, education is the best way to combat racism and adversity and they were not wrong,” says Jean-Paul, a proud mother of two young adults, ages 20 and 23. “This has shaped how I work and how I mentor others to achieve their goals. The wealth gap for minorities has continued to widen and without the support of strong mentors, this generation of children will have a much harder time getting out of poverty. I am involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts because I want to be part of the solution.”

BBBSEM Board of Directors commit to serving the organization over the course of two years. As a member, Jean-Paul will help to advance the agency’s mission, service to children and impact. As a group, the Board establishes Agency policy and sets strategic goals, as well as provides leadership and counsel to staff for specifically identified strategic initiatives. Board members serve as enthusiastic goodwill ambassadors and actively advocate on behalf of the nonprofit.

“At the core of our mission are selfless and dedicated volunteers looking to make a difference, and we recruit thousands of Big Brothers or Big Sisters each year to reach the kids signed up to be matched,” says Mark O’Donnell, President and CEO of BBBSEM. “A goal of our Board was to bring on a seasoned professional with marketing and branding expertise to assist the agency in these efforts and we are over-the-moon excited to welcome Blandine. Blandine will be critical in scaling our ability to match kids in one-to-one meaningful and impactful relationships with their mentors. COVID has changed the way people communicate, their motivations, where they live and how they work. As our service to kids is needed now more than ever, we could not be more excited to have Blandine working alongside us as we navigate these times.”

As part of the agency’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Roadmap, launched in January 2021, BBBSEM is focused on bridging differences, increasing representation from and amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups. Special focus has been put on increasing representation among staff, board members, Bigs, and corporate and community partners so as to highlight the growing diversity of the communities the nonprofit serves.

For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts and to view a complete list of the Board of Advisors and Directors, visit www.emassbigs.org/about/leadership.

About Big Brother Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of nearly 4,000 youth annually by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor in long-term, professionally supported relationships. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is working to defend the potential of children facing adversity and ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Eastern Massachusetts by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. Throughout its 70 years, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 20,000 matches. For more information about the agency and its mission, visit www.emassbigs.org.

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