Rashad O. Cope serves the City of Boston as Deputy Chief of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet and the Office of Youth Employment & Opportunity, where he leads the youth workforce development and civic engagement efforts across the neighborhoods of Boston. Rashad is a proud native of the City of Boston and an indebted product of BCYF Shelburne Community Center and Boston Public Schools. He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Management and Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Fitchburg State University, and a Masters of Science (M.S.Ed.) in Education Studies and a Nonprofit Organizational Leadership Graduate Certificate from Wheelock College.

Rashad is an ambitious urban educator and community leader who devotes his time and energy towards inspiring and reshaping the lives of urban youth, their families and communities of color. Rashad's admiration of community building, social change, and education extends well beyond professionalism, as he has overcome the shortcomings of being a low-income youth and first-generation college graduate, to reach the expectations in which he sets forth for all youth and families today. Rashad’s strengths are in organizational leadership, academic-focused initiatives, youth leadership and development, college readiness, program operations, sports-based development, youth and family engagement, and school and nonprofit partnerships. Rashad’s drive comes from being a triplet and a loving and dedicated father of son Tavaj O. Cope.

Rashad has served as:

• Director of the Mattahunt Wheelock Partnership Initiative
• Sr. Education Advisor, Coordinator of an Early College Awareness & Preparation program called GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs)
• Cluster Substitute Teacher for Boston Public Schools
• Youth Advocate Coordinator and Entrepreneurship Instructor for Mission SAFE
•  Residential Skills Counselor for LUK Inc.

 Rashad currently serves on:

• Board for the Mattapan Patriots Organization
• Advisory Board member of the Boys & Girls Club Teen Center

As Director, Rashad continues to advance the lives of Boston’s youth through employment, career development, and civic engagement. Check out the impact of our department!