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Kathie Mainzer has over 30 years’ experience in public policy development, communications, and legislative advocacy. An innovative coalition builder and entrepreneur, she has led successful campaigns to reduce violence, prevent homelessness and increase state funding for human services, education and workforce development. Today Kathie leads our non profit practice and works with clients to achieve their strategic planning, communications, and public policy goals. As a registered lobbyist, Kathie can represent client interests at the State House and help policy makers understand complex policy issues and concerns.
Kathie was the Founder and Co-Owner of Bella Luna Restaurant in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. For 27 years, Bella Luna and the Milky Way served as a catalyst for economic revitalization and a gathering spot for neighborhood events and families. The restaurant created 45 permanent jobs and supported non-profits and artists through diverse programming before it closed permanently due to Covid-19. Previously, Kathie founded Citizens for Safety, a community based coalition to reduce gun violence in the city of Boston. The organization ran successful campaigns for community policing and youth development programs and in the 90’s brought teens, police officers, and media leaders together to create the landmark Boston Gun Buyback program which took over 3,000 guns off the streets. As Executive Director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Kathie expanded a statewide advocacy group of homeless families and concerned advocates to educate city and state policy makers about how homelessness could be prevented and remediated. Strategies including grassroots organizing, media campaigns and litigation were used to improve policies and increase resources. As Associate Director for the Commonwealth Electoral Coalition, Kathie supported a coalition of labor and issue groups as they successfully ran their own grassroots candidates for state legislative office.
Kathie has served on numerous boards including the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation, the National Coalition for the Homeless, Mass Law Reform Institute, OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, and the Massachusetts Welfare Advisory Board. She holds a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.