Mary Waldron

Mary Waldron is the Executive Director of Old Colony Planning Council.

As Executive Director, Mary is responsible for implementation of the mission of Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) which is to assist cities and towns in planning for present and future needs, utilizing our local knowledge, technical expertise, and regional collaboration.

In this role, Mary provides overall management of the organization including its staff, work programs, activities, contracts and finances. This includes planning and regulatory functions, staff direction and oversight, budgeting and financial management, as well as, external relations and communications with public entities, the media, public and private sector leaders, and the public at large.

Mary performs a key leadership role by striving to coordinate all OCPC activities and initiatives and providing professional advice to the Council members and OCPC member communities in the development, implementation and administration of policies, goals, action strategies, regulations and other applicable statutory requirements that affect the Council, its member communities, and the residents of the Old Colony region.

Prior to joining OCPC in December 2019, Mary was the Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Regional Engagement (IPARE) at Bridgewater State University where she oversaw several policy research projects impacting the region as well as serving as a convener of conversations about the research performed. She served as an ambassador for BSU on state, regional and local boards and has connected many from Brockton and other communities to the work of the University.

Prior to her role at Bridgewater State University, Mary served for eight years as the Executive Director of the Brockton 21st Century Corporation (B21), the city’s economic development agency. Since its inception in 1993, Mary was the first female executive of B21.

While serving as Executive Director at Brockton 21st Century, Mary managed all of the economic development activities, including facilitating a Small Business Program for the City of Brockton, as well as landlord responsibilities of the Campanelli Stadium and the Shaw’s Center. She also originated and organized two Economic Summits for the City with public and private stakeholders, two Brockton Business Diversity Celebrations and the THRIVE Awards, a program that recognizes outstanding small businesses (focused on women and minority owned) in the city. In addition, she served on the Executive Committee and was a member of the Downtown Brockton Association and Mayor’s Economic Advisors committee. Mary continued to serve as Chair of the Old Colony Planning Council’s CED’s Committee which provides a regional strategy for the region. Other professional activities include positions on SEED Corporation’s Board of Directors and member of the Micro Loan committee, Signature Healthcare Brockton Board of Trustees, and the Massachusetts Economic Development Council and most recently was appointed in September 2019 by Governor Charlie Baker as a member of the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC).

Past employment includes MassDevelopment, where she served as the Vice President of Community Development for the South Region, the Brockton Public Schools where she was a business liaison and coordinated Alumni Association, City of Brockton – Chief of Staff to Mayor Jack Yunits (1996-2001), the Department of Communities and Development (DHCD), and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving both as a legislative aide and committee staff.

In 2013, she received the Gateway Cities Innovation Award MassInc, in 2014, the Metro South Chamber’s Athena Award, in 1997, the Woman of the Year Award from the Brockton Women’s Commission, and in 2017 the Fox25 Hometown Hero award. She is one of the founders of the Red White and Black Ball, a celebration of Brockton held at City Hall over a 6 year span. She completed her first PMC ride in August 2018 raising close to $9,000 for cancer research. She is past member of the Brockton Rotary Club.

Her philanthropic work is focused on Brockton. She is co-founder with her daughter Casey, of the Just Checking In Foundation, in memory of her late husband John where over $150,000 has been raised over 6 years with funds providing many high school and college scholarships, support of Brockton charities and funding Operation Wreaths for Veterans.

A native of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Western New England College and Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts–Boston.