James Ayres Joins Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Board of Directors

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN), the statewide organization that unites and strengthens the nonprofit sector through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity building, announced that it has appointed James Ayres, CEO and executive director of United Way of Hampshire County, to its board of directors.

“We are honored to welcome Jim Ayers, whose passion and considerable experience at the community and state level will help strengthen our state’s vast nonprofit sector,” said Rick Jakious, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. “MNN’s board of directors reflects the rich geographical and organizational diversity of the state’s nonprofit sector and is the voice of a strong, united nonprofit sector in Massachusetts.”

Said Ayers, “the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network is an invaluable organization for promoting public policy, support, and public understanding of the not-for-profit sector. A vibrant and well-equipped nonprofit sector, in turn, profoundly impacts quality of life thoughout the Commonwealth. I’m excited to join the MNN board and to work with other statewide leaders to shape the direction of the organization.”

Prior to his role at United Way of Hampshire County, Ayers served for 12 years as executive director of the Northampton-based Center for New Americans, an education and resource center for immigrants, refugees, and other limited-English speakers in Western Mass. In these roles, he has worked extensively with local and state governments, community coalitions, workforce boards, and NGOs to develop policy and programming. Ayres holds master’s degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.