About Playworks New England
All kids deserve the social, emotional, and physical benefits of play. We help schools and youth programs create healthy play environments where every child can join in.
Meet Playworks New England
Founded in 1996, Playworks expanded to New England in 2006. Playworks New England serves low-income schools across the Boston, Lawrence, Salem, and Somerville area through our year-round, on-site support services. We’re also reaching thousands more students across New England through professional development workshops for schools and youth organizations.
Our Core Values
Meet Our People
February 14, 2023
Jessi Jasper ›
Jessi joined Playworks in 2019 as a pro trainer because she is passionate about empowering others through play, education, and facilitation. She understands the importance of taking a holistic approach to education from her time teaching in inclusive alternative schools.…
August 1, 2018
Dawn Lavallee ›
Dawn Lavallee first started with Playworks in 2012. She spent two years as a coach at Mather Elementary in Dorchester and two years as the FAO Schwarz Fellow. In this role, she had the unique opportunity to support coaches in…
February 7, 2020
Murat Emmanuel ›
Murat, or ‘Coach M’, began a site coordinator working at the Chittick Elementary School and McKinley Middle School in Boston. Prior to stepping into his role as a program specialist, Murat was a Playworks coach for three years at the…