PROVIDENCE – Carolyn Kirk has been voted in as the new executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the group’s executive committee announced.
Her first day in the new role was Monday.
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The deputy secretary for the Mass. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Kirk has been MassTech’s interim director since June. With her new role, Kirk will transition her responsibilities at the housing and economic-development department to an incoming deputy secretary.
Before joining the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Kirk was a four-term elected mayor of Gloucester, Mass. Her previous career centered on customer relationship management technologies and solutions, working at IBM and Fleet Financial, as well as starting her own consultancy, according to MassTech.
In both the private and public sectors, Kirk has addressed issues important to the Massachusetts innovation economy.
She was part of a collaborative effort that helped advance the Last Mile program to close connectivity gaps in communities that lacked broadband. Since 2016, the Commonwealth has awarded nearly $32 million to deliver broadband to 42 unserved and underserved municipalities, including $20.2 million in grants.
“She can help small tech businesses, research institutions and communities harness innovation and grow jobs for the long term,” said Mike Kennealy, Mass. secretary of housing and economic development and chair of the MassTech board. “With her experience as a state official, mayor and business executive, Carolyn will bring a mix of strategic vision and tactical knowhow to this new role.”
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
