STEVE POFTAK . CEO & President
spoftak@bmrb.org – 617-227-1995
Steve Poftak joined the Research Bureau in July 2025 as Chief Executive Officer and President. He is an experienced public sector leader with over two decades of public policy experience. Most recently, Steve was a Principal at Rebel Group, helping state transportation agencies and transit systems across the U.S. achieve their decarbonization goals. Prior to that, he served as General Manager and CEO of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from January 2019 to January 2023, leading the fifth-largest transit agency in North America.
Steve has a strong background in public policy and research, having served as Executive Director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at the Harvard Kennedy School from 2012 to 2018. In this role, he designed and led a university-wide public policy research and capacity-building program focused on key challenges facing Greater Boston. He oversaw grant-making efforts that funded policy research across a range of issues—including transportation, education, housing, and governance. Steve also led outreach efforts to bring academic research into the public sphere, developing communication strategies for research dissemination, and organizing conferences and public events to engage local policymakers and civic leaders. Earlier in his career, Steve served as a research director at the Pioneer Institute, a Boston public policy think tank.
Steve holds an M.B.A from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and a B.A from Middlebury College. He is a resident of Roslindale.
MARIELLEN JEWERS . Director of Research
mjewers@bmrb.org – 617-722-0181
Mariellen Jewers joined the Research Bureau as Director of Research in November 2025. She brings more than a decade of experience leading high‑impact research initiatives, evaluating complex public programs, and shaping evidence-based policy across government, nonprofit, and academic institutions to the role. Her background includes senior research positions with The George Washington University, where she managed multi‑year mixed‑methods policy evaluations, and leadership at Creative Associates International, where she tripled the Center for Migration and Economic Stabilization’s research output. A Massachusetts native, Mariellen joined Boston’s start-up community as co-founder and vice-president of Open Avenues Foundation from 2019-2021, and served as Executive Director for Women Encouraging Empowerment, a grassroots community-based organization in Revere in 2018.
Mariellen holds a doctorate in Public Policy and Public Administration from The George Washington University, a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her policy analysis and recommendations have been published by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Migration Policy Institute, and the Inter-American Dialogue, and her academic work has been in featured in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, including Health Affairs, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Academic Medicine.
GRANT FARRINGTON . Policy Analyst
gfarrington@bmrb.org – 617-722-0182
Grant Farrington joined the Research Bureau in February 2023 as a Policy Analyst. In his role, Grant monitors the activities of the City Council and reports on research affecting the City, with a particular interest in housing, transportation and environmental issues. Grant brings experience and knowledge of policy analysis in both academic and nonprofit settings. Grant has a strong interest in municipal government and serves on his Town’s Historical Commission and Community Preservation Committee. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and History and a Master’s degree in American Government from Georgetown University.
ERIN McGINLEY . Membership & Operations Manager
emcginley@bmrb.org – 617-227-1901
Erin McGinley joined the Research Bureau in 2021 as the Membership and Operations Manager. Erin focuses on member development and engaging all Directors and Members in Research Bureau activities. She also facilitates the operations of the organization. In her role, Erin manages and produces the Research Bureau’s two signature events: the Henry L. Shattuck Public Service Awards and the Annual Meeting of Directors and Members. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Erin has previously worked in Shanghai, China and New York City, and she is proud to bring over a decade of experience in management, event planning, and program design to her role.