New Director of Berklee City Music Boston Has Local Roots, and a Track Record of Helping Students Achieve Higher Education

BOSTON, August 20, 2013 -- Berklee College’s dean for City Music Krystal Banfield announces that Misael Martinez is the new director of Berklee City Music Boston. In a career spanning almost two decades at public schools and youth and social service agencies, Martinez has helped young people overcome environmental challenges in order to pursue secondary and higher education.

The Lawrence, Massachusetts, native began his career in his hometown’s public schools as a parent education leader, fostering relationships between parents and teachers and encouraging their participation in the classroom and during homework. Martinez was also the executive director of Lawrence’s Hope Street Youth Center, a grassroots arts organization he founded to provide alternatives for teens. He presented dozens of public events with Hope Street talent on stage and a on community cable TV series.

Directing the Movement City Youth Network at Lawrence Community Works, Martinez served hundreds of youth annually with programs in art and technology. He provided opportunities for leadership development, social and emotional support, and civic engagement in a challenging urban environment. He aimed students toward higher education through academic mentoring, campus visits, and partnerships with college and universities. More than 90% of Movement City graduates achieved higher education.

One of the partnerships Martinez forged while at Movement City was with Berklee City Music, a program that provides contemporary music education to fourth- through twelfth-graders from underserved communities in Boston and 40 network sites across the U.S. Lawrence students Dewin Hernandez and Bianelys Javier received Berklee City Music summer scholarships to attend a five-week performance program on the Boston campus. Upon graduating high school, both were awarded Berklee City Music full tuition scholarships and are completing their undergraduate studies. 

Martinez comes to Berklee after a recent position as vice president of programs and services for Hope South Florida, Fort Lauderdale, providing social service programs for homeless families. In Fort Lauderdale, he was also the program director at the Chrysalis Center where he oversaw long term care for adolescent residents.

Martinez has a Bachelor's Degree from Lesley University in Human Services Management, and a Master's from Cambridge College in Education.