Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Chang Announce Gabrielle Farrell as Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications at Boston Public Schools

BOSTON - Monday, March 21, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang today announced the appointment of Gabrielle Farrell as Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications for Boston Public Schools. In this position, Farrell will be responsible for developing and managing short and long term communications strategies, with a focus on the administration's education policy agenda for the City of Boston.

"As a Boston native and an alumna of Boston Public Schools, there is no better person to take on this role as Deputy Chief of Staff," said Mayor Walsh. "Gabrielle is living proof of the potential and talent we have in the City of Boston. Her insight will be invaluable to our school district. She has been a leader in my office and I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with her these past two years. I look forward to her continued contributions to the Boston community as we work to build a stronger city for many generations of students to come."

In her role as Deputy Chief of Staff of Communications, Farrell will drive many of Boston Public Schools' key initiatives as they pertain to a proactive internal and external communications strategy. 

During her time in Boston Public Schools, Farrell attended the James P. Timilty Middle School in Roxbury and the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, formerly known as Health Careers Academy in the Fenway community.

"I am excited to welcome Gabrielle to the team to help carry our agenda forward," said Superintendent Tommy Chang. "As a former Boston Public Schools student, Gabrielle understands the critical issues facing Boston classrooms and will help to further our efforts."

Farrell is currently Associate Press Secretary to Mayor Walsh. She joined the Walsh Administration in March 2014 as the Mayor's Press Assistant. Previously, Farrell served at Project Bread, which stewards The Walk for Hunger, handling communications and external affairs.

"Working directly with Mayor Walsh these past two years has been nothing short of incredible," said Farrell. "I extend my gratitude to the Mayor for his work and dedication to the students of Boston and granting me this honor and opportunity to give back and serve my community." 

In 2008, Farrell was awarded the prestigious Posse Foundation Scholarship, a national full-scholarship, merit-based program, which received support from President Barack Obama, who donated a portion of his Nobel Peace Prize award to the foundation in 2010. She is also a graduate  Harvard University's Crimson Summer Academy, which taps local high-achieving, economically disadvantaged students, from Boston, Cambridge and Somerville, to study at Harvard for six weeks each summer.

A native of Mattapan, Farrell has a longstanding passion for Boston's public education system and Boston youth.

Farrell graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2012 and earned a bachelor's degree in both French and Political Science and is currently working to attain her master's of science degree in Communications from Northeastern University. Farrell currently resides in Dorchester and is expected to begin on March 28, 2016.