Executive Vice President -- Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

As you may know, m/Oppenheim Associates is assisting the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in the search for its Executive Vice President. As part of that process, we are contacting members of the community for suggestions and nominations. Please review the complete Position Description for more information. In a recent interview with Andrea Mitchell, Vicki Kennedy describes the dreams of Senator Kennedy and the aspirations of the Institute which may be viewed at the EMK Institute website. Additional coverage from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald is also iluminating. Modeled on the workings of the United States Senate, the EMK Institute seeks an innovative, senior management professional in the fields of experiential and online education to inspire generations of citizens to productively navigate political and policy differences. Above all, the Institute seeks to inspire increased civic engagement and public discourse that helps new generations of leaders find ways to live with differences, in a world that is blessed with diverse peoples, ideas, religions, values, interests and passions. The EMK Institute will be housed in a stunning new 68,000 square foot facility -- the heart of which is a full reproduction of the Senate Chamber -- which is scheduled to open to the public in March 2015 and is located on the University of Massachusetts Boston campus, adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Columbia Point. A living memorial to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Institute will educate the general public, students, and those in public service, about the role of the United States Senate and the importance of participatory democracy in shaping our future. Using cutting-edge technology and interactive media, the experience was designed for the visiting public by Edwin Schlossberg and ESI Design to illuminate the role of the Senate in U.S. government, the Senate’s personalities, its historic accomplishments, and its current challenges. For middle, high-school and university students, an experiential simulation called the Senate Immersion Module (SIM) developed especially for the EMK Institute will enable up to 100 students to take on the roles of senators as they research issues, debate, negotiate, and vote on current, historic and new legislative proposals. Visitors can observe proceedings through a gallery overlooking the replica Senate Chamber or view in-process SIMs online, after which they can choose to become a participant by making a reservation for a future SIM. There is an exact reproduction of Senator Kennedy’s office, and other key elements of the EMK Institute include an oral history archive and a wide array of opportunities for research, scholarship, and teaching. While Senator Kennedy was known as a leader with strong and particular views on issues of education, health care, civil rights and the role of government, the institute that shares his name is not about an issue or a set of positions. Rather, the EMK Institute presents to students, citizens and policy experts alike, a model for exploring differences and for advancing civic society despite our different perspectives. With the United States Senate as a model, the EMK Institute enables visitors with diverse views to find common ground and develop practical solutions to real problems. Programmatically, the EMK Institute has attributes in common with participatory simulations of political processes (eg. the Model UN program of the United Nations Association, the Harvard Model Congress program, etc.), performing arts organizations, museums, education centers, and living history institutions. With a budget of $5m and a staff of 24, the Executive Vice President has primary responsibility for delivery of a superior visitor and participant experience and is responsible for all programming, education and SIMs; public events and special forums; interactive exhibitions and activities that allow visitors to explore the history, people, rules and responsibilities of the Senate as a key part of the United States government; maximizing visitor attendance; maximizing all earned income from ticket, store and restaurant sales and rentals; all customer-facing IT and social media; and for all marketing and communications. For additional information, please visit www.emkinstitute.org or www.mOppenheim.com. Your suggestions and nominations are most welcome, and please feel free to forward this note as you deem appropriate.