Maryellen Butke, Class of 2009-2010

As an Urban Education Administrator, Maryellen Butke’s work was satisfying, but she was attracted to the Women’s Policy Institute because she wanted to expand her knowledge of policy and advocacy. She wanted to “work on higher levels systems change that would impact more young people.”

In a research and advocacy project of her choosing, Butke discovered that Rhode Island was the only state in the country without a funding formula –and so she chose to start a broad-based, statewide education reform campaign.  In partnership with others, she helped launch Rhode Island is Read in 2010.

Public meetings  created by Rhode Island is Ready, along with an organized letter writing event and an advocacy day attracted wide attention from the press, members of the legislature and Commissioner Deborah Gist.

On June 22, 2010, the group’s success was evident as the Governor signed the funding formula, passed by both the House and the Senate.

Much of her success with this project, Maryellen attributes to the support from the Women’s Policy Institute.  And she believes “that support was instrumental in gaining her a new position as founding Director of the Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement NOW (RI-CAN), helping her present herself with confidence during the interview process.”