The Board of Directors of the non-profit Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy has named Jesse Brackenbury as the Conservancy’s Executive Director. Brackenbury joined the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy as Chief Operating Officer in December 2009 and assumed the role of acting Executive Director following the January 2013 departure of founding Executive Director Nancy Brennan.
Prior to joining the Greenway Conservancy, Brackenbury worked for The Boston Consulting Group where he managed strategy, real estate, organizational development and other projects for Fortune 500 companies and government. Brackenbury also held management roles at the City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation, where he oversaw a billion-dollar capital budget and a 14-person special projects team. He holds an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley and a BA in Political Economy from Williams College.
“Jesse Brackenbury has proven that he is a very capable leader of the Greenway.” said Georgia Murray, Chair of the Conservancy’s Board. “He has embraced the public/private partnership and promoted the Greenway as an economic driver for Massachusetts. He will help fulfill the Greenway vision of a great urban park: a place that welcomes people from all over the Commonwealth and beyond, and gives both residents and tourists a beautiful space to play, relax, and enjoy.”
Since Brackenbury joined the Conservancy, revenue-generating amenities have made the park a destination and helped fund the Conservancy. Earned income has increased six-fold, putting it on track to reach nearly a half-million dollars this fiscal year. Brackenbury initiated the acclaimed Greenway Mobile Eats food vending program that now includes over 25 food trucks and bikes. The signature Greenway Carousel, New England’s most accessible ride for adults and youth with physical or auditory disabilities, opened at the new Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove in August 2013. The Carousel attracted over 50,000 riders in its first four months.
Also under Brackenbury’s leadership:
• A large-scale mural by Matthew Ritchie was installed on the Greenway Wall at Dewey Square Park in 2013 in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, bringing attention to the importance of contemporary public art in the City.
• The Conservancy signed a three-year maintenance contract with the Armenian Heritage Foundation in 2013 to extend its state of the art cost-effective organic care to Armenian Heritage Park.
• A new partnership-based strategy increased free events in the park to over 300 annually (up from 120 events in 2010), while significantly lowering Conservancy costs.
• One of the largest free Wi-Fi networks in Massachusetts was installed on the Greenway in 2010.
“After four years of working for the Greenway Conservancy, I am thrilled to be named Executive Director,” said Jesse Brackenbury. “The Greenway’s events, fountains, and beautiful gardens provide a free, fun day for visitors, and the opening of the Greenway Carousel added a landmark destination. Now we will build upon this success, including more public art and other programs for our diverse visitors. We are dedicated to working collaboratively with city, state, business, and community leaders to develop a sustainable financial model – one that will assure a vibrant Greenway that brings pride to the citizens of Boston and Massachusetts.”