Leadership Changes at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time

December 13, 2017

For Immediate Release: December 14, 2017

The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST), a leader in research, training, system-building, and advocacy for the out-of-school-time field (OST) located at the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) at Wellesley College, this week announced leadership changes, effective at the end of the year. Ellen Gannett, M.Ed., director since 2006, will transition to a new role as senior strategist; Georgia Hall, Ph.D., NIOST senior research scientist and an associate director of WCW, will step into the director role.

“NIOST has broken ground in the field of out-of-school time, helping define quality through its deep research, informing standards and best practices, and professionalizing the far-reaching field,” said Layli Maparyan, Ph.D., the Katherine Stone Kaufmann ‘67 Executive Director of WCW. “I’m confident that with Georgia’s expanded leadership and Ellen’s continued work strategizing with city and state systems, NIOST will continue to bring innovative solutions and meaningful research to inform OST policy and practices.”

EGannettGHallGannett began her work in the OST field four decades ago as a teacher-director of a school-based afterschool program where she worked for seven years. Celebrating more than three decades with NIOST, she advanced in the organization from training director to associate director to co-director before becoming the director.

“I’m very excited to continue working with partners across the country to further enhance the field,” Gannett said, noting her portfolio will include work with the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment, the Wyoming Afterschool Alliance and the Wyoming Department of Education, and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, among others. “The entire community benefits when out-of-school time programs invest carefully in the developmental needs of youth as well as in the caring adults who listen and provide opportunities for young people to thrive.”

Recognized for her contributions to OST, Gannett was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in Afterschool by the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) in 2014, and is also the recipient of the American Camp Association’s 2015 Hedley S. Dimock Award in recognition of her dedication and contributions to camp and ACA. Gannett has co-authored several publications including: Links to Learning: A Curriculum Planning Guide for Afterschool Programs; ASQ: Assessing School-Age Child Care Quality; as well as the Project’s publication, School-Age Child Care: A Policy Report; and chapters in Growing Out-of-School Time Field: Past, Present, and Future; Employer-Supported Child Care: Investing in Human Resources; and The Changing Landscape of Youth Work: Theory and Practice for an Evolving Field.

As a senior research scientist, Hall specializes in research and evaluation on youth development programs, settings, and learning experiences.  Hall’s work has focused extensively on quality program improvement initiatives and has included management of many types of large research and technical assistance projects including supervising logistics; development and execution of fieldwork and data collection systems; data processing, analysis, and reporting; and overall communication and collaboration with project partners and funders.

Hall is facilitator for the National Afterschool Matters Fellowship which is an online inquiry-based learning and professional development experience for OST and youth development professionals, and is the managing editor of the Afterschool Matters journal. A Board Member of the American Camping Association, New England Hall, is an enthusiastic youth soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball coach in her local community.

“Out-of-school-time is an essential part of young people’s development and we can do more to help programs and communities better serve the growing number of youth and families who need it,” said Hall. “I’m so proud to be entrusted with leading NIOST and building on the more than 35 years we’ve been bridging the worlds of research and practice to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. I look forward to continuing to work with Ellen in her new role and I know that I’ll benefit from her expertise and long-term experience in the field.”

The National Institute on Out-of-School Time supports the healthy development of children, families, and communities, and advances the OST field through our research, training, advocacy, and tools. We help before-school, afterschool, expanded learning, and summer programs get better at what they do. Learn more at niost.org.

  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST has been an anchor for numerous school age care projects we do, including ASQ (After-School Quality) and Links to Learning. They are a nationally respected organization that Pennsylvania has partnered with for over 20 years."



    – Betsy O. Saatman, TA Specialist/SAC Initiatives, Pennsylvania Key
  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST was a core partner in supporting the development of quality improvement systems across the nine cities that participated in The Wallace Foundation Next Generation Afterschool System-Building Initiative. The NIOST team worked well with other technical assistance partners in the initiative, always willing to pitch in and collaborate with others to make our professional learning community meetings a team effort. I truly hope the Foundation has an opportunity to partner with them in the future."


    – Priscilla M. Little, Initiative Manager, The Wallace Foundation

  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST has been a leader in the out-of-school time field for as long as I can remember, and I have relied on their research, tools, and advice to improve my practice throughout my career. Their staff members are good partners and good listeners, and their influence across the country is palpable."


    – Jane Quinn, Vice President and Director of National Center for Community Schools, Children's Aid Society
  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "Georgia Hall, Ellen Gannett, and the NIOST team have been instrumental in driving the healthy afterschool movement. Their dedication to quality practice, informed policy, and collective impact is instrumental in our effort to create healthier communities."



    – Daniel W. Hatcher, Director, Community Partnerships, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

niost logo white

The National Institute on Out-of-School Time

A program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College

Wellesley Centers for Women
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 USA

niost@wellesley.edu
781.283.2547
Directions to NIOST