There’s a quiet but profound shift happening within the world of resident services coordination, and Kate Cantwell, the new Executive Director of New England Resident Services Coordinators, Inc. (NERSC), is helping to lead the charge. After stepping into the role in 2024, Cantwell has wasted no time in sharpening NERSC’s focus on the broader importance of affordable housing within resident service coordination.
Cantwell’s approach is one shaped by experience and a deep understanding of community engagement, most recently reflected in her work with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Working Places Challenge in Newport, Rhode Island, which she describes a pivotal moment in her career.
As Cantwell points out, the resident services coordinator (RSC) field is evolving, and NERSC is committed to empowering RSCs to thrive in an increasingly complex environment. This means reducing burnout, fostering collaboration between RSCs and other housing staff, and helping to raise the voices of residents in policy discussions.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Marcus Smith: Your experience includes leadership in initiatives like the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s Working Places challenge. How have these experiences shaped your approach to strategic planning and community engagement at NERSC?
Kate Cantwell: My experience with Working Cities was transformative. There’s a difference between more transactional community engagement versus having real representation, where the rules, the process, the meetings are structured for the resident voice to shine and come through.
[The latter] takes time. It requires trust building and transforming how we think about just having a meeting. I take that philosophy with me.