Friends,

It feels like yesterday that I joined the reSET team, but this May makes it three years!

I am writing to share with you all that at the end of June, I will be stepping down from my position as Director of Programs. This was not a decision I made lightly. However, this summer I will be moving to Washington D.C. to begin a graduate degree in Global Human Development at Georgetown University.

reSET has been more than just a home to me. As my first job out of college, it has been a rite of passage experience. I have grown as both a professional and as an individual, and I have been extremely fortunate to work with and learn from the many talented people working in our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

I vividly remember the phone call when I was first offered a position at reSET. I was so excited that I accepted it on the spot. I did not care that I would only be working part-time, or that most of my responsibilities would be administrative. Rather, I was inspired by what reSET stood for, and I wanted to contribute to their vision.

Since then, we have accomplished a great deal together. We passed the most comprehensive Benefit Corporation legislation in the country. We ran one of the largest social enterprise funding competitions in New England. And we built a nationally recognized business accelerator from scratch. More recently, we launched a social enterprise internship program that is attracting applicants from all over the world, and we have continued to work closely with a coalition of stakeholders throughout the state to find new ways to support innovation so talent stays local.

As my time here begins to come to an end, I can confidently say that the organization has never been stronger. Many of our early efforts are beginning to pay off. We have developed programmatic models that work well, and we have been able to overcome a number of early tests and growing pains. I am eager to see what the next few years will bring, and I have complete faith in my colleagues and the community that we serve as they write reSET’s next chapter.

Finally, I want to express my sincere appreciation for all of the entrepreneurs, mentors and partners with whom I have had the privilege of working. You all have left an indelible mark on me, and I am incredibly grateful. Thanks for everything and please do not be a stranger. Feel free to reach out to me at benjamin.telep@gmail.com.

Warmest wishes,

Ben