TCRC Leadership

Elaine Donnelly

Director, Tisch College Community Research Center
Office: 617-627-4099

Elaine directs the Tisch College Community Research Center (TCRC), a resource that supports community-based research across all disciplines. Before joining Tisch College, Elaine’s professional and research experience focused on cross-sector partnerships, educational equity issues for low-income students, service learning, entrepreneurship, and community development. She has a Ph.D. and M.S. in Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts Boston, an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and B.A. from Boston College.

Deepika Pahari

Deepika is an AmeriCorps member that helps the Tisch College Community Research Center (TCRC) build capacity. Deepika is passionate about health equity and aspires to become a medical professional. Before Tufts, Deepika worked with hospital and community partners to build capacity and advocate for homeless and low-income families. She has a B.S. in Biochemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is pursuing her master’s degree in Biotechnology from Northeastern University while completing her service year.

August Smith

August is an AmeriCorps VISTA member supporting TCRC and its work. August graduated from Tufts University in 2022 with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology and worked at McLean Hospital serving adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition to their work at TCRC, August is an Adult Advisor for queer and trans youth at OUT MetroWest, an LBGTQ+ organization in Framingham.