Pamela is a former classroom teacher, school psychologist and staff developer. Her interest in primary prevention led to the development of the Understanding Disabilities Project, an experientially based curriculum and training program for fourth-graders. She also developed the elementary school substance abuse prevention curriculum, Decision Making for Health and Well-Being.

As a community activist in Boston, Pamela is president of the Community Playground Project, Inc. which coordinated the involvement of 3000 volunteers in planning and constructing the Robert Leathers playground in a Boston city park. She also developed a jazz series to bring arts into the community and benefit local non-profit organizations. Through forums and other events, this series also provides opportunities to explore themes of community and citizenship. Pamela is a founding member of Friends of Rosie's Place, a neighborhood group that for the past 20 years has coordinated and provided meals for a homeless shelter for women.

For more than 20 years, Pamela has been an advocate for the Boston Public Library, serving as President of the Friends of the West Roxbury Library and as a member of the Examining Committee. Currently she is a Trustee of the Boston Public Library and Chair of the Trustees' Education committee. She is a Director of the Boston Public Library Foundation and the Urban Libraries Council.

Pamela received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Syracuse University. She completed the program "Leadership for the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict, and Courage" at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Pamela has also studied with Mark Rittenberg of Rittenberg/Kreitzer Active Communicating in Berkeley, CA, and has received training in prejudice reduction with the National Coalition Building Institute.