GREENFIELD — After 16 years at its helm, Judith Roberts is retiring as executive director of The Literacy Project.

Roberts, 72, will transition out of the role in June to allow time for a new person to step in.

“Even though I very, very much love this work, I think it’s time to move on to other things,” she said.

The Literacy Project, which offers free adult basic education classes, has locations in Amherst, Northampton, Greenfield, Orange and Ware. More than 200 students ages 16 and older study with The Literacy Project each year to complete their high school education and prepare for college and careers.

Roberts, who had previously worked for the Care Center in Holyoke and the Center for New Americans in Northampton, said when she first started with the Literacy Project, it seemed to be a perfect fit.

“I went to school late in life and graduated from college when I was 50 years old,” she said. “It had a very transformative effect on me. … I’m standing here holding the door open, and it’s been very rewarding.”

Under her leadership, the nonprofit was a recipient of the New England Public Radio Arts and Humanities Award, among other acknowledgments.

“It’s thrilling to me every time I see a person ... pass the high school equivalency exam and walk across the stage and get their diploma,” she said.

When a person reads a book for the first time or writes a memory about a home country they were forced to leave — she counts those as successes, too.

“A student recently told me, ‘I can do math. No one could teach it to me,’ ” Roberts recalled. “Now he loves math. It’s very, very rewarding and uplifting work and I believe in education. I believe education can change the lives for better.”

Roberts said over the years she’s led the Literacy Project, the organization has evolved to meet the needs of the community it serves.

“We currently have both online and in-person classes,” she said, referring to the addition of online classes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have evening and daytime classes, and we’ve added other enrichment programs — poetry writing, memoir writing. We’re really here to serve the needs of our students.”

The Literacy Project hopes to hire Roberts’ replacement by spring, with a June 1 start date, to allow for a monthlong transition between directors. According to the job posting, the organization is looking for a trusted community builder, an entrepreneurial leader and a respectful bridge builder. The candidate should also be a “meticulous grant writer” and have experience as a nonprofit administrator.

“I hope they’ll love the work as much as I loved it,” she said. “It takes passion and grit.”

As for Roberts, she hopes to remain part of the education and human service community as she leaves for retirement.

“I still believe in this work and in our partner nonprofits that we work together with,” she said. “I hope to still be involved, maybe not in the Literacy Project, but with some of the other good work that’s going on in the county.”

This executive search is being conducted by Eos Transition Partners consultant Nancy Jackson. All submissions will be acknowledged and are confidential, and any questions must be emailed to Jackson at njackson@eostransitions.com. More information on the position and how to apply can be found online at literacyproject.org.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. ]]>