Colleen is the executive director of the Friends of Ballard Park, a nonprofit organization focused on providing educational and cultural programming to the community at little or no cost in Newport’s only nature preserve. In this position Colleen works with numerous local businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide educational programming for the under served youth of Newport and create unique family activities like the 1st Annual Ballard Park Pumpkin Tour.
She also writes two weekly columns for Newport This Week — “02840” which covers the local social scene and “Profile of Style” which highlights the efforts of many local social service agencies.
Additionally she provides marketing services to several area businesses including McGrath Clambakes, Inc.
For eight years Ms. McGrath held marketing
and special event positions at a variety of
national magazines in New York City. During
her tenure in magazine publishing she
developed and implemented multi-million
dollar budgets, managed staff members and
outside consulting firms.
Ms. McGrath is a 1986 graduate of Rogers High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College in 1990.
Board of Directors: Island Arts,
November 2003 - present
Board of Directors: Salvation Army,
January 2004 - present
Board of Directors:
Rogers High School Alumni Association
Executive Board of
Newport Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force, June 2003 - present
Finance Committee,
Newport Partnership for Families,
September 2003 - present
Secretary of Cliff Walk Commission
August 2000 - November 2003
Secretary of Ladies Ancient
Order of Hibernians,
June 2001 - August 2003