James B. Vetter, Ed.M.

Program Director
Open Circle Program

Jim Vetter was Program Director of the Open Circle Program, based at the Wellesley Centers for Women until 2008. Since 1987, Open Circle has provided social competency curricula and training programs that have touched the lives over 300,000 students in public, private, parochial, urban, suburban, and rural schools in New England and New Jersey. Open Circle is recognized nationally as a science-based program with evidence of effectiveness.

Before joining Open Circle, Jim worked as a conflict resolution and violence prevention specialist, supporting schools and school systems in selecting, implementing, and sustaining science-based social development programs. He also served as Director of the statewide Suicide and Youth Violence Prevention Program of the Virginia Department of Health.

A 1981 graduate of Yale University, Vetter received a Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is co-author of a recent article on the links between violence and suicide that appeared in the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior.

Earlier in his career, Jim directed educational theater troupes and worked as a professional actor, mime, and magician.