Jennifer LaBaire is a real estate and criminal defense attorney in Leominster.  After working at a few law firms, both large and small, she decided to open her own firm, where she represents people buying or selling houses or businesses, and represents banks to finance purchases.  She is also often in the Leominster and Fitchburg District Courts working as a bar advocate representing the indigent in criminal cases, and accepting private appointments for those defendants who do not qualify for court appointed counsel.  Jennifer was selected as a Massachusetts Rising Star in 2010 for criminal defense by the Boston Superlawyers Magazine.  She is the current President of the Northern Worcester County Bar Association and is a member of several other local bar associations.

She has served on the Arc Board of Directors since 2005.  She is a past chair and member of the Arc Human Rights Committee.  She has always felt strongly about advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities but in the past few years she has had a renewed and continued passion upon learning that both her nephew and her cousin are autistic.

She and her husband Bill are quite busy taking care of  their three children, Sarah, Wyatt and Reed.  Although she does not really remember what free time is, someday when she has some free time she would like to get back to watching more football, reading, kayaking, biking and traveling.

Ken is a partner in Reagan and Company, P.C. a Fitchburg CPA firm that has been in business since 1950.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.  Ken has extensive experience in auditing, taxation, accounting and business systems.

Felicia Farron-Davis is a fifth generation San Franciscan who moved to Massachussetts 13 years ago. She has been married to her husband, Andy, for thirty years and has four children, two girls and twin boys; the youngest two who are finishing college... thank goodness!!   She received her doctorate in Special Education from the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco State University in December of 2003, and currently, for the past few years,  she has taught as an assistant professor in the Education Department of Fitchburg State University. Her areas of interest are working with families, severe disabilities and qualitative and quantitative research. Prior to her current position she worked for eleven years at the California Research Institute at San Francisco State University.   In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her 7 siblings and her family, gardening, antiquing and reading.

Kathleen Hamelin lives in Fitchburg with husband Michael. Married 23 years, together they are raising their three children. They also live with her father-in-law Alan, and four cats.  She works part-time for Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change-Central Region as an Outreach Coordinator, and is Chairperson of the North Central Charter Essential School Special Education Parents Advisory Council.  She is a Parent Consultant, having completed training with the Federation for Children with Special Needs in 2008, as well as special education advocacy training for autism spectrum disorders by Mass Advocates for Children in 2006.  She also serves on the DDS Central Region Citizens Advisory Board and the Human Rights Committee for the Institute of Professional Practice Inc. She is an active member of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Fitchburg.  In her spare time, Kathy likes to socialize, crochet, create religious jewelry, and read.  Kathy spent her childhood in Fitchburg and enjoys being an active member in the community.  Raising two children with autism gave her the courage and inspiration to be a strong advocate for family supports.

Lori is a special education teacher in Fitchburg elementary schools.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and is an active volunteer at her church.  During her leisure time, Lori spends time participating in athletic events and vacationing in Maine and New Hampshire.

Megan Riendeau is a native of Central Massachusetts growing up in the neighboring town of Sterling. Her parents owned a small business in Leominster for over 20 years where she gained her entrepreneurial spirit and began building her business skills. Megan attended Fitchburg State College and graduated cum laude in 2003 with her Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting. Since then she has completed several courses in the University of Phoenix MBA program.  Megan began her accounting career with a five ½  years stint in a small regional accounting firm located in Shrewsbury, MA and joined Reagan & Company, PC in January 2009. Today she serves as a senior auditor and tax accountant and is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. On her time off, Megan enjoys reading, traveling, downhill skiing and spending time with her husband, son Jake and other family and friends.

Christine Binkunski is a lifelong resident of Leominster and has been married to her husband, David, for eighteen years.  She is the mother of three children, Matthew, Katherine and David.  Christine has worked in her family insurance business, DeCarolis Insurance Agency, for the past 24 years.

Christine first became involved in parent support and advocacy groups 13 years ago when her daughter entered Early Invention and has continued to stay involved in some capacity ever since.  She was a parent contact for early intervention. She participated in the “Parent to Parent” program for Family Ties.  She was a grant recipient from the Federation for Children with Special Health Care Needs for the Evelyn Hausselin Parent Leadership Awards Program .  Christine completed the Next Step skill building series with Family Ties.  She worked as a parent interviewer in the grant collaboration between Family Voices and New England Serve where parents interviewed managed care plans in MA about their practices for children with special health care needs. Christine has served on the ARC board for ten years and has been a member of the ARC auction committee for several years.  She is a strong advocate and cheerleader for Katherine and understands the importance of a parent’s involvement in the life a child with special needs.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, music, Lake Winnipesaukee, the beach and traveling.  She cherishes her time spent with her family and friends most of all. 

Rose LaPlante is employed at Arc Community Services as a production assistant.  She enjoys extensive travel, time with her family and bowling.  She has been an active participant in the Special Olympics bowling league.

Ralph Pallotta, known to family and friends as "Rip" Pallotta is the long time Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Ralph has been a local banker in the Fitchburg-Leominster area for the past 35 years and currently is the Branch Manager of the Sovereign Bank in Sterling, Massachusets.  For 25 of those years, he also worked as a Staff Announcer on WEIM Radio in Fitchburg, mostly as a sports announcer, but also did some Economic Reporting, a bit of music DJ'ing and election coverage.  

A Baseball efficionado, he is the author of the book "One Day in Mudville".  Besides his service to the Arc, Ralph has been a member of the 'Exchange Club of Fitchburg" since 1979, is a three term president of that club and also served as the New England District President of Exchange for the year 1999-2000.  Ralph has also been involved with the Knights of Columbus, Sons of Italy, and is a member SABR, the Society of American Baseball Research.  

Ralph has been married to his wife Melanie for 34 years, and they have 3 children and one grand-daughter. One of their children is severly autistic, and is Ralph's inspiration to serve people with special needs.  In his spare time, "Rip" is a musician, and loves to jam with his son, and also loves to write baseball stories for "Wikipedia".

Mary Heafy assumed leadership of Alliance for Resource Management in August 2009. Mary brings more than 25 years experience in non-profit management and has a M.A. in Health Care Administration and B.S. in Sociology/Secondary Education with a minor in Psychology.

Prior to joining the Alliance for Resource Management, Mary was Director of Adult Services at the United Arc of Franklin and Hampshire Counties for five years where she focused on the implementation of systems that assure excellence in program delivery and continuous quality improvement. She established a home serving individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and developed a systematic approach to end-of-life care. During her tenure at The United Arc, the organization consistently achieved licensing and certification with distinction. Earlier in her career, Mary developed a partnership with Lotus Development Corporation/IBM through which individuals with disabilities worked side-by-side with Lotus employees in the manufacturing plant. The program served thousands of individuals during its ten-year history and became the national model for projects in industry.

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Laura Colburn has been working in the Human Service field for well over 30 years working primarily for agencies who served individuals with developmental disabilities.  Laura earned her BS from Fitchburg State College graduating magna cum laude. Laura currently is the Chief Operations Officer for the Alliance for Resource Management, which is the parent company of ARC and Matson Community Services. Laura has worked in all aspects of both of these agencies starting as a direct care staff, closing programs and redesigning new programs. In her current position, she oversees the programming and budgets of all Programs under the Alliance. Laura sits on many committees both internal and external, including the Human Service Transportation Advisory Committee.

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Lynne Sugar is a Certified Public Accountant and has been employed at ARC Community Services and Alliance for Resource Management since 1985. She has extensive experience in all aspects of Human Services Management including budgeting, contracting, financial management and reporting. She received a B.S. in Accountancy with high honors from Bentley College and spent 3 years working for a CPA firm where she performed audits, compiled financial statements and prepared tax returns for both profit and nonprofit corporations, partnerships, trusts and individuals.

Jim Casperson’s first job in Human Services, after a brief career in the music business, was as Office Supervisor of the Leominster, MA ‘Job Placement Project’. This was a federal Demonstration Project out of Boston involving working with individuals with disabilities finding meaningful work. He became the Family Liaison Coordinator for the ‘North Central Mass. Friends of the Retarded’ in 1979. He subsequently became Program Director, Staffing Coordinator, then Personnel Director for ‘Matson Community Services’. When Matson and the ‘ARC of North Central’ formed a strategic alliance in 1999, Mr. Casperson became the Vice President for Human Resources of the newly formed ‘ALLIANCE for Resource Management’ parent company. He holds an Associates Degree from Nasson College and a B.S. in Psychology from Fitchburg State College.

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John Quist has worked in the non-profit sector for over 30 years. Starting in 1979 as a direct-care staff person, John has held positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career, culminating in his present role as Vice-President for Corporate Operations. John is responsible in some manner for everything from program and facility maintenance, to repair and vehicle maintenance. He is also the IT department and is currently responsible for coordinating our in-house crews working on the 564 Main St renovation project. Formal education for John includes a B.S in Special Education from Fitchburg State College in 1979 and an M.B.A. from Anna Maria College in 1985.

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Victoria Briggs has 15 years experience working as a non-profit administrator, supervisor and direct care worker in the human services sector. Her current role is as Director of Specialized Supports which includes the oversight of 70 individuals supported through the Supported Community Living Program and 20 individuals supported through the Elementary and Secondary Education Project. Victoria is also the Executive Director for a local non-profit organization, Beacon of Hope Community Services, Inc. Victoria has a BS from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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Laura Casey-Black has worked in the field of human services since 1988.  Before joining Matson Community Services in 2005 she had the opportunity to work for several different non-profit organizations.  Laura earned her Bachelor Degree at Lesley University and went on to earn her Master’s in Human Services Administration at Antioch University. 

Laura has four children, two of which have Down syndrome, so in addition to her professional experience she also has a true understanding of the family experience giving her the ability to work from a place of empathy. 

In addition to her work at Matson, Laura is actively involved with Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change and is deeply committed to the advancement and empowerment of people with disabilities and their families. 

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Allyson Chalapatas has twenty seven years experience in the Hospitality Industry with positions ranging in Service Personnel, Operations Management and Sales Management. She was a Director of Sales in the hospitality field for twelve years prior to joining the team at the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce as Member Account Executive. Most recently Allyson was the Director of Sales and Employment for a non-profit organization in Gardner Massachusetts supporting individuals with disabilities in a vocational program. She was a significant part of the procurement of major accounts for the organization enabling the individuals a wide range of jobs that created a strong vocational experience for the individuals served.   Allyson has completed courses and received certificates from Hospitality Services of America Inc. and Hilton Hotel Corporation. She has Certification of Federal DOL Regulations, and Massachusetts State Minimum Wage Program . She is a member of both Westminster and Gardner Community Emergency Response Teams - CERT. In her leisure time, Allyson enjoys fishing, biking and photography.

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I (Raymond Edi-Osagie) hail from Igbanke in Edo State, Nigeria, and I landed in the United States in 1986. I have worked in the human services field for 23 years starting as a direct care worker, supervisor, administrator and now division director. I grew up serving in my church choir and the Nigerian Red Cross, where I developed my interest in supporting the disabled. I graduated from the University of Benin College of Education in 1983 with a degree in Business studies/education, and I have also done some post graduate studies in Business Administration at Northeastern University in Boston.   I am an SFA/CPR/AED/BBP trainer for the American Red Cross, and also an ADD instructor for the National safety Council. I am a dad of two beautiful kids, and I spend my spare time, fishing, biking, hiking or blogging.    I am currently studying Human Resources systems online, as a personal self development vocation. Thanks.

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Susan Gallant has over 15 years experience working in the human services field starting in direct care. She currently is the Director of Residential Services in the North Central area for the Alliance for Resource Management.  Susan was key player in the development and growth of this division over the past two years. She has been with the residential component for three years starting as the Program Director in one program.  With her drive and enthusiasm, she has transitioned into many positions within the residential division. Prior, to the residential component Susan was a job coach in the vocational department for Employment Resources. The transition from the vocational to residential program was smooth for Susan as she developed relationships with the people we serve in both the day and residential programs. Susan is a strong advocate for both the people we support  and staff development. Susan is on several internal committees and is an agency trainer for Passenger Assistance. In her free time, Susan enjoys walking, gardening, reading and spending time with her family.

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Eileen Ganong has over 32 years of experience in Human Services. While earning her BS in Human Services from Fitchburg State College, she worked primarily with abused women and in medical social work. Since then she has worked almost exclusively in the field of developmental disabilities. Eileen has managed residential programs, worked as staffing coordinator, presented staff trainings, qualified families for Shared Living/AFC placements, been instrumental in designing new program models and has participated in developing an array of services within the Family Support and Recreation program she currently directs. Eileen is a past winner of the Lenore McNeer Award for Excellence in Human Services presented by the National Organization of Human Services Education. Eileen is currently treasurer of the New England Organization for Human Services, serves on the Human Services program Advisory Committee at Fitchburg State College and is active in her Church and the local Irish American Community.

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Tracey Hecker has over 20 years working with a non profit agency. Her current position is Division Director for Vocational Services, a program that enables both students and adults to enter in to the world of work. Her prior work experience includes serving as Career Development Specialist, Sr. Employment Specialist, Director of Job Placement, and currently serves as, Senior Division Director. Tracey has been instrumental in the development and growth of this program for over 10 years. Tracey has been a key person in the development of new programs and has written RFRs that have been awarded on each occasion. Tracey has been very active in the growth of existing programs as well as increasing budgets for the agency. Tracey has a certificate in Job Development and Marketing, University of Massachusetts, Boston Ma. 2001. Henri’s School of Hair Design, Fitchburg Ma. 1996, Degree in Cosmetology.

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Susan McClurken has over fourteen years experience working in the non profit industry. Her current role is as the Director of Quality Assurance for Alliance for Resource Management. Susan was instrumental in the development of the Quality Assurance Department and is now the Senior Level Director. Susan has held many roles in the human service field. She started with Alliance as part of the Urban Youth Collaborative program and then stayed on with Alliance from that point. In addition to her experience with the Survey and Certification and CARF process as the Quality Assurance Director, she has many years of experience in Direct Care and management of residential group homes. Susan has multiple certifications in areas of staff development and is a facilitator of numerous trainings. Susan is currently finishing work on her Bachelor of Science Degree with a concentration in Human Services. Additionally, for the past five years Susan and her family have had two persons with developmental disabilities live with them in their home and join their extended family.

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Ellen has been in the Human Service field for over 17 years.  She began her career working with youth with disabilities and then transitioned to Adults with disabilities. She has a wide range of experience in different areas of Human Services. Ellen has worked from direct care to Senior Management positions with the belief that advocacy, independence, equal access and rights for ALL allow for a better/healthier community. 

Ellen earned her Associate’s Degree in Human Services from Quinsigamond Community College and then her Bachelor of Arts degree from Anna Maria College in Psychology.  She currently holds the position of Division Director of Home Based Supports here at Arc-Matson Community Services.

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Jennifer Peck has four years experience in the non-profit field.  She comes to us from The United Arc of Franklin and Hampshire Counties, Inc. in Greenfield MA, bringing her significant talents in Fundraising Development as well as public relations, social media marketing, and website design.  Additionally, she served as the Human Rights Coordinator and is dedicated to the service of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Jennifer is currently working on her Bachelors’ Degree in Advertising through The Art Institute of Pittsburg.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children and dogs, exercising, and graphic design.

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Cheryl Robillard has over twenty five years experience working in the human services field. She currently is the Director of Day Services at Alliance for Resource Management. These are typically the alternative day options other than work. She was instrumental in the development and growth of this division. She has been with the agency for over fourteen years learning and growing into her current role. Her human service experience has been diverse working with children, adolescents, and adults as they progress into the aging process thus including Alzheimer’s and dementia. Cheryl has an AS in Therapeutic Recreation from Mitchell College and many years spent as a Special Olympic coach and partner. She is a strong advocate for the human rights of people with disabilities serving on the Human Rights Committee as well as training in this area. She will often volunteer for the cause of the day and jump in where needed. She is a very active member of the Senior Management Team.

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