Marites MacLean is a retired early childhood educator, a trauma informed care trainer and a lifelong advocate for children and families. Marites volunteers her time attending meetings with various community organizations such as the Health Equity of North Central, MA (CHNA9) to advocate for the rights and the needs of children and families including children and families with disabilities; and to promote and support equitable systems. Marites is instrumental in the promotion of the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) and the Fair Share Amendment (millionaire’s tax) bills which became laws in Massachusetts.
Marites has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Fitchburg State University and a Certificate in Advocacy and Leadership from Urban College- Boston Massachusetts
Marites served as a member of the advisory council for the Department of Early Education and Care from 2015 to 2021. She is a Teach Plus and CAYL fellow.
Marites is the President and Founder of Empower Children for Success, a nonprofit organization based in Fitchburg. She also acts as the Development Director for the organization to build and maintain relationships with donors to secure funding to advance the organization’s mission.
Marites secured a grant funding from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston for its Leaders for Equitable Local Economies initiative to create an equitable childcare system; and created a successful Childcare Entrepreneur Training Program. She secured additional funding from United Way of North Central MA and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation for this program.
Marites joined The Arc of Opportunity as its Development Director to build and maintain relationships with our internal and external stakeholders to raise and secure funds to advance The Arc’s mission of “[creating] and [supporting] lifetime opportunities in the community for individuals with disabilities and their families to reach their fullest potential by providing advocacy, education, employment, residential, and recreational services to enhance quality of life”. Marites has over 20 years of grant writing experience in the early childhood education field and 2 years in the nonprofit field which allowed her to provide free programs and services to children and families including children and families with disabilities to meet their varying needs.