On April 24, 2024, The New England Center for Children (NECC) lost a pillar of its community when longtime staff member Cathy Welch passed away at the age of 66 after a long and extremely brave battle with cancer.
“We would not be where we are in the way we work with families and students, if it wasn’t for Cathy’s guidance and drive to make NECC the best place it can be for children with autism,” shared NECC Founder and Executive Advisor Vincent Strully, Jr.
Welch joined NECC in 1981, a fresh college graduate jumping right in first as a teacher and then as NECC’s director of admissions, a position she held for the next 32 years. She would also serve as the chief operating officer (COO) of the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Special Education Operated by NECC (MRC-NECC), and then executive director and executive advisor back in Southborough.
“Cathy was a supportive colleague and an invaluable resource to us all,” shared Jess Sassi, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA, NECC CEO. “Cathy personally knew every student and every family we served. In the last eight years she served on the U.S. leadership team in Southborough, she was a consummate professional and dedicated advocate, and treated everyone with dignity and respect.”
Welch was a true community figure, building relationships with everyone she met, including colleagues, families, school districts, agencies, and visitors. Without the relationships she cultivated for NECC, the partnership in the UAE would not have blossomed into what is now MRC-NECC.
She was also compassionate and authentic, which showed in her interactions with parents grappling with the agonizing decision to seek out-of-district placement, particularly residential placement. “When those parents walked through the doors at NECC for the first time, there was nobody better who understood their complex emotions more than Cathy,” said Bouzan. “Cathy’s fingerprints, remain imprinted on the hearts and souls of the thousands of families she helped guide through the storm.”
Welch not only had a tremendous impact on her local community, but she made significant contributions to special education initiatives across the globe, especially during her time as COO of MRC-NECC. In Abu Dhabi, Welch brought a combination of business and social acumen. Through her management of subcontractors, she ensured the school received proper maintenance, transportation, catering, cleaning, and security. “Ms. Cathy,” as she was known there, left an indelible mark on everyone she encountered.
She also helped spearhead educational and consulting partnerships in Qatar, London, Dubai, Kuwait and India.
In 2021, Welch’s impeccable leadership was on full display in the way she prepared for, responded to, and maintained a strong workforce and safe environment for all staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid this volatility, Welch ensured that NECC’s students were cared for continuously in their residential placements, and that programs and services continued operating throughout the health crisis. This included the reallocation of resources to meet the needs and protection of students, implementing new safety protocols, procuring hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of PPE from numerous sources, and collaborating with health officials to ensure NECC was among the first to receive doses of the vaccine. As a result, NECC students experienced uninterrupted education when schools across the country were closed or operating remotely.
Welch’s definition of success was pursuing a career in which one is happy and loves what one does. Success means a career that makes a difference to others. As such, Welch was its quintessential representation. Whether it be her contribution to global special education, or the impact she had on her community, the positive influence that Welch had on those around her was nothing short of immense. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and those at NECC, however, the lives Cathy Welch touched through her work, community involvement, and kindness, will undoubtedly render her impact everlasting.