For the last 13 years, New Jersey native and current Watertown resident Ashley Lagas has cheered for Boston Marathon runners as a spectator. This April, she will be on the other side of the ropes running and raising money for The New England Center for Children (NECC).
Staff alumni Jackie MacDonald, PhD, BCBA-D, Robert Parry-Cruwys, BCBA, and Diana Parry-Cruwys, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA, never would have guessed that their six-plus years working at The New England Center for Children would have led them to where they are today: creators and hosts of the ABA Inside Track podcast.
Rachel Vick, a level 2 teacher at NECC, has been running since she was 13 years old. During the last decade, running has provided Vick with a number of challenges and opportunities, including the one to run the 126th Boston Marathon raising funds for NECC.
Leo Orlando joined NECC as a level 2 teacher in August 2019 and has been on the Westboro 1 residential team for the last two and a half years. A colleague nominated Orlando because he “goes absolutely above and beyond the standard of care for both students and fellow teachers.”
Growing up in Massachusetts, running the Boston Marathon was always a lifelong goal for Bellingham native and current San Diego resident Alexa DiAntonio. Being able to raise money for The New England Center for Children while doing it has been a bonus.
Kelli Skiba, a consulting specialist for the Cape Cod region, “is a fantastic leader, advocate, and a great supporter of students and staff. Kelli has incredible communication skills and can navigate challenging situations with outstanding professionalism. It is such a pleasure to work with Kelli and receive her support.”
“Black musicians and artists have been present throughout the evolution of music from the start, they just aren’t really included in history,” said music teacher Nadia Castagna. “Black artists and musicians have paved the way in the music community for some of the very popular genres that we covet today.”
NECC isn’t just an ideal place to start and grow your career—it’s also been a place where many staff have met their significant others. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked both current staff and staff alumni couples how they met and how and what they are doing today.
Kevin Quinlan has served as the kitchen manager at The New England Center for Children for five years. A colleague nominated Kevin because he “always has a smile on his face, greets fellow staff and students with a positive attitude, and seems to genuinely love his job.”
NECC's Executive Director Jessica Sassi, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA, was included in a feature published by the New England Psychologist regarding pandemic-related teacher shortages and how they are triggering academic changes in organizations across the state.
