The New England Center for Children is not only an ideal place to start and grow your career working with children with autism (as well as earn a free master’s degree!), but it’s also been a place where many staff have met their significant others. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked couples who made a love connection while working at NECC—both current staff and staff alumni— about how they met and how and what they are doing today.
Tiffany & Justin Bashaw
Justin is an ACE client support specialist. While at NECC, Tiffany taught on what is now IIP and in the Partner Program; she now serves as a special education co-teacher in a third-grade classroom in the Westborough Public Schools.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
Tiffany and I met in a Simmons graduate class taught by Chris Evans in the PDC (thanks Chris!). It’s wild to think we’d been walking the halls of NECC for six months before meeting that night. After one of our classes, I made sure to invite Tiffany to head over to Owen’s with me and a group of friends. We guess you can say, the rest is history.
How long have you been together/married?
My lovely wife and I have been together 15 years and married for almost 12.
Do you have children?
We’re blessed to have two amazing kids. Our son Evan is 9 and our daughter Tessa is 5. Both of them grew up in the NECC daycare and are proud graduates of the preschool program!
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
For Valentine’s Day, we plan to enjoy a roaring fire in the fireplace.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
Back in the day, I’d work nights at times and Tiffany always worked during the day. In order to see each other, I’d surprise her by stopping by her classroom whenever I had the chance.
Sarah & Matt Cassell
Sarah worked on the Day School team and Matt worked on the Day School and a Transition team while at NECC. He is now a middle school special education teacher in Southborough and Sarah works for the town of Southborough as the director of their Youth and Family Services department.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We met while working in the same classroom at NECC. When I was hired, I was assigned to be the case manager for a student that Matt was already working with. He trained me! We were nearing the end of the contract so we only ended up working in the same classroom for about three months but remained on the same team for the duration of our time at NECC. Traditionally, NECC teachers would go out to celebrate the final night of the contract. Matt and I went out with some NECC friends that night and ended up spending the whole night talking to one another. He asked me out on our first date that night.
How long have you been together/married?
We started dating in 2003, the year I started at NECC, and have been together ever since. We got married in 2007. A total of 18 years!
Do you have children?
We have two very active young boys: Ethan (9) and Dylan (6)
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
It’s on a Monday so, going to work :) Knowing Matt, he will buy me some flowers and make a special dinner that night. He knows how to turn anything ordinary into something really special.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
We loved celebrating our wedding day with many of our closest friends who were teachers from NECC or families we had worked with.
Emily (Kattau) & John Cooper
Emily is a level 2 teacher on Salem End Road and John is a level 2 teacher on West 1.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
[Emily] made the first move. We both went to Framingham State at the same time but never officially met. I recognized him in the cafeteria and asked if he had gone to Framingham and that’s how we started talking. NECC gave us one more chance to meet!
How long have you been together?
We got married this past July, but we have been together for almost four years.
Do you have children?
We have a cavapoo puppy named Ari.
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
We will be spending Valentine’s Day by making dinner together, staying in to play cribbage, and spending time with our puppy.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
Some of our favorite memories together at NECC are being able to get lunch together and eating in the courtyard during our off hours.
Chatham & Julie Flynn
Chatham was a teacher on Francine, Oak Street, and in the Worcester Partner class and now works as an adjustment counselor co-teaching in the Bridge Program at Melican Middle School in Northborough. Julie was a teacher on Saddle Hill Road, an Academic Classroom teacher, Partner Program lead teacher, and a consulting specialist in the Public School Services Department; she has served as the principal at North Grafton Elementary School for the last seven years.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We met two years into working at NECC when Julie was on Saddle Hill Road and Chatham on Francine Road, both working as level 2 teachers. Despite similar positions, our teams didn’t cross paths often; however, our worlds collided outside of work on the soccer field and in/around Boston just before Pride 2002. We went from not really knowing each other to seeing and talking to each other at work daily, finally making plans to meet up at Pride. Hard to say who made the first move, but from there we started dating, moved in, got engaged and got married the weekend of Pride 2005!
How long have you been together/married?
We have been together for 20 years and married for 17 years.
Do you have children?
We have four awesome kiddos: Caelin (12), Finley (10), Brogan (7), and Padraig (4).
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
Last year we started a new tradition—every night in February, everyone writes a note on a heart shaped paper to someone in our family about something they love about them and then we hang them up on their bedroom door. We plan to do that again and given that it falls on a Monday, we will be dividing and conquering taking all four to their soccer practices. Maybe not super romantic, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
So many to choose from! The Night of Music was an event we loved attending together. But I think the memory that sticks out most is when our NECC family threw us a wedding shower. Having our colleagues come together and host a shower for us meant more than they ever could have known at the time and really defined what we loved so much about NECC. We always felt an incredible sense of belonging, felt valued in our many roles, pushed professionally and supported along the way. We are both so grateful for our time at NECC!
Jescah Apamo-Gannon & Tim Gannon
Jescah was a level 2 teacher and education coordinator while at NECC and is currently a professor at Fitchburg State University where she teaches courses in special education and behavior analysis; Tim was a level 2 teacher at NECC and runs an ABA practice the couple founded that provides equational consultation and ABA services across Central Massachusetts.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We met working together as level 2 teachers in the Day School. In addition to working together, we also took some graduate courses together and we quickly found out that we shared some interests outside of work. For instance, since we are both Catholic, we one day met at a church function in Worcester. We joined a Church youth group in Cambridge, we would go to hikes, and things like that. In August of 2003, our group went to see the Boston Symphony in Tanglewood. This was a weekend trip. During this trip, Tim asked me out and the rest is history.
How long have you been together/married?
We have been together for 17 and a half years and have been married 16 years.
Do you have children?
We have three sons, a daughter-in-law, and one grandson. Our kids range in age from 13 years to 26 years.
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
We hope to spend Valentine’s Day with our grandbaby, this being his first Valentine’s Day.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
Our favorite memory was when Tim helped me to create a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) book for one of my students who was graduating. We needed to send him away with a brand-new PECS book with updated images and pictures of his favorite characters. We spent a whole weekend at NECC putting this book together. The joy on [the student’s] face and his parents’ faces when we handed him the book during his graduation brought a tear to my eyes.
Amanda Durocher-Heggie & Alex Heggie
Alex is an APE teacher and Amanda is a trainer in the ACE Department.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
Alex and I met in London in 2016 when I was working with our previous NECC client. Our client attended Frederick Hugh House (FHH), a private school for children with disabilities, at the beginning of the 2016-17 school year. During this time, NECC had a classroom in this private specialized school and there were two NECC teachers running our London program; we were integrated into the FHH community. At FHH, there was a charismatic, kindhearted APE/math teacher who was welcoming and warm. We began our relationship as colleagues then around Christmas 2016 became friends. It wasn’t until the spring of 2017 that Alex let his true feelings be known on the dance floor in a London Pub.
How long have you been together?
Since the beginning of our relationship, we have enjoyed traveling and adventures. During our time in London, we explored 25 countries together, often jetting away on weekends. In the midst of a global pandemic, we held strong as the world was turbulent. FHH closed its doors as an educational establishment in April 2020. At this time Alex was the acting head teacher and was devastated by the news! He pivoted in his role and found joy providing direct care for some of his students.
In August 2020 we eloped in Gibraltar (much like John Lennon and Yoko) before returning to the States, where Alex officially joined the NECC family in October 2020 as a teacher.
Do you have children?
Since then, we have welcomed two additional members into our family. Our fur baby, Goober, joined us in November 2020 as a rescue from Arkansas. Almost exactly one year later we welcomed our son, Cameron James Durocher-Heggie, into the world on 11-10-2021!
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
This Valentine’s Day we will be celebrating our one-year anniversary of home ownership with our little family of 4!
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
This past holiday season both of our departments hosted holiday cookie swap get togethers. We had the wonderful opportunity of going and bringing our son!
Devyn Quigley Jackson & Josh Jackson
Devyn is lead teacher/coordinator in the Partner Program in Derry, NH; Josh is a consulting specialist.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We met in the Ursla Drive classroom our first year at NECC. Our friendship blossomed into a relationship over time. Our friends very strategically had us sit at a table by ourselves at breakfast one morning, it was kind of a group effort. After that, Josh asked Devyn on a real date.
How long have you been together/married?
We have been together for 10 years, and going on our fifth year of marriage.
Do you have children?
We are expecting our first, a baby girl in April!
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
Probably on the couch with some take-out, and a cupcake for dessert.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
We both loved taking our students to Special Olympics and watching them compete and have fun!
Rachel Lindstrom & Kyle Kolowsky
Rachel is an education coordinator for Cohort F on the IIP; Kyle works as casual labor on West 1.
How did you meet? Who made the first move? Kyle worked on West 1 and I worked on West 2 when they used to share a cluster. Kyle caught me singing along to the radio at a stop light, and we both had recognized each other from work. When I told my friends about the embarrassing encounter, my friend friend-requested him on Facebook, and Kyle messaged me first.
How long have you been together? We have been together for about 4.5 years, and just got married in August 2021!
Do you have children? No human children, but we have two furry cat children named Chloe and Lily. They are both about 7.5 years old, and we are hoping to get them a dog sibling soon.
How are you spending Valentine’s Day? Probably going for a hike somewhere after work.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together? Kyle’s first compliment to me was about my protective positioning, and it’s been a joke in our relationship ever since.
Heidi Voss & Daniel Li
Heidi and Daniel are level 2 teachers on the day team.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We were both working in the Partner Program in Derry, NH. He was at the high school and I was at the elementary school and he subbed a lot in my classroom. He made the first move! He added me on Instagram.
How long have you been together/married?
We have been together for 3.5 years. We’re getting married September 11, 2022!
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
We’re planning on spending the day relaxing at home together and doing some wedding planning.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
We went to one of the 5Ks together and had a great time! We also both work on the day team, so it’s nice seeing each other in passing and meeting the different students we work with.
Rachel & Greg Mastrangelo
Rachel is an IIP program specialist and Greg is an ACE training and implementation specialist.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We met as coordinators on Parker Road in 2009. Greg was a residential coordinator after returning from Abu Dhabi, and I had just transferred to Parker Road as an education coordinator. I think the first move was mutual.
How long have you been together/married?
Together 12 years, married for six.
Do you have children?
Yes! Our first child, our daughter, Reagan, was born on 12/24/21.
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
Probably taking care of our newborn.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
I think our best NECC memory would be our time in India. From 2014-16, Greg and I were lucky enough to have the opportunity to move to India and help facilitate a startup ABA program for children with autism.
Sarah & Matt Pizzi
While at NECC, Sarah worked on several residential teams and in Abu Dhabi and is currently a lead teacher/case coordinator for the Public School Services at Pinkerton Academy. Matt worked on several residential teams, in Abu Dhabi, and as a Public School Services lead teacher for Bedford High and Groton-Dunstable Regional High while at NECC. He is currently a BCBA for a consulting company in New Hampshire.
How did you meet? Who made the first move?
We both moved over to the Newcastle Road team from other residential teams in 2014. Sarah had Matt cover a shift for her and exchanged numbers at that point. We had friends in common and saw each other out at several gatherings after that. Matt pursued Sarah from there.
How long have you been together?
We started dating in December 2014 and got married in October 2020.
Do you have children?
No human children, just a 1.5-year-old puppy named Jagger.
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
Probably staying in and watching Jeopardy!.
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
There are so many. We kept our relationship a secret for a while because we were afraid it would affect our ability to stay on the same team – the secret was a unique and fun way to start a relationship. Seeing each other succeed and grow while both doing what we love on a day-to-day basis made us strong from the get-go. Taking our Newcastle students to prom and out into the community are also memories that we definitely won’t forget.
Shaun Reed & Kyle Wilson
Shaun is a lead teacher in the Partner Program; Kyle is a special educator at Framingham High and previously worked in residential and IIP as a teacher at NECC.
How did you meet?
We both worked in the residential program at NECC but didn’t meet until we both moved to Abu Dhabi to work in the NECC program there.
How long have you been together?
Together for 6 years (engaged).
Do you have children?
Just our two-year-old Beagle, Brady
How are you spending Valentine’s Day?
Going out for pizza!
What’s your favorite NECC memory together?
Our favorite NECC memories are of course with all the amazing students who we’ve had the opportunity to teach over the years. During our time at NECC we have moved abroad, met each other, met many of our closest friends, and graduated from graduate programs. and NECC was a big part of these milestones in our lives.