March 2, 2021

A Message from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force:

Since 1987, March has been designated as Women’s History Month in the United States. It is a time not just to study the vital impact that women have made on the course of history, but to celebrate their accomplishments in a variety of fields. From Susan B. Anthony’s quest for women’s suffrage to Rosa Parks’ role as a catalyst in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, women have so often shaped our society. At NECC, we encourage our community to celebrate the contributions of women both in our society as a whole and within our organization.

NECC has been shaped by the women who have helped lead our organization for the last 45 years. Former Chief Operating Officer and current member of the Board of Directors Kathy Foster, former Chief Development Officer and current Board member RoseAnn Lovely, Chief Program Officer Sue Langer, and Executive Director Cathy Welch have all played significant roles in getting us to where we are today.  Individuals like Jess Sassi will continue to lead NECC into the future and ensure that Vinnie Strully’s mission of helping children with autism and their families continue to be advanced.

The DEI Task Force urges our community to reflect on the key roles that women have played at NECC, while also recognizing the ever-present need to continue to strive for a workplace that is positive, accepting, and equitable for all.

Learn more about Women’s History Month by checking out one or more of the following:

Official Women’s History Month website

National Women’s History Museum’s “Fab Five” – Monthly Celebration of Five Women Who Have Made History

Why is Women’s History Month in March? From The Oprah Magazine

About The New England Center for Children

The New England Center for Children® (NECC®) is an award-winning autism education center and research institute. Committed to creating a world where autism is not a barrier to happiness, growth, and independence, our community of teachers, researchers, and clinicians provide comprehensive services including home-based, day, and residential programs, partner classrooms in public school systems, consulting services, and the ACE® ABA Software System (www.acenecc.org).

We are committed to creating an equitable workplace for our diverse team and providing industry-leading staff professional development opportunities, specifically with our on-campus graduate degree partnership programs. The result is a growing pool of autism educators and researchers that impact the lives of children with autism both at NECC and around the world. The New England Center for Children is based in Southborough, MA, and operates a center in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Learn more at www.necc.org.

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