For more than two decades, Kerri Shanahan has made it her mission to support children with autism, empower teachers, and build inclusive communities in public school classrooms. In recognition of this dedication, Shanahan, MA, BCBA, LABA, a senior consultant in NECC’s Consulting and Public School Services (PSS) Department, was named the recipient of the 2025 Maria Felix Lonergan Memorial Award.

In her 23 years working at NECC, Shanahan has held a number of roles. Her journey began as a level 2 teacher on Parker Road before serving as a residential and day coordinator and a program specialist on Francine Road. In 2010, she transitioned to the Consulting and Public School Services Department (PSS), where she had the opportunity to provide consultation and training in a variety of formats across school districts in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Now, as a senior consultant, she oversees four partner classrooms and supports the training of new lead teachers.

“I love working with and mentoring lead teachers as they make the move from NECC Southborough to our partner classrooms to help them grow as educators and meet their own professional goals,” shared Shanahan. “My favorite part of my job though is working with the students and seeing the meaningful progress they make within their school communities and the power of inclusion. Some of my favorite moments have been watching my students participate in Unified Sports, attend field trips with their peers, go to proms and other school dances, and walk at high school graduation.” 

Shanahan’s passion for this work began early. “From a young age, I always knew that I would work with children in some capacity — likely in education,” she recalled. “Teaching runs in my family and my mom had a day care when I was growing up.”

College internships and volunteering with the Special Olympics opened her eyes to working with children with disabilities. “I immediately felt connected with this population and found the work rewarding and meaningful,” she shared. “I also have a younger cousin with autism, and I think this had an impact on me wanting to learn more about applied behavior analysis (ABA) and the best practices in educating children with autism so that I could learn more about how to advocate for him.”

That motivation led her to NECC. “I first learned about NECC at a recruitment event in college and felt it aligned well with my interest areas,” she said. “What’s kept me here is the people I’ve worked with, the sense of community that NECC instills, and the organization’s dedication and commitment to its mission-driven work.”

Shanahan was also drawn to the opportunity to further her education and earn a master’s degree for little out-of-pocket expense. At the time she started, NECC had a partnership with Framingham State College (now University), where she earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology. However, as she gained more experience, she was drawn to working directly with students and the field of ABA, leading her to pursue her BCBA coursework through Northeastern University (which was affiliated with NECC at the time). She most recently completed the CAGS program in Transition Services through NECC’s partnership with Assumption University.

“I work primarily with students in middle and high school and have seen firsthand the complicated and, at times, overwhelming process of transitioning students out of school-based and into adult-based services,” Shanahan said. “This program has helped me to become more educated in this area, allowing me to better support and be a resource to the families and staff that I work with so that collaboratively we can help our students become as independent as possible.”

It’s this passion for mentorship and growth that earned Shanahan the Maria Felix Lonergan Award, which memorializes a longtime staff member who dedicated her career to improving the lives of children with autism at NECC for nearly 20 years before losing her battle with cancer in November 2015.

“Winning this award is very meaningful to me,” shared Shanahan. “I worked with and knew Maria Felix Lonergan, and she was always a person to look up to and admire. The three pillars of this award — Mentorship, Educational Advocacy, and Professionalism — are values I strive to embody in my daily work, so being recognized for my commitment to these areas throughout my career is truly an honor.”