The New England Center for Children (NECC) has announced that Ben Egby and Kiah Lyons have been named the 2025 winners of the Myrna E. Libby Scholar Award. The award, established in 2009, honors one student enrolled in each of the onsite graduate programs – Simmons University (Egby) and Western New England University (Lyons) – […]
Sheila Pickett, MS, BCBA, LABA, a vocational specialist in The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Vocational Department, was nominated for Staff Spotlight because she is “passionate about vocational services and setting students up for success, both now and in adulthood.”
MaKenzie Briere, MS, MSEd, BCBA, LABA, has worked for The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Intensive Treatment Team (ITT) since 2015, serving in a number of roles, including her current position as program specialist for ITT Apartment 4.
Grace “Grasya” Smith has worked as a clinical residential program coordinator for The New England Center for Children for two and a half years. She was nominated by her colleagues because “when she is on shift, we feel her presence and support. When we see Grasya, we are instantly relieved.”
Ronan Bustamante joined The New England Center for Children (NECC) in March 2022 and currently works as a level 2 teacher for NECC’s Westborough 1 residence. He was nominated by a colleague because he “goes above and beyond to help students and staff.”
Sarah LaPierre currently serves as a teacher at NECC’s Michael F. Downey Center for Child Development, but she initially joined NECC as a teacher in the residential programs in 2017. She was nominated by her colleagues because her love for children shines through in everything she does.
Allison Bergenholtz, PhD, BCBA, LABA, currently serves as NECC’s director of Professional Development, but she began her career at NECC as a teacher 16 years ago. She was nominated by her colleagues because she not only has been “an outstanding collaborator” and an “excellent advocate for teachers”
Though Jayne Colantonio, MSEd, BCBA, found her way to The New England Center for Children (NECC) somewhat by accident, she has stayed for nearly a decade. Colantonio, a senior education coordinator in NECC’s Intensive Instruction Program (IIP), was nominated because “she has been an amazing boss and a great mentor.”
Tom Freeman, a residential coordinator for The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Intensive Treatment Team (ITT), has worked for NECC for two years. He was nominated by a colleague because he “always puts the boys’ and the team’s best interests first.”