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.”
Lauren Rae, a day coordinator for The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Intensive Treatment Team (ITT), has worked for NECC for six years. She was nominated by a colleague because she is “an extremely effective and compassionate supervisor.”
Abbey Kelley found her way to The New England Center for Children (NECC) as a summer intern in 2021 and is now a level 2 teacher. She was nominated by a colleague because she “consistently has a positive attitude and is always willing to do what’s best for the team.”
Matthew Maloney, a level 2 teacher on NECC’s New Castle Road residential team, has worked at NECC for four and a half years. He was nominated by a colleague because he “always goes above and beyond for all his students.”
NECC is dedicated to promoting research that helps further the field of autism education. Teachers and researchers work alongside one another on research projects, often as part of NECC’s graduate school program partnerships.