Our Leadership

Dr. Ed Cabellon

Chair

Dr. Ed Cabellon was voted in as Chair of the Board Directors in June of 2021 after joining the Board in the Fall of 2018 and serving on the Executive Committee as the Board’s Clerk in the Fall of 2019. He appreciates the opportunity to deepen his service to the Brockton community through this important leadership role.

Professionally, Dr. Cabellon is an experienced, innovative, and accomplished higher education executive in enrollment management and student services. Currently, he serves as vice president of Enrollment Management at Curry College. Additionally, Ed is an entrepreneur and is co-founder and co-owner of Brockton Beer Company, an emerging brewpub in downtown Brockton.

Ed and his family have lived in Brockton since 2004, with his wife teaching in Brockton Public Schools since 1996 and his two daughters attending Brockton Public Schools. He also has served as a girls Brockton Youth travel soccer coach. An avid runner, Ed has run the Marine Corps Marathon, and the Boston Marathon twice to raise money for important charities. In 2021, he will run his seventh Falmouth Road Race and the second time in a row representing BAMSI.

Jessica Nisenbaum

Vice Chair

Jessica is currently the Chief People Officer at Rhapsody, a leading healthcare data interoperability company, responsible for the company’s people strategy and HR operations globally.  She brings more than 20 years of experience in HR and business, bringing organizations through various stages of growth and transformation, predominantly in the healthcare industry.  She is an experienced business partner to executives in navigating change and driving business outcomes.  Jessica holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, a graduate certificate in Executive Leadership and has completed coursework toward a Masters Degree in Education.  She is also an experienced and trained Mediator.  She has served on the Board of a small educational non-profit agency, is spirited about volunteering her time and talent, and regularly seeks opportunities to help individuals reach personal and professional goals.

Reverend Albert Whitaker

Treasurer

Rev. Albert Whitaker currently serves as a voting member of the New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (NECEPAC) of the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) He has worked diligently with various local and national stakeholders in addressing social determinants of health, utilizing data to improve health outcomes, and promoting a national culture of health.  Rev. Whitaker is fluent in Spanish and served as a Peace Corp Volunteer in South America. He holds a master’s in urban ministry from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and is currently working on his second master’s degree in public health. Rev. Whitaker also serves on the Ministerial Team at St. Mark Congregational Church in Roxbury, MA.

Ann Schuler

Clerk

Ann Schuler is the Director of Special Projects at Justice Resource Institute (JRI). Ann has served in this role for 10 years and has worked on various initiatives, efforts, and projects to help support operations, staff development, and recruitment at JRI. Ann began her career at JRI in 1997 at the Massachusetts Treatment Center for Sexually Dangerous Persons. In 2002, Ann received her Master’s degree in criminal justice and mental health counseling from Suffolk University. From 2001-2008 she was the project manager for JRI’s first Research Department and managed several research projects from both state and federal funding sources as well as provided trainings on various assessment instruments. Prior to taking on the larger agency-wide role, Ann worked as a clinician/administrator in JRI’s Southeast Behavioral Health Center for 2 years. She recommended and implemented various system changes to help streamline procedures at the program. In her current position as Director of Special Projects, Ann utilizes her analytical and organizational skills along with her passion for the pursuit of social justice to improve systems across the agency. More recently, Ann is a 2020 Leadership Southcoast graduate and newly appointed to the BAMSI Board of Directors.

Julia Chandler

Julia Chandler is a licensed CPA with approximately 30 years of finance, accounting, and consulting experience. She is currently the Director of M&A Integration at Carlisle Companies, Inc., a leading supplier of building envelope products and energy efficient building solutions. She previously served as Carlisle’s Vice President and Treasurer, where she was responsible for the company’s global liquidity, capital, and risk management. In earlier roles, she was also responsible for Carlisle’s financial reporting and analysis functions. Prior to her work at Carlisle, she served as Senior Vice President of Finance at Primerica, and was a Manager in PWC’s Financial Advisory Services practice. She holds a B.A. degree in Mathematics and Music from Amherst College and an MBA from the Tepper School at Carnegie Mellon University. She is currently on the board of a non-profit environmental conservancy organization and previously worked as a financial consultant to a non-profit community development organization.

David Ebenezer

David is currently the CEO of New England Revenue Cycle Solutions Inc., an innovative provider of facility coding and revenue cycle solutions to academic, acute care, and community hospitals. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has over 35 years of management experience with global companies, the public sector, listed corporations, and startups in the USA, Europe, and Asia. His area of expertise is strategy, supply chain management, marketing, finance, and technology. He holds a Bachelor’s in Metallurgical Engineering, a Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management, and an MBA in Management of Technology and International Business. He is a lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager and SAP MM Functional consultant. He is a passionate advocate for children with special needs and believes in the benefits of early intervention to help children grow to their full potential and lead productive lives.

Sam Foster

A transformational CEO, organizational leader, and investment partner, Sam has 25+ years of experience managing, advising, and investing in medical, technology, and manufacturing companies through strategic change, accelerated growth, and management transformation. He is currently the Managing Director of Pennant Partners and is also a founding partner at Healthcare Innovation Partners a healthcare & medical products accelerator. Prior to founding Pennant & HIP, Sam was a Managing Director at Velocity Equity Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm, and Corning Technology Ventures. In addition to maintaining active leadership and investment involvement in a number of companies in the manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and technology industries, Sam has served as CXO / GM of 5 companies, Board Member of 12 and 3 non-profits, co-founded 3 PE/VC partnerships, involved in the founding and advising of multiple businesses including navigating 8+ businesses to exit both as CXO and/or as an investor/Board member.

Jeanne Fuller-Jones

Jeanne Fuller-Jones is currently a Partner/Realtor with Keller Williams Realty based in Easton.  She is certified as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and works with buyers and sellers of all ages, with particular emphasis on seniors and their families.  Jeanne was involved with multi-family housing for the previous 20 years, managing large complexes throughout Southeastern Massachusetts.  Jeanne established youth and adult programs in conjunction with local resources such as the YMCA and BAMSI.  She served as Founding Director and Officer of various non-profits doing housing (Brockton Community Corporation), food distribution (Serve New England), and elder service work (Plymouth Networking Group).  Jeanne served on the Board of Governors for Central and Youth Branches of the Old Colony YMCA in Brockton, and is a Member and Group Exercise Instructor at the Old Colony YMCA Central Branch for 20+ years.

Andre Jasse

Andre served for 20 years as Chairman and CEO of Brown Rudnick, an international law firm based in Boston with offices in London, New York, Paris, and Washington D.C. He served for 20 years on the Board of Directors of Eastern Bank, based in Boston, including serving as Lead Director for 5 years. He also served on the Board of a major division of Mass General Brigham for 7 years, including several years as Chair of the Governance Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee of the holding company. Andre is retired but has volunteered as a consultant for numerous nonprofit clients of Empower Success Corps over the last 7 years, principally in the areas of strategic planning and governance. He is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, with a BS in Management, and holds a JD from Boston College Law School.

Debra Roberts

Debra Roberts was elected to serve as Vice Chair to the Stoughton Select Board by fellow Select Board members in 2021, and was elected to the Stoughton Select Board in 2020. Roberts is a leader in her community, being active on issues of fiscal responsibility and diversity and inclusion. As a select person, Roberts was appointed to serve as a liaison to the Stoughton Board of Assessors, the Stoughton Committee on Finance and Taxation, the Stoughton Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board.

Roberts is also the immediate past Chairperson of Stoughton’s Diversity & Inclusion Organization. In those duties, she presided over the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day Celebration and organize peaceful protests to address racial injustice. As Chair, she was responsible for researching local demographic data, analyzing data, and determining where diversity, based on the population mix, is not evident in some organizations and/or not reflected as social policy. Based on that analysis, the committee researched various grants to develop and promote policies to effect a change.

Roberts was instrumental in helping the Town of Stoughton being selected to participate in the pilot round of the Racial Equity Municipal Action Plan (REMAP) program grant. Working closely with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (FRBB), the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). She was recommended by former State Representative Louis Kafka, for her community service to receive the “Commonwealth Heroin of Massachusetts” by the Massachusetts Commission on The Status of Women on June 24, 2020.

Roberts graduated from Fontbonne University with a bachelor’s degree and earned an MBA from Northeastern University. She currently is a finance manager for the National Telecommuting Institute, which helps Americans with disabilities find at-home positions. Previously, she worked at Tufts Health Plan.

Peter Evers

President and CEO

Before starting with BAMSI, Peter was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Riverbend Community Mental Health, Inc., and Vice President for Behavioral Health at Concord Hospital.  A Licensed Social Worker, he brings more than 30 years of experience in the mental health and human services fields, including leadership positions in emergency, residential, and outpatient services.  Peter also served as Vice President for Program Operations at The Home for Little Wanderers in Boston before joining Riverbend. Prior to that, he was the Southeastern Area Director at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH).

Throughout Peter’s career, he has been a leader in the social service industry, promoting resilience in persons served, educating communities around stigma, and the worth of every human being through engagement. Peter is a firm believer that a positive agency culture, the effective use of resources, and the sustainability of state-of-the-art facilities are a reflection of an organization’s quest for excellence.

Educated in England and a graduate of Sheffield Hallam University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Studies, Peter obtained his Masters in Social Work from the University of Kent, and is a Licensed Clinical Social worker here and in Great Britain.

Pamela Ryan

Chief Human Resources Officer

Pam is a graduate of Rhode Island College and attended Massachusetts School of Law. She is also a Senior Certified Professional by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP). With over 20 years of CHRO experience, she brings extensive expertise in employee recruitment, onboarding, talent management, and leadership development, having transformed these areas with previous employers to align with best practices, increase internal referrals, and decrease turnovers.  Pam most recently served as CHRO of Phoenix House, a leading nonprofit, evidence-based substance abuse and behavioral health treatment provider employing over 2,5000 individuals nationwide. She excels at change management, organizational development, and process improvement.

David Simmons

Chief Financial Officer

David is a Bentley educated, seasoned and proven financial leader who is both a CPA and a licensed Nursing Home Administrator.  David joins BAMSI after having worked in Public Accounting, Long Term Care, Acute Hospital, Specialty Hospital, Healthcare Systems and Health & Human Service organizations.  David has extensive experience in Administration, Management, Payroll, Systems Implementation, Regulatory Compliance, Income Tax, Budget Development, Pension Administration, Financial Planning, Accounting Analysis and a successful track record of sound service to Governance Boards and Executive Leadership.  David’s most recent experience was in service of a sizeable Health & Human Service Agency where he was an 1924integral part of a leadership team that guided the agency to doubling in size and clients served over his eleven year tenure.

Ulea Grace Lago

Executive Administration Officer

Ulea Grace Lago has over 20 years of experience working with nonprofits, religious organizations, and community groups. An adept nonprofit leader, Ulea is skilled at cultivating relationships with a wide variety of constituents, managing large teams, developing and operating complex programs, and creating a positive and collegial environment. Prior to joining BAMSI, Ulea served as Director of Consulting at Empower Success Corps where she oversaw a consulting practice of 175 senior professionals delivering approximately $2.5M in pro bono services annually. A veteran community organizer, Ulea is the former director of the Truth and Reconciliation Project in Nashville, Tennessee, and previously served as Associate Director of Community Partnership and Service Learning at Sarah Lawrence College and Chair of the Political Action Network at Vanderbilt University. Ulea has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, and a M.Div. and J.D. from Vanderbilt University.

Jill Conlon

Executive Vice President

Jill Conlon, Vice President of Adult Services, has been a leader within BAMSI’s Adult Services Division since 2010, where she focused on improving systems and the sustainability of program operations for 85 day and residential programs throughout Massachusetts.

Beginning as Director of Day and Residential Programs, Jill manages a large team of individuals who support people with brain injury and/or developmental disabilities. With increasing levels of responsibility, Jill assumed the role of Senior Director of Adult Services where she created an onboarding program for leaders and direct care employees as well as several other strategic initiatives to improve the quality of life and work for persons served and employees.

Prior to joining BAMSI, Jill was Vice President of Programs for MYTURN, a non-profit dedicated to assisting at risk and underprivileged youth in achieving their educational and personal goals. Working in conjunction with Brockton High School where she also served as Coordinator of Collegiate Services and provided career services, Jill held various roles working on curriculums and career paths for students from under-served neighborhoods. She was also the Employment Consultant/Case Manager for Columbia Metrowest Human Services in Ashland, MA, where she conducted direct care services for mentally challenged adults.

Jill is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Boston with a Masters in Human Services and a concentration in policy and administration. She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from St. Anselm College with a concentration in human relations and work.

Beverly Williams

Executive Vice President

Beverly Williams joined BAMSI in 1999 and has more than 20 years of clinical and leadership experience. She has served in clinical leadership positions at New England Home for Little Wanderers and Dimock Community Health Center. Ms. Williams has provided clinical and managerial consultations to several agencies including; the Boston Public Health Commission, the Center for Health and Development, Hildebrand Services, Inc., Massachusetts Association for Family Based Service Providers, the Children’s AIDS Program, and Head Start, Inc.

Ms. Williams is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and the Massachusetts Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. She is a trainer of the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Score. Ms. Williams is a certified Trauma First Responder. Ms. Williams has extensive experience developing collaborative relationships and contracts with various community providers and state departments.

Beverly earned her Master’s Degree in Education, Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Massachusetts and a Master’s of Management from Cambridge College.

Lucas Carvalho

Executive Vice President

Lucas Carvalho joined BAMSI in 2004 and is the Vice President of Corporate Resources.  In his current position, Lucas oversees housing development, property acquisition, and facilities asset management of new and existing properties, including lease administration, construction, facilities maintenance and safety. During his tenure at BAMSI, Mr. Carvalho has spearheaded the physical plant growth from 50 to more than 120 residential and commercial properties.

Prior to joining BAMSI, Mr. Carvalho held management positions in the telecommunications where he assisted the establishment of business locations and property/office acquisition throughout the United States. Lucas also supported a women’s shelter in safe and secure property acquisition.

Mr. Carvalho earned his Bachelor of Science degree in operations management from Boston College.

Sesay Johnson

Vice President of Information Technology Services

Richard Raphael

Vice President of Quality and Improvement

Richard oversees the quality and improvement activities at BAMSI, which includes compliance and ethics. As the Vice President of Quality and Improvement, he partners with BAMSI leadership and an ever-growing workforce to ensure persons-served realize the best experience. Before BAMSI, Richard served in leadership roles, including chief compliance officer, in companies spanning multiple industries (academia, public health, biotech, financial services, and healthcare).

In 2003, Richard earned an MBA from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. In 2008, Richard graduated from Textron, Inc.’s Six Sigma Training Program with greenbelt certification in Lean DMAIC. After earning his MBA and greenbelt, he studied health informatics and entrepreneurship at Babson College, Harvard University, and Boston University.  Richard enjoys his family, close friends, and taking his Jeep off-road with his South African Boerboel, “Nietzsche.”

Pamela Verklan

Vice President of Marketing, Philanthropy and Communications

Pamela (Pam) Verklan joined BAMSI in February of 2021 as the Vice President of Marketing, Philanthropy, and Communications. Pam joins BAMSI with over ten years of nonprofit fundraising and marketing and communications experience. Prior to joining BAMSI, Pam worked for both Bryant and Brown Universities. In her most recent role, Pam served as the Sr. Assistant Director for Annual Giving at Bryant University. During her tenure at Bryant, Pam oversaw several record-breaking giving days, enhanced philanthropic support from a wide range of constituents, and managed comprehensive marketing and communication strategies geared at donor acquisition and retention. During her time at Brown University, Pam served as a Direct Marketing Coordinator, Brown Family Fellows Giving Society Manager, and Parent Giving and Recognition Officer.

Pam holds a BS in Marketing from Johson and Wales University and is currently pursuing an MS in Nonprofit Management. Pam enjoys spending time with her family and relaxing in Vermont, riding ATVs or snowmobiling.

Sonia D’Alarcao

Vice President of Learning and Development

Sonia D’Alarcao joined BAMSI in 2013 and is the Vice President of Learning & Development.  In this role, she oversees the design and execution of the agency’s professional development plan and directs employee learning and development programs, conferences, forums and seminars.  She also coordinates professional offerings to organizations outside of BAMSI and the greater community.  Sonia has a passion for racial and social justice and strives to educate and provide resources that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Prior to joining BAMSI, Sonia spent over 10 years in positions directing training for non-profit organizations.  She also spent part of her career as an early childhood educator, and served on the Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children.

Sonia is active in several long-term volunteer programs, including co-facilitating the Read to Me Father Program at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, MA.

Sonia earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Cultural Anthropology from Bridgewater State University.

Barbara Gordon

Vice President of Healthcare Services

Kathleen Anderson

Vice President of Child Services at Behavior Health and Community Services

Kathleen Anderson joined BAMSI in 2008 as the Program Director of the CFFC Wraparound pilot program and in 2009 helped roll out CBHI services at BAMSI as the Program Director of the CSA. She became a nationally certified Wraparound Facilitator Coach in 2013 and a Wraparound Process Mentor in 2017. From 2013-2018 she also worked through the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) to provide Statewide Wraparound Coaching to CSAs in Massachusetts. In 2018 she became Director of Operations, CBHI. She received her BA in Russian Language from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and her MSW from the University of New England, School of Social Work in 1996. She has been independently licensed since 1998. She has practiced social work in a variety of settings, including Emergency Services, Residential Services and Community Mental Health within Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. She was a Brockton Girl Scout Leader from 2009-2014. Kathy served on the DCF Area Board in Brockton from 2009-2018. She was a member of the Silver Lake Regional High School School Council from 2018-2019. Kathy is currently a member of the Plymouth County Bee Keeper’s Association.

Aisha Barlatier-Bonny

Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health and Community Services

Aisha Bonny joined BAMSI in 2004 as a Program Manager of Family Based Services a Department of Children and Families. Aisha has 18 years of leadership experience, 14 in a clinical setting. She has worked in the private non-profit sector since 1996, when she began her career as a Case Manager in a women’s shelter located in Stamford, Connecticut. Over the course of her career, Aisha has worked with children, adolescents, adults, families, and the elderly to address a variety of mental health and community health challenges.

As a member of the Brockton community, Aisha has served on the boards of the South Shore Haitians United for Progress (SHUP), the Haitian Organization for the Advancement of Petit-Guoave (HOAP), Bridgewater State University’s Social Work Advisory Board, and was Chair of the Board of Directors at St. Joseph Manor until June 2017. Currently, Aisha is a Board of Directors member for Covenant Health Systems located in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

Aisha earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut and her Master’s degree at Bridgewater State University. In 2011, Aisha was named a “Brockton Woman of the Year” for her work at BAMSI and in Haitian communities in Massachusetts and abroad.

Teresa Belsan

Vice President of Adult Services at Behavioral Health and Community Services

Teresa Belsan is the Vice President of Operations within the Adult Services Division of BAMSI. In this role, she oversees Adult Community Clinical Services, Adult Day Treatment Center, Respite Services, the Coordinated Care Network, the Massachusetts Care Coordination Network, HIV Services and C.O.P.E. (Community Outreach, Prevention and Education Center) Center, Clubhouse, Elder Services and the Recovery Learning Community.

As a member of the Executive and Strategic Planning Team, Teresa is an integral part of the clinical and administrative programs for individuals with mental and behavioral health issues..

Prior to joining BAMSI in 2008, Teresa was the Program Director for the Program Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Team where she was responsible for overseeing 80 high risk individuals living in the community and supervised a 12-member team of peer specialists, nurses, psychiatrists, vocational specialists, housing specialists, clinicians and social workers.

As Clinical Coordinator for Sweetser in Brunswick, ME, Teresa was part of the Community Support Program and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team as well as a program director.

Teresa holds a Master of Science in Clinical Counseling from the University of Southern Maine where she also worked for a decade as an Admissions and Advising Counselor.

Walter Curnow

Vice President of Community Living & Day Services

Walter Curnow joined BAMSI in 2015 as a Director of Operations, overseeing residential programs within the Adult Services division. Today, he serves as the Vice President of Day Services and Community Living and, together with his team, focuses on supporting individuals and promoting positive community based experiences in both day and residential programs.

Prior to joining BAMSI, Walter worked in youth programming for more than twenty years, holding senior supervisory positions with both State and vendor programs. His roles included Clinical Coordinator, Program Director and Program Monitor for the Department of Youth Services, the Commonwealth’s juvenile justice agency, and Service Director for the juvenile division of Eliot Community Human Services. In his earlier days, Walter provided direct care to persons with developmental disabilities in residential programs on the South Shore.  It was there that he first experienced the reward of working on behalf of individuals in need of support and where he made the decision to dedicate his professional life to human services.

Walter received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Chris Lopez

Vice President of Community Living & Day Services

Dan Sprout

Vice President of Community Living

Dennis Orsinger

Vice President of Financial Operations