Incompass Human Services proudly announces that CEO Jean Phelps has been honored with the first-ever “Community Award” by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). This prestigious national award was presented to Ms. Phelps earlier this month at the AAIDD Annual Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky, recognizing her remarkable contributions in support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The “Community Award” is a new addition to the AAIDD’s recognition programs, designed to honor leaders who have made substantial contributions to the advancement of the intellectual and developmental disabilities field. Jean Phelps, who has led Incompass Human Services for nearly 20 years, was recognized for her dedicated efforts in championing the rights and inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Under her leadership, Incompass has grown its service portfolio through a combination of organic program growth, construction of new group homes, and mergers & affiliations – ultimately contributing to more inclusive and accessible community.
Upon receiving the award, Ms. Phelps shared her thoughts, “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition and lead such an incredible team of Care Champions. It’s really a testament to the commitment of every person at Incompass Human Services who work tirelessly to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, is valued and given the opportunity to lead fulfilling lives.”
Brad MacDougall, Chair of the Board at Incompass Human Services, added that “Jean is a wonderful person whose leadership has been nothing short of transformative for Incompass. She has not only steered our agency towards new heights but has also profoundly impacted the broader community by setting a standard for inclusion and advocacy. This award is a well-deserved acknowledgment of her visionary approach and unwavering dedication.”
Incompass Human Services is excited to announce the appointment of Vincent Geromini and Kerri Dixon to our esteemed Board of Directors. With their extensive experience and passion for serving others, they are incredible additions to our team as we continue our commitment to our founding family’s mission and embark on our new strategic plan.
Vincent Geromini brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our board. Presently serving as a Consultant for SEI, Mr. Geromini has worked closely with executive and senior leadership teams globally, developing and executing ambitious strategic initiatives across both the public and private sectors. His direct experience with state Medicaid programs and his advisory roles in various consulting firms make him a valuable asset to Incompass Human Services.
Kerri Dixon
Kerri Dixon’s background in regulation and compliance, coupled with her dedication to special education, adds a unique perspective to our board. With 15 years of experience in government and corporate environments, including NASDAQ and Retirement Fiduciary Group, and an MBA from Simmons University, Ms. Dixon brings a wealth of knowledge to our organization. Her transition to becoming a Special Education teacher at the Dracut Public School System, where she works closely with children in residence who are struggling with mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and abandonment, demonstrates her commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Additionally, her certification as a Yoga Teacher further enriches her ability to support our mission of holistic care.
Brad MacDougall, Chair of the Incompass Human Services Board of Directors, expressed his excitement about the new additions, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Vincent Geromini and Kerri Dixon to our board. Their diverse backgrounds and wealth of experience will be invaluable as we continue to advance our mission and deepen the wealth of knowledge at the Board level. I speak for my fellow Board members when I say we are all excited for the passion they both demonstrate for the work we are doing, and the people we are serving at Incompass.”
CEO Jean Phelps echoed these sentiments, remarking, “Vincent Geromini and Kerri Dixon bring a wealth of knowledge and dedication to our organization. Their demonstrated commitment to serving others make them incredible additions to the Incompass Board of Directors, and I’m thrilled to have them as Care Champions.”
As we celebrate 70 years of service in 2024, Incompass Human Services remains steadfast in our dedication to providing comprehensive support to individuals and families in need. With our new strategic plan guiding our efforts, we are excited to work alongside Vincent Geromini, Kerri Dixon, and the entire board to continue fulfilling our mission and driving our Care Champion culture for many years to come.
As I step into the role of Chair of the Board at Incompass Human Services, I am filled with a profound sense of honor and excitement. This opportunity to lead an organization that stands as a beacon of innovation and compassion in human services is truly humbling.
I want to start by expressing my deep gratitude to Tim, our past Chair, for his remarkable service. His leadership has been pivotal, and we are fortunate to continue benefiting from his wisdom as he remains an active member of the Incompass Board and Chair of the New England Human Services Collaborative (NEHSCO).
For those who don’t know me, my connection to Incompass is more than just professional; it’s deeply personal. The support my older brother receives in a group home in Merrimack Valley has a profound impact on our family. The team that supports him has provided him with so much; he is now even working at a job in the community. I can’t properly describe the sense of pride he has earning a paycheck, but I am forever grateful that he is able to have this experience. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Incompass Human Services is a shining beacon of innovation and compassion. Throughout my tenure on the board, I have been consistently inspired by this community of caregivers who are truly engaged in our mission to empower the people we serve to live full lives.
To our incredible team, your dedication and compassion as Care Champions are the core of our success. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed – I thank each of you for your unwavering commitment and perseverance. The Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team will continue to support you and spotlight you as we expand our impact.
I also extend heartfelt thanks to our NESCHO Affiliates – Bridgewell and The Arc of Opportunity. We have a shared vision to continue building a person-centered network rooted in innovating to help the most vulnerable thrive. Seeing some of the early returns like shared staff training and enhanced IT resources give me confidence that we will continue delivering on that vision together.
A special acknowledgment to our partners in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including our elected officials. Your support is essential to our mission, and we value the relationships we have forged with all of you over the years. I’d love to personally invite you to visit Incompass, either at our Chelmsford headquarters or one of our numerous group homes throughout Greater Lowell, and see the impact that Care Champions have in your districts.
As we step into the Incompass Human Services Days of Giving in December, I encourage our extended network to generously contribute. Your support is vital in enabling us to continue our mission of empowering individuals to lead fulfilling lives. Every donation, big or small, helps us in our commitment to innovation and compassionate service.
In closing, I express my deepest appreciation for each one of you in our Incompass community. Together, we are poised for greatness. Our journey is one of progress, growth, and boundless compassion. I eagerly anticipate celebrating our shared achievements in the coming year and beyond.
Earth Day is a special holiday in the Incompass Human Services community, not just because of what it represents to the planet – but it’s also the official kick-off of our gardening season!
This year, Earth Day fell on Friday, April 22 and Activities Specialist Cathy Brunelle once again put on a wonderful event! Day program participants at Incompass Human Services met outside of agency headquarters at 4 Omni Way in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where Care Champions had setup stations with garden beds, flower pots, watering cans, and gardening tools. And this year was made even more special because a group of volunteers from the local BNI Global chapter!
“It’s been more than two years since we’ve been able to welcome members of the community to take part in an event like this, and the looks of joy on the faces of both the participants and volunteers said it all,” remarked Dan Esdale, chief marketing officer at Incompass.
Earth Day at Incompass is Really Earth Week!
As is tradition, each day hab room provided Care Champions with a list of seeds they wished to grow on Earth Day. And throughout the week, members of the Incompass community worked to prepare the garden beds and purchase soil so the group would have the tools they need to celebrate Earth Day right. Bianco’s Catering, who is also a tenant at 4 Omni Way, even got in on the fun providing individuals with the lettuce heads that were planted in the vegetable garden!
“We planted everything from onions to garlic to beans throughout the afternoon, and the weather could not have been better!,” said Brunelle.
Volunteers Had A Lot to Share About Their Experience…
For the volunteers from the BNI Power Players, it was their first time at Incompass Human Services – and their first chapter volunteer engagement since the beginning of the pandemic.
“My business is rooted in spreading joy, and spending the day with the Incompass day program participants was the definition of spreading joy,” remarked Dot Richards, vice president of the BNI Power Players and owner of Cards by Dot. “I loved being outside with the volunteers and participants!”
Ryan Hart, a financial advisor with New York Life and treasurer of the BNI Power Players remarked that he was impressed with the coordination of the event by the Care Champions, and could see the impact first-hand. “I was struck by just how genuine the Incompass team was in engaging us as volunteers, and ensuring they put on a great program for the people in their programs. And I can’t wait to see the progress of the vegetables that we planted throughout the day!”
By Alyvia Petrozza, Urban Youth Intern, UMass Amherst Class of 2022
If you asked me a year ago where I would be now, my answer would be so far off from the reality of it all. While looking for internships a year ago, the Urban Youth Internship program at Incompass Human Services had absolutely nothing to do with what I was hoping to work towards after college. However, pursuing internships, especially during pandemic times, was a difficult endeavor, and I began to think differently about this opportunity to work in human services.
I didn’t know what to expect going in…but as I finish I can say it was a truly transformational experience.
Looking back in hindsight, I would not change a single thing about my decision and my experience at Incompass. Working with the individuals in the day habilitation program brought me immense joy on a day-to-day basis. It wasn’t just about gaining experience and a consistent paycheck; it transformed into pure love and care I held for each individual and my passion to help them in any way that I could as an advocate. I learned that, even though the internship didn’t seem to focus on my intended area of work, I built up this invaluable experience and a fierce passion that is applicable to any path in life I decide to walk. Almost a year later and I still feel like a completely different individual than I was before I stepped into Incompass on that first day.
After my summer internship had finished, I didn’t feel completely disconnected from Incompass— I didn’t want to be. I remembered a time when myself and my fellow interns gathered in a conference room with the chief marking officer, the director of day services and the CEO of Incompass. At the end of our brief meeting, the head of marketing and the director of day services joked that my creative writing specialization would be a great fit for their marketing team. And although it may have started as a mere joke, it piqued my interest. It was a position that was more applicable to my area of study, while allowing me to still serve as an advocate and a voice for all the individuals I worked with in the day hab.
The first Incompass marketing intern!
I reached out to the director of day services and inquired about a potential marketing internship. Since he had worked with me before and knew that I was passionate about Incompass and its mission, he said right away that formulating a new internship within the program for me was something that he would do everything in his power to make happen.
And so, he did. I spent the entirety of my spring semester working as a part of the Incompass marketing team – creating content, posting on social media, and working in tools that are part of the marketing technology stack. I felt confident in bringing my perspective of already having worked with the individuals in the day habilitation program into this marketing role. Working under Chief Marketing Officer Dan Esdale and Marketing & Fundraising Specialist Amaris Torres, I was taught a plethora of things that I never thought I would be exposed to before I graduated – including posting this very story through WordPress on incompasshs.org!
The next chapter…
This internship was truly tailored towards me through and through; we focused on the projects that would grant me just the right amount of experience in all the things that would benefit me in future job opportunities. It is an extremely rewarding feeling to be able to add things on to your resume that will help you stand out amongst other applicants, which is something I whole-heartedly attribute to the marketing team who were nothing but helpful all along the way.
Now that it is coming to an end, I know that my time at Incompass, whether it be in the day hab or working behind the scenes with the marketing team, will always be held near and dear to my heart.
If you asked me a year ago where I would be now, my answer would be so far off from the reality of it all. While looking for internships a year ago, the Urban Youth Internship program at Incompass Human Services had absolutely nothing to do with what I was hoping to work towards after college. However, pursuing internships, especially during pandemic times, was a difficult endeavor, and I began to think differently about this opportunity to work in human services.