Jo Ann Simons, President & CEO of Northeast Arc, has been re-appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on Intellectual Disabilities by Governor Maura Healy.
Simons has served regularly on the Commission since first being appointed by then Governor Charlie Baker in 2016.
The Governor’s Commission on Intellectual Disability was established in 1993 as an independent citizen oversight body consisting of 13 members appointed by the Governor. The purpose of the commission is to examine the quality and comprehensiveness of the Commonwealth’s program of services designed to address the wide variety of needs of people with intellectual disability.
Jo Ann Simons has dedicated her career to building an inclusive world for people with disabilities, a path she took after her first child was born with Down syndrome and four heart defects. Simons did not see a world that she wanted for her son, so she set out to build one for him and for others with developmental disabilities. Throughout her successful career she has worked with a variety of agencies focused on serving people with disabilities, including her current role as the President & CEO of the Northeast Arc, the largest Arc in New England and one of the largest in the country. Her previous experiences include President & CEO of Cardinal Cushing Centers, Executive Director of the Arc of East Middlesex, Deputy Facility Director of the Fernald Development Center, and Director of Policy for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.
Simons’ current appointment runs through April 2027.