Jeff has 40 years experience working with elders, peoples with autism, people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, people with brain injuries, and persons with mental health needs and their families. His experience is focused on developing and evaluating comprehensive local and state-wide systems of services and supports, including family supports, residential, day and employment, and health care for people who are poor and have Medicaid and/or are Medicare from very diverse communities. He has worked with and provided the leadership in developing services to support people to move to new homes in the community from state developmental centers, state hospitals, and nursing homes. As Senior Vice-President for Advocates, Inc. a Massachusetts human- services organization providing supports to more than 20,000 people with disabilities and their families, he is responsible for directing the implementation of a more person-directed system of services. He also provides leadership in supporting Advocates’ strategic growth. Jeff is also a co-founder of Rewarding Work Resources, Inc., a national non-profit corporation that provides an innovative way for individuals with disabilities, elders, and their families to recruit respite and direct support workers. As an independent consultant for private and government agencies across the country, he focuses on supporting self-determination for older persons and people with disabilities, facilitating the development of self-advocacy and person-centered planning. He also directly works with individuals and their families in supporting their efforts for greater self-determination. He has been the Director of the Lindemann Mental Health Center in Boston, Massachusetts, a comprehensive community mental health center affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. He also served as Assistant Commissioner for Community Programs and Regional Director for the Metro Region for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. Jeff spearheaded the self-determination initiative in Massachusetts supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; one of the cornerstones being supporting self-determination and control of resources in communities of color. In 2008, Jeff was the recipient of the prestigious Gunnar Dybwad Leadership Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 2015, he received the President’s Award from Northeast ARC, and most recently he was invited by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy to serve on the state’s Disability Rights Advisory Committee.
Jeffrey A. Keilson
