Crossroads School hires Mark Dumas, Ph.D., as President and CEO

Marlborough, MA, December 19, 2019 –Crossroads School’s Board of Trustees announced today the appointment of Mark Dumas, Ph.D., as their new President and CEO. Dr. Dumas comes to the role of CEO and President with more than 20 years of service to individuals and families with a wide range of behavioral health needs including individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through academic experience, consultation, practice, executive management, and public service.

Most recently, Dr. Dumas was at the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) in the Policy, Planning, and Children’s Services Unit. Prior to his public service, Dr. Dumas spent 15 years as President and CEO of two state-wide community-based behavioral health organizations in RI. Both organizations were responsible for providing evidence-based intervention and treatment services for children, youth, and families with a wide range of behavioral health problems, including those with ASD. As a leader of a community-based organization, Dr. Dumas was honored by President George W. Bush with a Presidential Leadership award. In addition, he was on faculty at Emory University School of Medicine and the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, and the recipient of two NIMH postdoctoral fellowships at both UMass Medical School and The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University.

“His achievements are vast, and his experience is exactly what we are looking for to drive our continued success,” shared Scot Butcher, Board Chair. “We are confident under his leadership, Crossroads will continue to provide the best services possible for our students and clients, strategically grow our programs, and provide for long-term financial strength to invest in the school’s infrastructure and its professionals.”

Dr. Dumas said he “looks forward to the opportunity to work with an extremely dedicated and talented Board of Trustees, senior leadership team, and staff in order to sustain the indelible mark that Crossroads School has on the lives of their students and families, and to further enhance the footprint of Crossroads as an organization by developing and establishing complementary and additional programming for individuals with autism and their families.”

During Dr. Dumas’s visit to Crossroads he met with many staff and parents and observed classrooms. He was impressed by the parents who were involved in the interview process and their thoughtful and provocative questions which underscored their commitment to the Crossroads Community. That said, the highlight of his day was meeting many students and experiencing their graciousness and willingness to participate in the process of getting to know him.

“Crossroads has unlimited potential. I believe Crossroads School can, if not already, become the premier day school for students with ASD in Massachusetts by building on its many stories and successes of improving the lives of students,” Dumas said. “In addition, I would like Crossroads to further develop its home and community-based capacity not only for its day students, but also for other children, youth, adults, and families in the community who are in dire need for evidence-based ASD services in order to improve their lives. Whether these services are home-based, center-based, or provided in another learning environment, I believe that Crossroads as an organization is prime and ready to accomplish these goals and potentially others. The sky is the limit, and I’m truly humbled and excited about being part of that process to help Crossroads become a multi-service, multi-program specialty organization for individuals with ASD.”

Crossroads hired Isaacson, Miller to conduct a nationwide search for President and CEO this summer.

About Crossroads School

Crossroads School was established in 2002 with a mission to provide individualized, comprehensive education and related services to students with autism, ages 3-22, to enhance the quality of life and independent functioning so they may reach their full potential. Crossroads School’s Related Services Department includes Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Crossroads also provides Consultative Services to other organizations and home and community-based services to Crossroads Students and individuals with disabilities. Crossroads Students and Clients require highly individualized curricula to meet their educational and behavioral goals. All instruction and programming are based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the scientifically validated approach to understanding behavior and how it is affected by the environment.

Crossroads School moved to Marlborough in 2017. Since moving, Crossroads has experienced tremendous growth and success. Enrollment has grown from 55 to 68 students. The Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized Crossroads as 2018 Business of the Year. To learn more about Crossroads, visit: www.crossroadsschoolma.org.