22 CONGRATULATIONS Calantha Sears • David J. Solimine Sr. Elizabeth Marchese • Jo Ann Simons Lauren Maney George • Martha Holden Patti DiCarlo Baker • Rachid Moukhabir THE <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP PERSONS OF THE YEAR CONGRATULATIONS Calantha Sears • David J. Solimine Sr. Elizabeth Marchese • Jo Ann Simons Lauren Maney George • Martha Holden Patti DiCarlo Baker • Rachid Moukhabir THE <strong>2018</strong> ESSEX MEDIA GROUP PERSONS OF THE YEAR
23 W By Gayla Cawley ITEM STAFF hen Jo Ann Simons welcomed her son into <strong>the</strong> world nearly 40 years ago, he completely changed her life. Her son, Jonathan Derr, was born with Down syndrome, a diagnosis that has served as <strong>the</strong> inspiration for her life’s work. “When he was born, <strong>the</strong> world that I imagined for him didn’t exist,” Simons said. “It wasn’t inclusive and welcoming and I had to decide in <strong>the</strong> first days <strong>of</strong> his life that in order to save his life and save my life, I was going to have to somehow make this my life’s work and that it wouldn’t be enough to just improve Jonathan’s life, that I needed to bring up <strong>the</strong> entire group <strong>of</strong> people with intellectual disabilities along with him. Simons, a Swampscott resident, is <strong>the</strong> CEO and president <strong>of</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc, an organization that helps people with disabilities become full participants in <strong>the</strong> communities north <strong>of</strong> Boston while also providing support for <strong>the</strong>ir families. The Danvers-based nonpr<strong>of</strong>it, which has an operating budget <strong>of</strong> $280 million and supports 10,000 people in <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast region, primarily focuses on intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. When Simons was named CEO and president <strong>of</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc two years ago, she said it was like coming full circle. She worked for <strong>the</strong> nonpr<strong>of</strong>it in <strong>the</strong> 1980s for eight years establishing <strong>the</strong> family support division and <strong>the</strong>n went on to work in state government and hold two CEO roles for two o<strong>the</strong>r organizations, Communitas and Cardinal Cushing Centers, which work with children and adults with disabilities. What drew her back, she said, was that she felt it was a terrific organization and she didn’t want anyone else to have <strong>the</strong> job. Simons said Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc was started ITEM PHOTO | OWEN O’ROURKE more than 64 years ago by similar families who came before her and recognized <strong>the</strong>re no opportunities for <strong>the</strong>ir children, except to stay in institutions. That lack <strong>of</strong> opportunity prompted <strong>the</strong>m to start a grassroots organization, which included a nursery school and <strong>of</strong>fered job training programs as an alternative to institutions. “Children with disabilities at that point were hidden away,” Simons said. “They didn’t have <strong>the</strong> right to go to school. They didn’t have a right to early intervention so <strong>the</strong>se brave, courageous families formed what became <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc.” Over <strong>the</strong> years, Simons said <strong>the</strong>re have been enormous strides for children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She said <strong>the</strong>re have been people with disabilities, including Down syndrome, who go on to be actors in television and movies. They have gone on to be employed in all industries and sectors in <strong>the</strong> workforce. She’s seen <strong>the</strong>m graduate from high school and college, get <strong>the</strong>ir driver’s licenses, get married and get divorced. Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc <strong>of</strong>fers several employment opportunities for its clients, but also works to get <strong>the</strong>m placed in jobs in <strong>the</strong>ir communities. The nonpr<strong>of</strong>it has worked with <strong>the</strong> city <strong>of</strong> Peabody to open both a c<strong>of</strong>fee shop, Breaking Grounds Cafe, and <strong>the</strong> Black Box Theater, both <strong>of</strong> which were identified as needs in <strong>the</strong> city, according to Simons. At <strong>the</strong> c<strong>of</strong>fee shop, Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc is training people with intellectual disabilities for careers in food service. The Black Box Theater has a <strong>the</strong>ater program for teens on <strong>the</strong> autism spectrum called Spotlight, and is ano<strong>the</strong>r place that <strong>the</strong> nonpr<strong>of</strong>it views as an employment setting. Simons highlighted <strong>the</strong> nonpr<strong>of</strong>it’s Arc Tank, which is similar to <strong>the</strong> television’s “Shark Tank” and aims to change lives through innovation. In its second year, SWAMPSCOTT Jo Ann Simons Simons said Arc Tank 2.0 gave away $200,000 in a competition <strong>of</strong> proposals that will positively disrupt <strong>the</strong> way services for people with disabilities are delivered. As for her son’s accomplishments, he received a certificate from Cape Cod Community College and lives by himself. He supports himself by working two jobs and lives a meaningful and productive life. Derr has a career in Special Olympics and plays golf, basketball and track and field. But she said those are all wins that had to be fought for. Simons said she had to fight to get her son into daycare and later into camps. She had to convince youth athletic teams that he should be part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir leagues like every o<strong>the</strong>r child. When Derr was 11 years old and playing Little League, she remembers her husband, Chet Derr, being approached by ano<strong>the</strong>r fa<strong>the</strong>r who remarked that <strong>the</strong>ir son should be in a challenger league instead. But Simons said Derr was where he should have been at <strong>the</strong> time, alongside <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r athletes. “People are no longer hidden away,” Simons said. “I think <strong>the</strong> inclusion <strong>of</strong> people with disabilities has led to <strong>the</strong> inclusion <strong>of</strong> a lot <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r groups <strong>of</strong> folks who have also suffered from civil rights issues. I think that people with disabilities have had success that has opened <strong>the</strong> doors o<strong>the</strong>r groups have been able to walk through. “I’m proud that if a family like I was almost 40 years ago found out that <strong>the</strong>y had a child with Down syndrome, <strong>the</strong>y could call <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Arc and know that <strong>the</strong>y found a community that would be <strong>the</strong>re on that day and every day forward.” Simons lives in Swampscott with her husband <strong>of</strong> 41 years. The couple also has a daughter, Emily Derr, 35, and two grandchildren. She is a Wheaton College graduate and has a master’s degree in social work from <strong>the</strong> University <strong>of</strong> Connecticut.
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