Mary C. Valachovic
President and CEO
Mary Valachovic has been working in the field of disability services for over 35 years. She began her career in New York State working at a state institution providing direct care support for people with autism and developmental disabilities. After graduating from the University of New York, Albany, she moved to Massachusetts and since then her professional experiences spans not only the state of Massachusetts but all areas of service provision.
Mary has been the President and CEO of The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod since early 2016. Mary serves on the Boards of the Massachusetts Association of Developmental Disability Providers (ADDP), the Massachusetts Sibling Support Network (MSSN), the ANCOR Foundation and the Steering Committee for Policy and Advocacy of the Arc of Massachusetts. Mary is a member of the National Arc Alumni Council, previously serving on the National Sibling Council. Mary’s late brother Matthew lived with a developmental disability and will forever serve as her inspiration both professionally and personally.
Mary lives in Plymouth, Massachusetts and has two children, Ian and Grace, who both work in the field of disability services.
Joe Weeks
Senior Vice President of Program Operations and Development
Joe is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Massachusetts Certified Clinical Supervisor (MaCCS) with over 15 years of experience in behavioral health with a focus on community, individual and family support. Joe brings a strengths-based, community-focused approach to treatment. Joe has extensive experience leading community-based nonprofits and has worked in a wide array of settings including CBHI, outpatient, group home, residential and school settings, working with a variety of populations and licensors.
Joe received an Associate degree from Massasoit Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology from Bridgewater State University. Joe was an Adjunct Professor at Bridgewater State University, Quincy College, and Massasoit Community College. Joe earned the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching from Bridgewater State University in 2018 and a “40 Under 40” award in 2012 from Cape and Plymouth Business Magazine.
In addition to his work in the field and higher education, Joe is also a mental health lobbyist and bill writer, assisting in creating and passing many legislative initiatives including Medicare inclusion for LMHCs, entry level licensing for LMHCs (the LSMHC), and the Massachusetts Certified Clinical Supervisor credential. Joe was also the former President of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, and President and Director of the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association. Joe also sits on various state and national boards and committees including the AMHCA Ethics Committee.
Joe is also a Selectman in his town of Hanson and values giving back to his community.
In his leisure time, Joe can be found outside doing yardwork, cooking on the grill, or spending time with his partner, Meaghan, and his three girls, Elyzabeth, Kennedy and Reagan.
Michelle Soble
Vice President of Healthcare Services
Michelle has been a Registered Nurse for 3 decades and brings a wealth of experience from a variety of fields of nursing. After graduating from nursing school, Michelle worked in orthopedics at New England Baptist Hospital. She subsequently worked in long-term care, rehabilitation facilities, and as a visiting nurse. In 1999 Michelle began a 9-year tenure as the Assistant Director of Nursing at the Boston Higashi School in Randolph MA which serves children and young adults with autism.
In 2008 Michelle delved into a career in disability services and has remained in the field. In 2016, while working as a Nurse Liaison and Trainer at the Vinfen Corporation, she also began her tenure here at The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod, first as a Medication Administration Program (MAP) trainer and consultant before moving into a permanent part-time position in 2018. She assisted with the openings of our Acquired Brain Injury homes in Wareham, Lakeville, Marshfield, and Sandwich.
Since 2022, Michelle has served as the Vice President of Healthcare Services. She plays an integral part in the oversight of the health and wellness of all persons served throughout the Arc’s various service models and has a key role in maintaining successful licensure and accreditation through the Office of Quality Enhancement and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Michelle lives in North Attleboro with her two daughters: Madison, a Registered Nurse and graduate of Plymouth State University, and Marissa, a proud graduate of Foxborough High School and former member of the Concert, Marching and Jazz bands. Marissa now attends Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston pursuing a career in Radiography.
Michael Beauchemin
Vice President of Quality Assurance and Training
Michael is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with over 35 years of experience in behavioral health, working with individuals and families who have been faced with a myriad of challenges. Michael has worked in a variety of settings and brings a strengths-based, respectful approach to assisting others with a focus on striving towards personal growth. Michael is passionate about assisting others with the identification of their own personal goals and working collaboratively to achieve success. He has demonstrated quality assurance experience with improving systems to become more effective and efficient to ensure the delivery of exceptional services, including oversight of healthcare and safety systems in both outpatient and inpatient settings, as well as being in the role of a state auditor and in the private sector. Michael has much experience with the provision of training that includes numerous topics and delivered to diverse audiences.
Michael received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Bridgewater State University. Michael’s career path has aligned with personal involvement as he appreciates the importance of disability services. In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, engaging in exercise, and exploring the outdoors.
Kim Scharf
Vice President of Day Services and Community Engagement
After attending Curry College, Kim pursued a career in business as a Director of Operations in Insurance and Risk Management. She and her husband, Michael, are longstanding residents of Plymouth, where they enjoyed raising their two children, Kailee and Matthew.
Kim first became involved with the Arc in 2003 as a parent seeking resources for her daughter. She received support navigating the complicated nuances of the disability world and fell in love with the mission of the Arc. Kim increased her involvement with the organization through volunteer opportunities, including Co-Chairing the Family Advisory Committee for many years. After Covid, Kim worked to re-establish community connections for day services in a consulting role.
She officially joined the Arc in 2023 as Program Director of the CBDS and Supported Employment Program. Kim continues to lead the growth and development of our day services programs and support advocacy efforts for the industry, our organization, and the individuals that we support.
Carolyn McCarthy
Vice President of Business Operations
Carolyn received her BS in Corporate Finance from Arizona State University and earned an MBA from Fordham University. She began her career working her way up the corporate ladder for IBM, Dun & Bradstreet, and Parexel in the financial arena, and was fortunate to then become a stay- at- home mom for 10 years raising a young family.
Carolyn first became involved in the Arc in 2004, searching for direction, resources and activities for her son, who was newly diagnosed with Autism.
She returned to the corporate world and with a long commute and business travel, quickly realized that raising two children, one with an intellectual developmental disability was a challenge.
Carolyn began with the Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Code in 2019 as Finance Manager, overseeing financial reporting and budgeting. In her new role, she now oversees all operations relative to Finance, Contracts and Human Resources.
Her son is now a proud graduate of Boston Higashi School and focuses on long distance biking and sailing competitively with her husband. Her daughter is earning a PhD in Oceanography and Aquaculture in New Zealand.
Jennifer Alvarado
Director of Operations - Home Support Services
Jennifer has over 15 years’ experience in Human Services, starting in direct care home heath work and secured memory care unit, to case management and ultimately management positions. She has worked in a variety of work settings including non-profits and municipalities.
Spending several years in the municipal setting at a municipal Department of Human Services. Jenn rolled out the first MIH Community EMS Program with Brewster Ambulance in Bristol County, led the Elder Community Crisis Intervention Team, oversaw the Bilingual Elder Outreach Program, was part of the Homeless Outreach Team, worked on population specific grant writing as well as covering operational aspects of the Department.
Jennifer formerly worked as an AFC Case Manager at different agencies on the South Shore and always felt a strong connection to the program and the population served. She joined the team in 2024 as the Adult Family Care Program Director, bringing a strong knowledge of resource connection. She now oversees the operational aspects of Adult Family Care, Shared Living and Individual Home Supports.
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Bridgewater State University and a Master of Science Degree in Gerontology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She resides in Bridgewater with her husband Carlos and daughter Olivia.
Amanda Peters
Director of Quality Assurance and Training
Amanda began her career in human services after graduating from Bridgewater State University in 2007. She began working with children with autism and developmental disabilities and later found her true calling in working with the adult population. Amanda began working with The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod in 2020. Amanda’s passions have collided with the opportunity to oversee both Quality Assurance and the Training Department.
Additionally, Amanda is a Human Rights Officer and serves as the Human Rights Coordinator for the Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod.
Amanda lives in Somerset with her girlfriend and three children, Layla, Lilly, and Charlie.
Debi Macklin
Director of Operations-ABI
Debi has worked in leadership roles in the Human Services field for more than 30 years, providing high-quality, person-centered residential and community-based services to adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Throughout her years of service, Debi has become highly proficient at navigating the complex adult service system in Massachusetts. She knows the nuts and bolts of the DDS Adult Service models, including intake, eligibility, the ISP process, policies, procedures, and the standards for care. Debi strives to assist in teaching others to create environments where people can grow, have opportunities to express their talents, and realize their full potential.
Debi believes in giving back by investing time and effort in training and empowering others with information and knowledge to succeed
Anne Luevano
Director of Operations- Self Directed Services
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Bridgewater State University, Anne moved to California and began an extremely rewarding, 28-year career as an Education and Transition Specialist in the Azusa Unified School District. For the last 14 years of her tenure there, she was the WorkAbility I Director and worked with key stakeholders in the surrounding community to implement an array of services that aimed to prepare students in special education programs and their families for the journey from school to post-secondary education, employment and independent living. She served on WorkAbility I’s statewide Family Transition Network, Human Support Services and Mentoring Committees for Region I. Along with several other area agencies, she was fortunate to be able to be part of the development of the San Gabriel Valley Local Partnership Agreement which served to establish a collaborative partnership between the local Department of Rehabilitation, Regional Center (DDS), Local Education Agencies and various community partners in order to identify, promote, enhance and document pathways towards Competitive Integrated Employment services and outcomes for school age and young adults with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities.
She took the chance to return to her home state of Massachusetts and was thrilled for the opportunity to join the Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod in 2022. Very familiar and aligned with its mission she began as the Coordinator for DESE/DDS, then into the role of Director of DESE and Agency With Choice (AWC).
Anne lives in Sandwich along with her three sons who took a chance to pursue their dreams on the East Coast.