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Make a Hire

Congratulations and thank you! You have taken the first step toward making a real difference and toward finding Your Next Star!

Your Next Star is partnering with the Employment First initiative at the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and their Regional Employment Collaboratives throughout the state, helping employers like you find qualified, pre-screened candidates with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Employment liaisons in each region can help you determine your needs and match job opportunities, and you can join a job developers network to coordinate efforts and share job leads with other employers.

More information on Regional Employment Collaboratives.

Here’s what you can do:

To connect with your local collaborative, contact the employment liaison in your region:

Regional Contacts

Central Mass Employment Collaborative (CMEC)
David Beccia, Project Coordinator
(781) 686-8144, dbeccia@riversidecc.org
Southern Central Mass from Worcester to Rhode Island border; east to west from Medway to Brimfield

Greater Boston Employment Collaborative (GBEC)
Rotem Marshall-White, Project Coordinator/Employer Liaison
(781) 234-5186, rmarshallwhite@riversidecc.org
Metro Boston area within the Rte. 128 loop

North Suburban Employment Collaborative (NSEC)
Kristianne Widman, Project Coordinator/Employer Liaison
(617) 352-2040, kwidman@riversidecc.org
North Shore, Metro North, and Central Middlesex Areas – from Cape Ann to Concord

Greater Merrimack Valley Employment Collaborative (GMVEC)
Heather Mantell, Project Coordinator/Employer Liaison
(617) 512-3983, hmantell@riversidecc.org
Lowell/Lawrence/Haverhill region South

Shore Collaborative on Employment (SSCE)
Dave Urban, Employer Liaison
(617) 287-4366, david.urban@umb.edu
South Shore – from Milton to Plymouth

Western Massachusetts Employment Collaborative (WMEC)
Pam Mendes, Employer Liaison
(617) 360-1646, pmendes@riversidecc.org
Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties