- Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
Boston, MA (June 20, 2023) The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Bertrand as Disability Policy Specialist, effective June 28th. Jennifer will be responsible for implementing Council policy and program initiatives, working with members, staff, and stakeholders to enhance policies and practices that support community inclusion for people with disabilities.
For nearly two decades Jennifer’s leadership contributions in the public policy arena have resulted in the significant advancement of human and civil rights for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). “Jennifer will bring a valuable perspective to the Council,” said Daniel Shannon, MDDC Executive Director. “Her professional legislative policy and advocacy experience will help us to continue moving forward, and I am very excited that she has chosen to join us.”
Jennifer’s professional career began in the field of education after she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Plymouth State University and worked as a teacher in NH public schools. Jennifer later returned to further her education and graduated with distinction with a Master of Arts in Public Policy at New England College.
Over the last ten years, Jennifer has served as Director of Public Policy and Community Partnerships at a nonprofit organization serving people with I/DD. She has managed a wide range of policy priorities including issues related to housing, Medicaid funding, supported decision-making, education, healthcare, accessibility, and employment. Jennifer also served six years on the NH Council on Developmental Disabilities in the role of Policy Chairperson,
Driven by her lived experience as a mother, advancing the human rights of her now adult daughter and other people who experience I/DD is deeply personal to her and fuels her passion for this work.
As she embraces her new role as Disability Policy Specialist for the MDDC, Jennifer is excited and grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to empowering advocates and advancing public policies that help ensure people with I/DD can live with dignity and enjoy meaningful inclusive lives.
About the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council – The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) is an independent agency funded by the federal government to work with the state of Massachusetts to better support people with developmental disabilities and their families. MDDC’s mission is to help people with developmental disabilities have opportunities to lead successful lives in their communities; by supporting inclusive education, greater employment opportunities, and the right to make choices about where, with whom, and how they live.
