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STURBRIDGE, Mass. – Venture Community Services, one of the Commonwealth’s leading providers of innovative human services, today announced the appointment of three individuals to its Board of Directors following its merger with Life-Skills, Inc.

The new directors are:

• Paul Haughey, Superintendent, Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District;
• Nancy Noonan,Nurse Practitioner, Commonwealth Care Alliance; and
• Janice Smith, Co-Founder, The Family Voice (now the Autism Alliance)

“The growth of our board mirrors the growth of this agency as we join forces with Life-Skills to further enhance the lives of the individuals we serve,” said Donna Peters, President of Venture’s Board of Directors. “As we embark on this new chapter, we eagerly welcome Paul, Nancy and Janice, and the commitment that they bring and their expertise in education, health care and advocacy.”

Paul Haughey served on the Life-Skills Board of Directors since 2015. He has over 30 years of experience in education. In addition to being a school district superintendent, he is currently teaching and overseeing practicum supervision experiences in special education and serving as visiting professor at Framingham State University and other Massachusetts colleges and universities. Haughey served the Town of Blackstone in various positions, including representing its Board of Selectmen on the Central Massachusetts Planning Commission to enhance the life and work of people living in the region. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Framingham State University, master’s degrees in education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Framingham State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Johnson & Wales University.

Nancy Noonan served on the Life-Skills Board of Directors for over 20 years. She is a palliative care nurse practitioner at Commonwealth Care Alliance. She also practices at St. Anne’s Free Medical Program, which is part of the Worcester Free Care Collaborative, providing basic, quality healthcare and social support services, regardless of income, insurance, or housing status. Noonan is president of the Central Massachusetts Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society and is a board member of St. Anne’s and St. Peter’s Free Medical Programs. Noonan holds advanced board certifications in oncology, hospice and palliative care and earned an associate’s degree in nursing from MassBay Community College, a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Fitchburg State University and a master’s degree in nursing from Sacred Heart University.

Janice Smith served on the Life-Skills Board of Directors for nearly 20 years. She has devoted much of her life to her son who has autism and to being an advocate for autism awareness. In 1993, Smith co-founded a support group, The Family Voice, for families navigating autism during a time when there were minimal resources devoted to this community. This group would become the nonprofit Autism Alliance, which currently includes 2,700 families. She serves on the Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts task force and is an active member of her community, volunteering for Meals on Wheels and her local food pantry. Smith is retired and previously served as an administrative specialist at Franklin Pierce University, an employee consultant at Advocates Inc., and as a project coordinator and documentation supervisor at Bose Corp.

About Venture Community Services

Venture Community Services is committed to providing compassionate, person-centered services to nearly 600 people with developmental disabilities and autism across Massachusetts. From its beginnings with two small group homes, Venture has evolved into one of the state’s premier human service providers with over 1,000 employees. Venture encourages independence through a continuum of support, which includes community residential services, day programs, supported employment, transportation, autism supports and shared living. Next year, the agency will celebrate its 50^th anniversary of providing support to those in need.

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