ICI Welcomes New Director (MA UCEDD/LEND)

April 7, 2017

We're delighted to announce that Tom Sannicandro is coming on board as the new director of the ICI. Sannicandro will step into the role being now filled by Bill Kiernan, who will remain at UMass Boston as dean of the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development. SGISD is the graduate school that houses the ICI. Tom brings to this role a deep commitment to the issues impacting people with disabilities.

As parent to a son with Down syndrome, he has a personal connection to the disability field. His professional background brings together research, policy, and practice, all with a focus on measurable progress toward increased inclusion.Tom holds a law degree from Suffolk University, an MPA from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and a PhD in social policy from Brandeis University. He served on the state legislature here in Massachusetts, where he was instrumental in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. Tom chaired the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Higher Education from 2011-2016, and established and ran a statewide task force for including students with intellectual disability in higher education. He also authored a major research initiative that gave access to $200 million in research support for public and private universities in Massachusetts. We heartily welcome Tom Sannicandro to the ICI, and look forward to working with him and with Dean Kiernan in the months and years ahead.