BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

Diane Aubin, President
Diane offers a lifetime of experience in the field of special education and is a tireless supporter of The Arc Eastern Connecticut. Her commitment is rooted in her early days as a teacher when she received a scholarship sponsored by The Arc. Since that time, she has served in various leadership positions on the Board, including President for The Arc New London County, The Arc Quinebaug Valley, and The Arc Connecticut. Diane currently works at the university level as a clinical supervisor for student teacher candidates throughout the state.  ​

Gene Michael Deary, Vice-President
Gene Michael is Chief Administrative Officer, Consumer Lending and Payments at Berkshire Bank. He serves on The Arc ECT’s Finance Committee as well as the Golf Committee. He volunteers his time and secures top sponsorships for all major fundraisers from area businesses that support The Arc. This will be his 14th term on The Arc Eastern Connecticut’s Board.

Shannon Aiello, Treasurer
Shannon has been an active volunteer with The Arc for twelve years and has served on the Board Directors for the last six. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Radford University; her graduate work at the University of Wisconsin focused on Special Education.  Shannon also holds a Master Gardener Certificate through the University of Connecticut; this is a rigorous 16-week program designed to train volunteers committed to sharing their passion and enthusiasm for gardening, education and outreach with their communities. Her volunteer work includes education and landscaping projects for local non-profits, including several of The Arc’s group residences, as well as coaching The Arc’s Special Olympics bowling team. Shannon continues to donate her time and artistic talent to making The Arc a beautiful place for both staff and participants.  She has also served as a special education teaching consultant and contractor for The Lighthouse Vocational Education. Recently, Shannon became a member of the Camp Harkness Foundation in addition to being on its Advisory Committee.

Attorney Ray Baribeault, Secretary
Ray is a Director at the New London law firm of Suisman, Shapiro, Wool Brennan, Gray & Greenberg, P.C. He concentrates his practice in the areas of contracts, business, commercial transactions, corporate law and municipal law. Ray received his Bachelor of Science magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut in 1986 and received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Vermont Law School in 1989. He is a member of the bar in Connecticut (1989) and Rhode Island (1991) as well as the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut (1990). He is currently a member of the Connecticut and New London County Bar Associations, the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee, the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors Commercial Committee, the New England Land Title Association, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the Norwich Rotary Club, and sits on the Franklin Inland Wetlands and Watercourses and Conservation Commissions.

Linda Rhodes, Immediate Past President 
Linda is a retired Public School Administrator and Speech and Language Pathologist. Throughout her professional career in both the public and private sectors, she has been passionate about ensuring positive educational outcomes and expanded opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As Immediate Past President of The Arc Eastern Connecticut’s Board of Directors, she welcomes the opportunity to continue to advocate and work in partnership with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities as they pursue their dreams.