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Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning

Jeff Keilson, Senior Vice-President for Strategic Planning, has more than 40 years of experience working with elders, people with autism, intellectual and other developmental disabilities, and persons with mental health needs and their families.  His experience is focused on developing and evaluating comprehensive local and state-wide systems of services, including family supports, residential, day and employment, and health care for people who are poor and have Medicaid or and Medicare. He has worked with and provided the leadership in developing services to support people to move to new homes in the community from state developmental centers, state hospitals, and nursing homes. 

At Advocates, Jeff is responsible for directing the implementation of a more person and family centered system of services. He also provides leadership in supporting Advocates’ strategic growth, building partnerships, and directing marketing and fundraising efforts.

Jeff is a co-founder of Rewarding Work Resources, Inc., a national non-profit corporation that provides an innovative way for individuals with disabilities, elders, and their families to recruit respite workers, personal assistants, and other direct support professionals.  He also works with individuals and their families to support their efforts for greater self-determination.           

He has been the director of the Lindemann Mental Health Center in Boston, Massachusetts, a comprehensive community mental health center affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Jeff served as Assistant Commissioner for Community Programs and Regional Director for the Metro Region for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.

Jeff spearheaded the self-determination initiative in Massachusetts supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; one of the cornerstones being supporting self-determination and control of resources in communities of color. 

In 2008, Jeff was the recipient of the prestigious Gunnar Dybwad Leadership Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 2015 he received the President's Award from Northeast ARC, and most recently he was invited by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy to serve on the state's Disability Rights Advisory Committee.