Foundation Fellow & Executive Director, Eastern Bank Foundation
A Lynn, Massachusetts native, Tom joined the Eastern Bank Foundation in 2019 focusing on early childhood development, which includes his role as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, established in 2021. He is determined to make early childhood education more accessible, affordable, and stable for families, more rewarding for early childhood professionals, and a point of differentiation in attracting and retaining a strong workforce across the Commonwealth.
Prior to his current role, Tom was the longest-serving Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. During his tenure, the Department expanded services for Massachusetts families, which included advancing higher program quality and increased workforce supports, the successful application for $60 million in federal funding to support free, high-quality preschool in five communities, and implementation of a $50 million Federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant, which supported numerous program quality improvement initiatives.