Kurt Isaacson, M.B.A., joined Spectrum in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer, a position he held for three years before being appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Mr. Isaacson has been instrumental in Spectrum’s significant growth and expansion since joining the organization. He is a seasoned behavioral health administrator, having more than thirty years of experience managing a number of multi-site organizations located throughout the country. Mr. Isaacson holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration.
Kristin Nolan, M.A., MBA, is responsible for executive oversight of Spectrum’s continuum of care, including inpatient, outpatient, and peer recovery support services. Ms. Nolan also oversees Spectrum’s adolescent programs funded by the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, and medication for opioid treatment programming provided at state prisons and county jails across the state. Ms. Nolan has been employed at Spectrum for over twenty years, beginning her career as a clinician before assuming progressively responsible leadership roles. She was instrumental in expanding Spectrum’s continuum of care to include fifteen outpatient treatment centers, three levels of inpatient care and 295 licensed beds. During the pandemic, Ms. Nolan led the movement to create a specialized unit for clients with substance use disorders testing positive for COVID-19. Ms. Nolan has presented at numerous conferences at both the state and national level. Named one of the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 under Forty” honorees in 2010, Ms. Nolan has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and a Master of Business Administration.
Joseph Rose, CPA, was appointed Chief Financial Officer for Spectrum in 2018. Previously, he served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at SleepMed, a $100 million provider of diagnostic and treatment services for sleeping disorders with operations in 38 states, provided through 8 wholly-owned subsidiaries and 3 majority-owned limited liability corporations. He was also the VP of Finance and Administration at Concord Family and Youth Services and CFO at Mass Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Rose earned a baccalaureate in Business Administration from Georgetown University.
Jeffrey Baxter, M.D., served as Medical Director for Spectrum’s network of outpatient treatment centers for five years before being appointed as Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Baxter is responsible for providing executive oversight of all medical operations for Spectrum’s inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. Dr. Baxter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine.
Stacy Flanagan joined Spectrum in 2002. As Chief Human Resources Officer, Ms. Flanagan oversees employee relations, recruitment, retention, compensation, and training while ensuring compliance with employment laws and regulations. Ms. Flanagan brings thirty years of experience in human resources management in the healthcare field. She was responsible for implementing Spectrum’s first Certified Alcohol/Drug Counselor (CADC) educational program. She also launched Spectrum’s leadership development program and co-chairs the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program. Ms. Flanagan is a past receipt of the Excellence in Administration and Finance Award presented by the Association for Behavioral Healthcare. Ms. Flanagan has a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Health Administration.
Jonathan Miller was appointed Spectrum’s Vice President of Information Technology in April 2020. In this role, he is responsible for the management and execution of Spectrum’s information technology strategy. Since joining Spectrum, he has streamlined IT Operations, integrated our systems with other organizations, and advanced key functions of our electronic health record. In addition, he is leading an effort to better utilize the healthcare data we collect. Mr. Miller has more than 22 years’ experience in the IT field, most recently serving as the CIO and Compliance Officer at Y.O.U., Inc., a leading child welfare, behavioral health and education agency in Worcester, MA. Previously, he was the Director of Information Technology at Lighthouse Academies where he developed solutions to meet the data, technology and communication needs of the company, including 11 school sites across 5 states. Mr. Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Providence College.
Lisa Blanchard, MA, LMHC joined Spectrum in 1999 and has held various positions prior to becoming Vice President of Clinical Services in 2017, and Chief Clinical Officer in 2022. Ms. Blanchard is an experienced clinician with over twenty years of experience in behavioral health administration, including new program development, training, and clinical design. She has implemented several innovative programs and designs clinical services to meet the changing needs of clients served and the evolving healthcare system. She also oversees training for the organization and provides training, education, and technical assistance services to other agencies, providers, and local communities. Ms. Blanchard was trained as a NIATx process improvement coach and has served as a NIATx coach and national presenter. She has also worked as a consultant and regularly presents at the national level on innovations in behavioral health treatment. Ms. Blanchard has co-hosted Spectrum’s popular Airing Addiction podcast since 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from Assumption College.
As Senior VP of External Affairs, Cindy Buraczynski, M.S. provides leadership and oversight of Spectrum’s external communications, including proposal development, advertising, marketing, public relations, and fundraising. Ms. Buraczynski has worked in behavioral healthcare for more than thirty years. She joined Spectrum in 2002 and has contributed to the organization’s significant growth over the past twenty years, including new program development and expansion into several new states across the country. Additionally, she co-authored several articles on Spectrum’s evidence-based treatment for justice-involved individuals. Previously, she was the Director of Strategic Communications for The MENTOR Network, a national provider of home and community-based care based in Boston, Mass. Ms. Buraczynski holds a master’s degree in Health Services Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn State University.
Heidi DiRoberto, LMHC is a dedicated leader with more than 20 years of experience in behavioral healthcare. As Vice President of Outpatient Services, she is responsible for overseeing Spectrum’s vast outpatient network, including fourteen locations across the state. Since joining the organization in 2014, Ms. DiRoberto has played an integral part in many important outpatient initiatives. Initially, she served as a Clinical Supervisor at the Lincoln Street outpatient program in Worcester, Spectrum’s largest opioid treatment program. Later, she became Program Director at Lincoln Street, where she chaired an overdose prevention committee and played a key role in ensuring access to naloxone for all outpatient clients. Beginning in 2020, DiRoberto served as Regional Executive Director for five years, during which time she spearheaded the launch of Spectrum’s groundbreaking mobile treatment unit and oversaw the opening of two new outpatient locations. Ms. DiRoberto holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from Assumption College.
Board of Trustees
Jeroan Allison, M.D., Chairperson – Chair and Professor, Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School
James Celestin, M.D., Vice Chairperson – Physiatrist, Reliant Medical Group
Joseph Rose, Treasurer – CFO, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.
Rev. Susan Suchocki-Brown, Secretary – Minister, First Church Unitarian Universalist
Brenda Jenkins, Assistant Secretary – Community Wellness Coordinator, YMCA of Greater Worcester
Kurt Isaacson – President & CEO, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.
John Renner, M.D., Trustee – Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and Founding Director of the BU/VA Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship
Brian Garrity, Trustee – Former Attorney at Roberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
Kashif Saddiqui, Trustee – Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President, Risk Management Foundation of Harvard Medical Institutions
Danielle Jurema Lederman, Trustee – Partner, Bowditch
Luis Labao, Trustee – Founding Principal, applied Form + Space, LLC
Patrick Purcell, Trustee – Fire Chief, Town of Westborough
Sean Allen, Trustee – Teacher, City of Worcester
Lou Brady, Trustee – CEO, Family Health Center of Worcester
“The organization has a well-defined set of values, including compassion, service excellence, integrity, optimal care, creativity, positive workplace and fiscal responsibility, that is reiterated throughout all levels of programming.”
“The organization’s data regarding recidivism show an impressive outcome for those individuals who have received residential substance abuse treatment.”
“The organization’s leadership, staff members, and other stakeholders believe in the mission of the organization and its ability to improve the lives of those served.”
“The staff members of Spectrum Health Systems are enthusiastic and energetic in their interactions with the persons served and are credited by the persons served for fostering hope in their future.”
“I entered Spectrum’s detox at the lowest point in my life. While I was there, I took a tour of the residential program. I decided to try it because I did not want to go back to my old way of life. Now I’m in recovery, working and making plans for my future – something I never dreamed possible.”
“The Correctional Recovery Academy model provides a holistic approach to treating addictions and associated behaviors. All aspects of living without substances are addressed, practiced and modeled.”
