Beginnings
Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating created a community advisory board in November, 2000 to plan for the development of a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), with 58 entities including police departments, DCF offices, mental health agencies, hospitals, and other nonprofits in Norfolk County signing an interagency agreement.
Initially, children who had been sexually abused and their non-offending care takers had to go to the District Attorney’s office in Canton. District Attorney Keating used drug forfeiture funds for the construction of a new freestanding building solely for the NAC, located at 12 Payson Road, Foxborough, Massachusetts, which opened in 2010. The Town of Foxborough donated the land, and the parties signed a 40- year lease on September 26, 2006. District Attorney Keating reached out to Bill Jenkins, the President of CAN-FOUR CORP., who donated the services of his firm’s architect for the original design, donated his firm’s employees and equipment to bring down the derelict buildings on the land, to do all of the site work and to dig the foundation before constructing the building. Bill Jenkins reached out to a friend at Pella Windows to donate every window in the building.
Board of Directors
Jim Messenger
Jim Messenger, an attorney, a current and an original member of the Board of Directors and the first Board President, created the 501(c)(3)’s nonprofit framework, visited several other CACs in Massachusetts in the course of his business travel, throughout the country and his advice was critical in formulating the model for the new CAC’s operation.
Karen Braunwald
Karen Braunwald is a psychologist, is a current and original Board member.
Joel Fishman
Roni Thaler
Roni Thaler, who was the executive director of other non-profits and currently is a realtor, joined the Board and became Treasurer in 2012.
District Attorney Michael Morrissey
Michael Morrissey, the current Norfolk District Attorney, has been a member of the Board of Directors since his election in 2010, and provides ongoing support and partnership with the NAC.
Jennifer Blair
Jennifer Blair is the Norfolk District Attorney’s Chief of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit.
Lisa Beatty
Lisa Beatty is the Norfolk District Attorney’s First Assistant District Attorney- Prosecution.
Michael McManus
Michael McManus, a medical doctor and a current Board member, joined the Board in 2005.
Anne Priestley
Anne Priestley, a social worker, an original incorporator and a current Board member, joined the Board in 2004.
John deDoming
John deDoming, an accountant, is a current and original Board member.