
Heidi O’Mara, Executive Director
Heidi joined Special Needs Arts Programs, Inc in 2014. Mrs. O’Mara has her BA in English from Providence College (’95) and her MA in Gender and Cultural Studies (’98) from Simmons University. Mrs. O’Mara began her career at City Year Boston in 1998, as Event Manager for their annual Serve-A-Thon. She then became Research Coordinator for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC). This position included organizing the collection of research, managing staff, analyzing data and presenting findings at conferences, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). Next, Ms. O’Mara then became the Regional Director of Development for the MSPCC. This position involved working with the Board of Directors and Northeast Regional Board. Responsibilities included the development and implementation of successful fundraisers to meet budget forecasts, working with community organizations to raise awareness of the mission of the MSPCC and the management of volunteers. Ms. O’Mara went on to be President of The Mother Connection (TMC), a volunteer organization based in the Merrimack Valley providing programs and opportunities for families with pre-school children. This role included editing a monthly newsletter and annual publication, TMC Places To Go, raising funds to support programs, developing engaging programming for young families and networking with community groups. Finally, prior to her role at SNAP, she became Development Director for Creative Living in Andover in 2009. Heidi is excited to lead the team at SNAP and is very inspired by the participants their programs serve.