Our management philosophy can be summed up by our primary and foremost core value:
SUPPORTING PEOPLE IS FIRST
Today’s human service agencies operate in a complex environment which requires accountability and compliance with voluminous federal and state regulations. Considerable infrastructure, and staff time, is needed to accommodate these requirements. While we continually strive to meet or exceed every compliance measure, at Living Innovations it is our highest priority to be sure that we never lose sight of our reason for being – the people we support. That was part of the original vision of founder, Neal Ouellett and it hasn’t wavered through twenty years of providing services. As a way of keeping this value front and center, every management team meeting begins with “Success Stories” – descriptions of quality of life improvements that have taken place for the people we provide services to.
Please scroll down and meet some members of our management team. These five are representative of hundreds more who dedicate their careers to helping people with disabilities to have a good life. Another of our agency values is to: Honor All Support Providers. The primary job of our management team is to give our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Home Providers all of tools, support and encouragement they need to do an excellent job.
Neal Ouellett
Founder
Neal founded Living Innovations in 1996, with a vision of providing highly personalized, community- and home-based services in his home state of New Hampshire. The idea took hold, and Living Innovations grew into an organization serving nearly 1,300 people in four states. As he prepared for retirement, Neal sought to align Living Innovations with a larger organization that had a similar vision of putting people first, while also providing support to enhance direct services. He also recognized the need for resources to manage growing compliance and funding complexities. Mosaic "checked all the boxes," Neal has said, and Living Innovations became a service of Mosaic on February 1, 2021. Neal continues to work with the organization as a consultant.
Carl Pufahl
Vice President of Operations
Carl Pufahl’s career with Living Innovations began in 2001. During his tenure he has served as Controller, Chief Financial Officer and President. In his current role in the merged Living Innovations—Mosaic organization Pufahl has responsibility for the quality of the services provided to more than 1,300 people in four states as well as ongoing business and program development.
Joanne Malise
RI Director
Joanne Malise, MSW, LCSW has over thirty years of experience with the Rhode Island developmental disabilities systems. She leads a dynamic team of professionals committed to providing the guidance and support needed to help people to live safely in the community, and experience lives filled with friends, family, personal growth and opportunities. She is a strong advocate for personalized supports and community inclusion
Andrew Taranko
ME Director
Andrew Taranko has been with Living Innovations since 2006. After graduating from Bentley College with a degree in Business Management, Andrew has spent the past 20 years working in Southern Maine in education, mental health, and developmental services. Andrew studied health policy and management as a graduate student in the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine.
Michelle Donovan
NH Director
Michelle Donovan is originally from Massachusetts and has a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology and a Master of Education in Counseling. She has more than 30 years of experience providing services to people with behavioral health and developmental disabilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities of all kinds are afforded the opportunity to live the highest quality of life.