Naphtalie Dorcius was a student at Patrick Gavin Middle School back in 2007, and remembers her Citizen Schools team leader, Nadia K. Selby. 

Today, Nadia is the CEO of Citizen Schools and still in touch with Naphtalie, who runs her own practice—Every Child Matters—for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) after graduating from Boston University and getting her masters degree from Cambridge College. Currently practicing in the Boston public school sector, she also collaborates with multiple behavior therapy agencies to enhance socially significant behaviors in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. Her commitment is deeply rooted in her belief that every child deserves a chance to succeed, regardless of socioeconomic status, culture, or disability.

We asked Naphtalie if there was one word that describes her feelings about Citizen Schools today:

Naphtalie has carried Citizen Schools’ core values with her on her journey, and has some reflections on three that we’ll share here:  

• Inclusion and Belonging: “I believe that every child matters. Every child deserves an education and deserves to be included regardless of their ability. We want to promote inclusion and belonging for children with autism.”

• Perseverance: “My perseverance played a role in getting me where I am today. I started off doing in-home services and I was not satisfied. I then started working for Boston Public Schools, and still there was something missing. I furthered my education and earned my Masters Degree, and I still was not satisfied. That is when I realized in order to really serve my community and the autism population that I love so much, I needed to do something of my own. I pushed and I showed perseverance till I got to where I am today. And I am still not done yet!”

• Teamwork: “I realized I could not do it all alone. I have always been a team player and learned how to work well with others. That is why I partnered up with an old friend and classmate who shares the same passion as I do. Pamela and I work very well together and we are determined to serve our communities, and make a difference in the lives of the families we work with.”  

We couldn’t be more proud of what Naphtalie has accomplished, and can’t wait to see how her career continues to flourish, serving a critical role for so many students and families in her community. You can connect with Naphtalie on LinkedIn here.