Heather O’Reilly serves as Executive Assistant at The Supported Living Group (SLG), bringing more than 25 years of experience in administration, program coordination, human services, and organizational operations.

In her role at SLG, Heather provides direct support to executive leadership while helping coordinate day-to-day organizational activities, facilitate communication across departments, and support operational efficiency. Her responsibilities also include program operations, staffing coordination, and communication with clients and support teams.

Her extensive human-services background includes experience supporting diverse populations, including individuals living with:

• Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Age-related support needs

• Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions

Her professional experience reflects a long-standing commitment to person-centered services, advocacy, and effective support systems.

More Than 25 Years in Human Services and Administration

Heather brings a combination of administrative expertise and direct knowledge of the human-services environment.

Her experience includes:

• Administrative leadership

• Program coordination

• Staffing coordination

• Client communication

• Executive support

• Human-services operations

• Advocacy

This combination is particularly valuable in community-based disability services, where organizational effectiveness directly influences the experience of individuals and families receiving support.

A strong service organization requires more than frontline staff and clinical professionals.

It also requires experienced professionals who can coordinate information, communicate across departments, support leadership, and help ensure that organizational systems function effectively.

Supporting Executive and Organizational Operations

As Executive Assistant to SLG's executive leadership, Heather helps support the infrastructure behind the organization's community-based services.

Her role includes assisting with:

• Executive operations

• Departmental coordination

• Administrative organization

• Staffing-related communication

• Client communication

• Day-to-day operational needs

These responsibilities help connect leadership, program teams, administrative functions, and the individuals receiving services.

Program Coordination and Communication

Community-based disability services involve many moving parts.

Individuals and families may interact with:

• Program coordinators

• Direct support professionals

• Care managers

• Clinical professionals

• Administrative staff

• Executive leadership

Clear communication between these groups is essential.

Heather's program coordination and administrative experience helps support communication and organizational continuity across different areas of SLG.

Experience With Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury

Heather's professional background includes experience with individuals with Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injuries.

This experience provides an additional connection to SLG's Connecticut ABI service model and Knowledge Center.

Brain injury services require coordinated communication because ABI can affect:

• Memory

• Executive functioning

• Communication

• Emotional regulation

• Judgment

• Independence

Although Heather is not positioned as a clinical brain injury specialist, her human-services experience provides an important organizational and support-system perspective within the broader SLG ABI team.

Experience With Autism and Developmental Disability Services

Heather's background also includes experience supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and diverse disability-related needs.

This contributes to SLG's broader Connecticut ASD service ecosystem, particularly around the importance of:

• Person-centered support

• Family communication

• Program coordination

• Advocacy

• Organizational consistency

Her role should complement—not duplicate—the specialized clinical expertise represented by SLG's BCBA, occupational therapy, and neuropsychology professionals.

Advocacy and Human Rights

One of the strongest differentiators in Heather's profile is her history of advocacy recognition.

Her professional accomplishments include receiving:

• HMEA Board of Directors Award

• Massachusetts DMR Human Rights Award

• HMEA Advocacy Award

These recognitions provide meaningful evidence of her commitment to advocacy and human rights within human services.

Education and Professional Development

Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University and a Certificate in Human Service Management from Clark University.

Her educational background combines psychology with human-services management, complementing her extensive professional experience in administration and program coordination.

This combination provides a useful foundation for her current role supporting executive leadership and organizational operations at SLG.

Person-Centered Administration

Person-centered support does not occur only during direct service interactions.

It also depends on the systems surrounding the individual.

Administrative and executive functions can influence:

• Communication

• Responsiveness

• Coordination

• Continuity

• Accessibility of information

• Organizational efficiency

Heather's background reflects SLG's broader belief that every part of the organization contributes to the experience of the people being supported.