Nelson Butten To Join GLCAC As New Chief Program Officer

The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Inc. is pleased to announce that Nelson Butten will be joining in the new role of Chief Program Officer. With three decades of experience in community development, Butten will be the second highest ranking leader as Vilma Martinez-Dominguez assumes the role of Executive Director and CEO later this year.

Most recently serving as a Partnership Director for the Lawrence Public Schools, Butten will be responsible for developing, implementing, supervising, and evaluating GLCAC’s extensive programming and also providing internal leadership in partnership with the Martinez-Dominguez.

A new position that replaces the current Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Program Officer was created as GLCAC undergoes a planned leadership transition. Longtime Executive Director and CEO Evelyn Friedman will retire in October, and COO Martinez-Dominguez has been selected by the GLCAC’s Board of Directors to lead the agency.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nelson to the GLCAC leadership team. He brings a wealth of experience that will benefit our programs in delivering the life-changing services they offer. I thank Evelyn and Vilma for thoughtfully planning a seamless transition that ensures continuity for our staff and the people we serve,” said Johan Lopez, chair of the GLCAC Board of Directors.

In January, Friedman announced her plans to retire in 2023, providing GLCAC the time to plan a transition. Butten will start in mid-August, and Martinez-Dominguez will assume the CEO position in mid-October. Friedman will remain with GLCAC to oversee ongoing community development projects.

“With Vilma and Nelson leading GLCAC, I am confident our organization is well-positioned to grow and continue as an essential resource for the community,” Friedman said.

Martinez-Dominguez, who joined GLCAC in November 2021 after serving as the City of Lawrence’s Community Development Director, said Butten’s vast experience in the non-profit sector and his existing relationships with local organizations and the Spanish-speaking community will be a huge asset for GLCAC.

“Nelson knows the needs of the community and will be an invaluable resource as we look to add, adapt, and expand programming and services,’ Martinez-Dominguez said.

Butten emigrated to Lawrence from the Dominican Republic in 1993. He has almost 30 years of experience in community development and organizing.

Butten started his career in the non-profit sector as an AmeriCorps member and is currently a Partnership Director at Lawrence Public Schools. He was previously the Director of Community Organizing and then a Co-Executive Director at Lawrence CommunityWorks.

Nelson is also a trustee of the Lawrence Public Library, a Massachusetts Statewide Family Engagement Center Advisory Committee member, and a former Fellow of the Influence 100 Program of the nationally recognized non-profit Leadership Academy and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Butten was one of several outstanding community leaders honored by GLCAC during National Hispanic Heritage Month in 2022.

“I look forward to starting the transition and working with Vilma to carry out GLCAC’s vital mission and build upon the incredible work Evelyn has spearheaded over the past 10 years,’’ Butten said.

GLCAC is a multi-faceted social services agency that assists nearly 33,000 individuals through a range of programs including early childhood education, fuel assistance, WIC nutrition assistance, immigration services, lead poisoning prevention, child abuse prevention, English-language lessons, and consumer protection.