Making Opportunity Count Announces New Board President
Fitchburg, MA — Making Opportunity Count (MOC), the North Central region’s community action agency dedicated to fighting poverty, has announced Dr. Paul S. MacKinnon as its new Board President. MacKinnon, who has been with the board since 2018, succeeds Oscar O’Connor who retired from the board after 18 years of service.
“It’s been an honor to serve as President of MOC’s Board of Directors,” said O’Connor. “I’m proud of our many accomplishments over the past years and I’m confident MOC has a bright future under Paul’s leadership as they continue to grow and expand their impact in the community.”
MacKinnon is an accomplished executive leader and is currently the Corporate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer at Health Alliance Clinton Hospital. MacKinnon received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Medical School – Graduate School of Nursing and has held key leadership positions at Saint Vincent Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center and Steward Health Care. As a Registered Nurse for over three decades and Family Nurse Practitioner for over two, he has been a member of numerous healthcare associations, local boards and community organizations. MacKinnon most recently served as MOC’s Board Treasurer for the past three years.
“MOC’s mission to empower families to achieve economic stability is as critical as ever,” said MacKinnon. “For years, I’ve witnessed staff and leadership live MOC’s mission in everything they do. I’m honored and humbled to play a role in this inspiring work, and look forward to leading this effort with our experienced and dedicated board of directors.”
The change occurs at a time of strength and growth for MOC as the organization has increasingly worked toward integrating access to healthcare into their human service portfolio.
“I’m deeply grateful to Oscar for his leadership, vision and dedication to our mission that helped us to grow and broaden our impact in the community over the past decade,” stated Kevin Reed, executive director of MOC. “I’m equally excited for our future under Paul’s leadership. His wealth of experience and advocacy are perfectly aligned with MOC’s vision for our future as we rise to meet the growing demand for services that bring wellness to our clients and community.”
About Making Opportunity Count
Making Opportunity Count, Inc. (MOC) was established in 1966 for the primary purpose of promoting the well-being of low-income people in the cities and towns of North Central Massachusetts. The MOC service area encompasses 30 cities and towns (Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Barre, Berlin, Bolton, Clinton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Hardwick, Harvard, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leominster, Littleton, Lunenburg, New Braintree, Pepperell, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Sterling, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster, and Winchendon). MOC’s mission is to empower families to achieve economic security by eliminating barriers and creating opportunities. MOC works to fulfill this purpose by providing direct services, collaborating with other public and private entities and by applying comprehensive strategies that help to address the complex issues of poverty. Core programs include Child Care & Head Start, North Central WIC, Family Resource Center, Meals on Wheels, The Counseling Center at MOC, healthcare programs, and more. For a full list of programs and services, visit www.mocinc.org