Diagnosed with a rare eye disease that left him legally blind at a young age, David D’Arcangelo has built successful careers in both the public and private sectors and now serves the Baker-Polito Administration as the Director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability.
David is passionate about promoting a better life for persons with disabilities and continues to bring about positive change for persons with disabilities across Massachusetts and the nation. Through his involvement with several ground-breaking policy initiatives, David is working to bring about the full and equal participation in all aspects of life for people with disabilities in a manner that fosters dignity and self-determination.
David possess a high-level of political acumen. Previously, David served three terms as a Malden City Councilor At Large and was one of the very few elected officials in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to openly serve as a person with a disability. David’s extensive experience in government and public policy includes serving in the Administrations of four Governors and the Massachusetts State Legislature. Further, David may be the first person to reach a statewide ballot in Massachusetts and to have disclosed a disability when he was the 2014 Republican Nominee for Secretary of State.
Respected across both the public and private sectors for his problem solving and leadership skills, David possesses the ability to empower employees and constituents to create collaborative, cooperative partnerships. David recently received the 2017 “Community Collaborator of the Year” award from Career Collaborative.
As Director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability, David has created several initiatives aimed at increasing access and opportunities for persons with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth. David established MOD’s annual Disability Summit that brings together leaders, decision-makers, and advocates to discuss issues such as accessibility and employment outcomes for persons with disabilities. David has greatly increased the transparency of the agency and has built several partnerships between MOD and the greater disability community.
Recently, under David’s leadership, MOD launched the Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Program. This innovative program provides funding and Technical Assistance for projects aimed at increasing access for persons with disabilities in municipal buildings throughout Massachusetts cities and towns. David was also a catalyst for having Massachusetts become the first state in the nation to emulate the federal 503 Utilization Goal, which endeavors to have state government contractors employ more people with disabilities.
David championed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regarding obligations contained within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by creating a policy to ensure that public monies spent are in compliance with the ADA. As a result accessibility of public housing will be improved for persons with disabilities. David was also instrumental in designing the “Work Matters” report, which creates a framework for States on workforce development for people with disabilities. David served as Co-Chair of the Transportation, Technology & Other Employment Supports Subcommittee for this ‘best practices guide’ that incorporates programs from all 50 States.
David also has extensive experience within non-profit leadership, which includes having served on the Board of Directors for the Arc of Middlesex East, Board of Directors for Resource Partnership, and the Board of Directors for Tailored for Success. He is a graduate of Suffolk University, where he has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Communications and Journalism Department. David has also served in many other charitable and leadership positions, including Past President of the Malden Rotary Club, Board of Directors for the Arc of Middlesex East, Board of Directors for Tailored for Success, Board of Directors for Resource Partnership, and member and former Chair of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Rehabilitation Council. David has helped lead many public and civic endeavors such as his service as President of the Malden Rotary Club, Chair of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Rehabilitation Council, member of the Braille Literacy Advisory Council, and as an Election Officer for the City of Boston.
David is 47 and lives in Malden with his wife of 20 years Lisa and their daughter, who is on the Autism Spectrum. David also helps care for his older brother who is a person with a mental health disability. David is a 1996 graduate of Suffolk University, where he