MACA Staff

  • Thomas M. King, LICSW

    Executive Director

    Our Executive Director since 2006, Tom got his passion for the CAC movement when he served as the child forensic interviewer for Hampden County District Attorney back in 1997. “Seeing the impact of systems working together to better the lives of children is something that fuels me everyday to ensure our work knows no bounds. Child victims deserve nothing less than the amazing response of a Children’s Advocacy Center to help them on the road to healing, hope and justice.” Tom holds a certificate from the Institute for Nonprofit Management & Leadership at the Boston University School of Management, in addition to a Master of Social Work degree from the Smith College School of Social Work, and a BA in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross.

  • Gina Hargrave-Amodio

    Director of Grants Management

    Gina joined MACA in 2008, bringing a background in child and victim services. Gina oversees the administration of our state and federal funding to the CACs. She completed the Leadership Exchange and Coaching (LEC) program convened by the Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center (NRCAC). She previously served at the YWCA in her hometown of New Britain, Connecticut, as an early childhood educator and a volunteer counselor/advocate with the YWCA Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services (CONNSACS) program, providing hotline crisis counseling and medical accompaniment to survivors of sexual violence. Gina holds a BA in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College. 

  • Christa M. Collier M.S., LSW

    Director of Training, Education and Special Initiatives

    Christa oversees the training and educational needs for the CACs in our state. She brings a wide range of experience in the backgrounds of social work, child advocacy and philanthropy to her role. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Northern Berkshire United Way. She has previously served as the Executive Director of a CAC, Berkshire County Kids’ Place. Prior to her role at the CAC, she worked at a large multi-service nonprofit organization, the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, in ascending direct service and managerial positions for thirteen years.

    She holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Southern Vermont College and a M.S. in Communications and Information Management with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Bay Path University. She is also a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Massachusetts.

  • Mary LaRosee

    Operations Manager

    Mary joined MACA in 2022, having previously worked at an inner-city pediatrics department, serving as Supervisor of Operational Services at Atrius Health for over 20 years. She is also an Educational Advocate for children with special needs, trained at The Federation for Children with Special Needs since 2005. When not at work, Mary can often be seen at community meetings and is involved in many local groups throughout the neighborhood of Allston/Brighton. Mary received her Associates degree in General Business, as well as her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

  • Daniel Macura

    Communications Specialist

    Daniel Macura joined the MACA team in February of 2023 as our new Communications Specialist. After previously working within digital marketing and communications, he is looking forward to enhancing the MACA brand and its message not only to the child advocacy field, but to an expanded audience. He is excited to bring his communications skills to help elevate MACA’s mission driven work. Daniel received his M.S. in Communications along with a B.A. in Media, Culture and Art and a concentration in Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies from Clark University.

  • Shivani Patel

    Program Associate

    Shivani joined MACA in 2023 and works with training, education and special initiatives programming, and grant management. She brings experience in advocating for victims of abuse and violence, human rights policy development, and working with nonprofits in India and the US. She holds a BA in Political Science and Sexuality, Women’s and Gender Studies from Amherst College. She strongly believes in using an anti-oppressive approach to her work at MACA. Shivani enjoys painting, photography, and spending time in nature.

  • Marcus Puleo

    CSEC Statewide Manager

    Marcus joined MACA in 2023 as the CSEC Statewide Program Coordinator. Marcus comes from a background in victim services. He previously served as the CSEC Coordinator at the Plymouth County Children’s Advocacy Center, and as a court based advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Marcus received his BA in Criminal Justice from Johnson & Wales University, and a certificate on human trafficking from Arizona State University. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, podcasts, and nature.

  • Christina Uplinger

    Christina Uplinger

    Christina joined MACA in 2024 as the Service Navigator. Christina holds a dual masters degree in social work and public administration from Grand Valley State University. Over the past decade she has worked with families and children in many capacities. Her experience includes adoption and reunification, international development, crisis counseling, as well as intake and referral coordination at a child advocacy center. She is excited to utilize her skills and knowledge to support child advocacy work in Massachusetts. In her free time she enjoys exploring New England, camping trips, and yoga.