Andover, MA, Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Melmark, a nationally-recognized non-profit human services provider for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities, has appointed Dr. Howard Mayer and Amanda Westphal Radcliffe to its Board of Directors.
Dr. Mayer, formerly Executive Vice President and Head of Research and Development at Ipsen Pharmaceuticals, brings extensive experience in clinical development across multiple therapeutic areas. He currently provides strategic and clinical/regulatory guidance to biopharmaceutical companies and sits on several company boards and scientific advisory boards. He has held leadership roles at Shire, EMD Serono, and Pfizer, where he was a founding member of the Autism Research Unit. Dr. Mayer earned his M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, followed by a fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Mayer, his wife and two children have been a part of Melmark for more than a decade.
Ms. Radcliffe is a founding family member and owner of Vertex Inc., a global corporate tax compliance technology company. With over 30 years on the Vertex board, she helped guide its transition from private ownership to a publicly traded entity. Ms. Radcliffe has chaired the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation Board and Breastcancer.org, and serves on advisory boards for the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support at St. Joseph’s University and The Precisionists. She is the founding President and Board Member of the Neurodiversity Employment Network of Philadelphia. As a Melmark parent, she is committed to advancing the organization’s mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Howard Mayer and Ms. Amanda Radcliffe to our Board of Directors,” stated Melmark President and CEO Rita M. Gardner. “Howard and Amanda are passionate and committed to supporting and enhancing the lives of individuals within diverse communities with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families. The addition of these two outstanding leaders to our board brings valuable perspective and expertise that will advance our mission and vision.”
About Melmark
Celebrating its 60th anniversary throughout 2026, Melmark is a multi-state non-profit human service organization providing clinically sophisticated evidence-based special education, residential, vocational and therapeutic services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders, developmental and intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries and other neurological and genetic disorders. All specialized special education services are based on the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and are designed based on each student’s individual needs. Recognized as one of the leading providers in the country, Melmark has a combined staff of over 1,500 at its service divisions in Pennsylvania, New England, and the Carolinas and serves over 600 individuals from across the country. www.melmark.org.
- Dr. Howard Mayer
- Amanda Westphal Radcliffe