Abigail “Abby” Parrilla of Weymouth has been named The Arc of the South Shore’s new chief executive officer.
The family-oriented, community-based nonprofit provides information, referrals and community programs for individuals with disabilities.
In this role, Parrilla, working with the board of directors, will provide leadership for the non-profit agency, that since its inception in 1951 has assisted 100,000 individuals. As CEO, she will set a clear direction and road map for the future of the agency, all the while overseeing day-to-day operations. She will replace Daryl Cook-Ivan, who is retiring after serving as CEO for 15 years.
Parrilla has been an executive member of The Arc of the South Shore team since 2017 as chief operations officer, coming to the agency with a strong background that includes in-patient social services at Boston’s Children’s Hospital; business development and management for PepsiCo; and executive leadership for the Massachusetts Aging Services Access Points and management consulting and operations for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She is also a trained mediator and has served as a motivational speaker.
Parrilla earned her undergraduate degree in English, and a master’s in both Business Administration and Human Resources management. She is bilingual (English and Spanish) and since 2019 has been a member of the Leadership South Shore Steering Committee.
“I’m honored beyond measure to represent The Arc in this new capacity and am committed to elevating our culture and mission,” said Parrilla. “Since its founding, The Arc has been guided by a mission to provide the highest quality services and advocacy for children and adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Autism. Working as a team we can not only continue that mission but take it to greater heights.”
