BOSTON, MA (AUGUST 10, 2021) - The Baker Center, a national leader in children’s mental health, named Dr. Gary R. Lyon,EdD, MPA to the role of Vice President of Innovation and External Affairs and Senior Diversity Officer. Dr. Lyon collaborates with the CEO, VP of Programs, and senior management team to drive innovation in children's behavioral health and special education. Dr. Lyon also acts as an external liaison representing JBCC in local, regional, and national venues. As a Senior Diversity Officer (SDO), he is responsible for developing organization-wide diversity and inclusion programs. In addition, he works with senior management and Human Resources to conduct organization-wide training, promote diversity and inclusion, resolve challenges and conflicts, and establish metrics to measure progress towards goals.
"Dr. Lyon brings a wealth of experience, education, and expertise to the role. We are thrilled to welcome him to our senior leadership team and look forward pursuing new initatives under his guidance." said Robert P. Franks, Ph.D., President and CEO of The Baker Center
Dr. Lyon earned his B.S. in Business Management from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the top-ranked and the largest HBCU (Historically Black Colleges Universities) in the country. As he obtained his bachelor's, Dr. Lyon had an early start working in management within the nonprofit sector. Later in his early career in nonprofit management, he completed his Master's in Public Administration from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. He then completed his doctorate in Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
"The Baker Center found me at a time in my career that my ambition and my eagerness to teach and train others at a level to make effective change is paramount. The core of The Baker Center’s work is teaching and training, which places me right at home." said Dr. Lyon.
Dr. Lyon has been working in nonprofit management for over 20 years. He has a vast amount of experience and knowledge in the nonprofit sector. He has an openness and desire to share his expertise at The Baker Center. Dr. Lyon also specializes in diversity equity and inclusion. His dissertation focused on social identity and fostering inclusion in the workplace. He hopes to teach and train core concepts related to diversity, equity and inclusion by utilizing evidence-based tools and guidelines to assist The Baker Center in becoming a multicultural organization.
"I love the fact that I am an employee of The Baker Center. Helping children and families live a better life by providing high quality evidence-based mental health treatment basically sums it up for me." added Dr. Lyon.
An affiliate of Harvard Medical School, The Baker Center is a nationally recognized children’s mental health organization dedicated to improving the quality of mental health care for children and families. Named in honor of Harvey Humphrey Baker, the first judge appointed to the Boston Juvenile Court, Judge Baker opened its doors in 1917 and has been serving the children and families of greater Boston for over 100 years. The multi-faceted organization provides the very best in evidence-based practices for children and families struggling with a range of behavioral, emotional, educational, and mental health issues. The Baker Center is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by bridging the gap between science and practice to improve access to the highest quality care in community-based settings.
THE BAKER CENTER: Improving care. Changing lives.