Dorsey Massey

As the associate director of the Center for Special Needs, Dorsey spearheads an inclusion initiative at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. In an effort to provide a more robust catalog of social and recreational opportunities for individuals of all ages with disabilities, Dorsey works with other departments to develop, modify, and implement staff training to better support varied learning and communication styles. With a goal of ensuring that individuals are supported and connected to the community, she has created a comprehensive internship program to promote the development of graduate students’ understanding and awareness of work within the disability community. Through partnerships with Columbia University, Fordham University, NYU Silver and Steinhardt Schools, and Hunter Siberman School, Dorsey serves as acting educational coordinator for the Center for Special Needs as well as a clinical field instructor. She also helps manage the day-to-day operations of the Center for Special Needs. Before starting her journey at the Center for Special Needs, she worked at children’s welfare and domestic violence agencies, as well as at an alternative weekly newspaper and as a barista. Dorsey earned a bachelor’s of social work degree with honors from San Jose State University and her master’s of social work with a focus on programming and advanced general practice from Columbia University School of Social Work.