Mark Cavanagh
Mark Cavanagh has been with St. Vincent DePaul Mission since January 2007 after relocating from Long Island, NY to Connecticut in 2006. Mark's interest in our Mission was first sparked when he read a newspaper article about Father Cascia who in 1978 started the organization and later went on to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Serendipitously, Mark continued reading the newspaper to find a job posting for a Residential Counselor at the St Vincent DePaul Mission. The remarkable work of Father Cascia inspired him to apply for the position, and soon he was working for the Mental Health Division. This was Mark's first professional position after receiving a Bachelor Degree in Human Services from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY.
Since joining the Mission, Mark has performed several roles for the organization, including Counselor, Recovery Specialist, Program Coordinator, the Director of Quality and Client Services, and he is now the Chief Experience Officer being directly responsible for the positive outcomes and experience of our clients, staff, and community supporters. Mark additionally is the administrative representative of the Safety and Health Committee and has worked closely with the Fund Development Committee of our Board of Directors for event planning and development. Mark is trained in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Assessing Risk and Suicidality, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care, and continues to further his training and education as an active member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
During his youth, Mark helped care for his profoundly disabled younger sister, which instilled in him a true passion for helping those who are most in need. Given his experiences, he truly believes in the inherent value of all human beings, and accordingly treats everyone equally, with understanding and respect. Mark also believes that developing positive relationships with our residents is the cornerstone to building trust, and instilling hope and change. He strongly emphasizes the importance of working collaboratively with others for the benefit of the clients we support, and in promoting staff training and proper resources to improve the quality of services we provide.
Mark currently resides in Waterbury with his two young sons, Devin and Ronan, and his wife, Jacqueline. He is an avid Mets fan, enjoys cycling, golf, exercising with with his family, cheering along at his son's sporting events, and will never turn down a trip to the beach.
