Rebecca Tolman brings more than two decades of executive leadership and cross-sector experience to her role as Graduate Program Director for the Management of Aging Services program at UMass Boston. Her career path reflects a unique blend of business acumen, nonprofit leadership, and academic engagement, all centered on advancing community-based supports for individuals across the lifespan.
Rebecca began her professional journey in public accounting as an auditor before transitioning into corporate finance and operations with roles in the automotive and telecommunications industries. Seeking greater mission-driven impact, she pivoted into the nonprofit human services sector, serving for nearly twenty years at Lakes Region Community Services (LRCS) in New Hampshire, where she advanced from Chief Financial Officer to President & CEO. In this capacity, she led statewide systems transformation, championed advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities, and strengthened organizational sustainability through innovative partnerships.
At UMass Boston, Rebecca is committed to mentoring students, fostering collaboration between academia and practice, and shaping the next generation of leaders who will guide aging services with vision, compassion, and innovation.
Her academic background is equally interdisciplinary. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, followed by an MBA, and later pursued advanced study in aging, completing a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Gerontology at UMass Boston. As both a practitioner and caregiver, she brings lived experience that informs her teaching and leadership in preparing students for the complex realities of aging services management.
