Elwyn, a nonprofit human service organization, has appointed Dennis Morgan as vice president of Education and Early Learning Services. He will lead the strategy, operations, and programming to support exceptional care of the children, families, and advocates it serves. With 23 years of experience in human services, Morgan is regarded across the industry for his transformative approach to enhancing the lives of our community’s most vulnerable individuals.
He has held various executive and educational leadership roles. Most recently, he served as senior vice president at Bancroft, where he played an instrumental role in the design of a state-of-the-art school for children with autism. He also created leading-edge programs spanning children and adult day, residential, and mobile services.
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Dennis for over a decade,” said Chuck McLister, Elwyn’s president and CEO. “He is a problem solver, an exceptional educator, and a natural leader who has dedicated his career to helping others and making a difference. I’m thrilled to add an expert like Dennis to our executive team.”
Elwyn is the longest-running human services nonprofit of its kind in the nation. It is the birthplace of many practices, models of service and traditions of the disabilities community, and it has served as the training ground and springboard for thousands of practitioners and staff who now work throughout the region and beyond.
It is a leader in education, treatment, and support services to children and adults with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and related behavioral health challenges.
In 1888, Elwyn New Jersey began as the Training School at Vineland with seven children—the first school for children with intellectual disabilities in New Jersey. According to a paper by E.E. Doll printed in Pub Med, leaders of the Training School at Vineland made major contributions to the field of mental retardation from 1890 to 1940.
S.O. Garrison originated the cottage plan and emphasized education and self-support. E.R. Johnstone pioneered teacher training, published a journal, initiated social action programs, and established a research laboratory.
H.H. Goddard standardized the Binet-Simon scales in the United States, validated heredity as a cause of mental retardation, and hosted the production of the first group intelligence tests. S.D. Porteus supplemented the Binet with measures of personality. E. A. Doll, produced the Vineland Social Maturity Scale.
“The Vineland Test,” which measures the personal and social skills of individuals from birth through adulthood, is still used today.
Morgan, the new Elwyn vice president, has served as Board Treasurer for both the National Association of Special Education Centers (NAPSEC) based in Washington D.C. and the New Jersey Association of Approved Private Schools (ASAH). He received a BA in elementary education and psychology from King’s College and his Master of Sciences in educational leadership from St. Joseph’s University. In 2017, he earned an MBA from Villanova University.
In addition to his professional achievements, Morgan proudly served 23 years with the 111th Attack Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. He recently retired as Major after serving six years as Military Equal Opportunity Director.
He is passionate about positively influencing the future of our youth through the sport of wrestling and volunteers as a board member of the Upper Darby Wrestling Association, a non-profit he co-founded. He lives in Medford, with his wife, daughter, and beloved pup.
