Recognition honors Paulo Fulton’s innovative leadership in behavioral health and commitment to social work values in executive practice.
Dedham, MA – The National Association of Social Workers – Massachusetts Chapter (NASW-MA) has named Paulo Fulton, LICSW, MBA, Executive Vice President at Riverside Community Care, as the recipient of the 2025 Greatest Contribution to Social Work Award. This prestigious honor recognizes Fulton’s exceptional leadership in social work practice, ability to promote new insights, and advocacy for underserved populations.
In his role as Executive Vice President, Paulo helps lead Riverside’s 1,700 employees who serve thousands of people annually across 100+ programs, providing mental healthcare, developmental and brain injury services, addiction treatment, and more throughout Massachusetts. He supervises Riverside’s Chief Medical Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, and the division leadership for Developmental & Cognitive Services, Child & Family Services, Community Living Services, and Behavioral Health Services.
“Paulo understands that company success and a people-first approach aren’t competing priorities—they’re inseparable,” said Jim Hardeman, a member of Riverside’s Board of Directors. “Through his compassionate and strategic leadership, Paulo continuously strengthens both Riverside’s mission and the greater social work community.”
Fulton exemplifies the value of integrating social work expertise with executive leadership. He has spearheaded the development of the Riverside Scholars@Lesley University Program, the Emerging Leaders & Mentoring Program, and Riverside’s Culture & Belonging Department. He has also modernized organizational operations through human resources and e-Learning system implementations. These accomplishments have contributed to Riverside’s inclusion on The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list for three consecutive years.
“Paulo’s recognition by NASW-MA reflects what we see every day at Riverside: a dedicated and detail-oriented leader who never loses sight of the human element at the heart of every program and policy,” said Vicker V. DiGravio, III, Riverside’s President & CEO. “His ability to translate social work values into operational excellence has strengthened our workplace culture and directly improved outcomes for the thousands of individuals and families we serve.”
