David D'Arcangelo

CEO, Arc Angel Communications

David is currently the CEO of Arc Angel Communications a Limited Liability Corporation that is a Certified Disability Owned Business Enterprise. Legally blind from a young age, David D’Arcangelo, is a passionate leader and advocate for people with disabilities and underserved populations. He has built successful and meaningful careers in both the public and private sectors.

David’s distinguished career includes serving as a Presidentially appointed (Trump) member of the of the National Council on Disability (NCD), Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB,) Director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD,) and being elected three times as City Councilor At-Large.

As a Presidential appointee, David served NCD, which is an independent federal agency that plays a leading role in crafting disability policy, and advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on disability policies, programs, and practices. As a Gubernatorial appointee, David served MCB & MOD and led both agencies through extensive modernization and innovations that produced positive results for people with disabilities.

David is known for his innovative ideas. He championed groundbreaking and transformative projects that led to increased independence and self-determination for people with disabilities. These improvements include systems modernization through technology enhancements for the blind, being a catalyst for the creation of the Municipal ADA Improvement grant Program, establishment of the collaborative low vision Residency Fellowship with the New England College of Optometry and devising and implementing the Employer Challenge program, which asks employers to “Do One More Thing” to reduce stigma and increase employment by providing access to employment opportunities.

He also collaborated on enterprise-wide (~41,000 Executive Branch Employees) telework, hybrid work, and alternative work options programs that arose because of COVID. As Commissioner, David oversees the agency’s $35M budget to ensure the highest quality of vocational and social rehabilitation services are delivered to individuals with blindness throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

David’s experience is deep and includes service in the Governor’s Office, Massachusetts State Senate, and multiple executive agencies. Additionally, David is a trailblazer for people with disabilities by both serving as an elected official who openly identified as a person with a disability and being the first openly identified person with a disability to reach a statewide ballot when he was the 2014 GOP nominee for Secretary of State.

The Council of State Governments (CSG) recognized David as one of the 30 Leaders in the United States Impacting Disability Policy in their Capitol Ideas Magazine celebrating 30 years of the ADA. David also served on the national “Work Matters” Task Force, which designed a framework for states to use in workforce development for people with disabilities. David’s extensive speaking skills include presenting at the National ADA Symposium, the American Enterprise Institute, the National Governor’s Association State Learning Lab, and numerous other conferences, meetings, and events. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the 2022 Toll Fellowship from the Council of State Governments; Marquis Who's Who in America 2021; I Migliori Government Service Award, Pirandello Lyceum, 2019; Community Collaborator of the Year Award, Career Collaborative, 2017, and others. One of David’s ideas was recently selected into the competitive 10X process, Project #11: Connecting the Vocational Rehabilitation Data Landscape.

Aligning his leadership with social responsibility, David has extensive experience within non-profit leadership, including serving on the Board of Directors for the National Industries for the Blind, Board of Directors for the Arc of Middlesex East, Board of Directors for Resource Partnership, and the Board of Directors for Tailored for Success. David has also served in many other charitable and leadership positions, including Past President of the Malden Rotary Club, member, and former Chair of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Rehabilitation Council (appointed by two Governors), member of the Braille Literacy Advisory Council, and as an Election Officer for the City of Boston.

David’s industry leadership, vision, and innovation includes identifying development sites for the for disabled and senior housing for the nation’s largest non-profit rental CO-OP (CSI Support & Development Services); and spearheading M&L Transit Systems, Inc.’s financial turnaround and budget development.

David is a graduate of Suffolk University, where he served as an adjunct faculty member in the Communications and Journalism Department. David lives in Malden with his wife Lisa and their daughter, who is on the Autism Spectrum.