January 21st, 2026
By: Rachel Pothier, Marketing & Support Coordinator

Growth & Inspiration

Tom Brooks has been part of the Communitas community for more than two decades, building a career rooted in compassion, patience, and a deep belief in the potential of every person he supports. His journey began in April 2003, when he joined Communitas at just seventeen years old as an after-school intern doing office work. Within a year, Tom stepped into the Career Services Department, where he spent nearly 18 years as both a Job Coach and Skills Instructor. In February 2022, he transitioned to Family Support and now serves as a Respite Care Provider in Wakefield, continuing to make a meaningful impact through individualized, community-based care.

Much of Tom’s inspiration comes from his best friend of more than 30 years, Dave. Tom describes Dave as a guiding force in his life – someone who encouraged people with disabilities to be proud of who they are and fully embrace themselves. Comparing him to Professor X from the X-Men, Tom credits Dave’s guidance, friendship, and unwavering belief in him as the reason he chose this line of work. As someone who is autistic himself, Tom felt a strong desire to give back to the disability community, and that desire led him to Communitas, then known as EMARC.

“Dave is my forever Professor X, without him I wouldn’t have gotten into the line of work I do today and if I never got to know him who knows where I would be today without both his guidance and his friendship. I am grateful for the thirty years I shared of not just friendship but brotherhood we both shared together.”

Professionally Passionate

In his current role, no two days look exactly the same. When working with a client, Tom begins by picking them up at home and heading out into the community. He’s created engaging, hands-on activities to build real-life skills – like budgeting scavenger hunts at stores such as Walmart or Market Basket, where clients search for items, record prices, and learn how to compare costs between stores. These lessons help clients gain confidence and independence in everyday decision-making.

One of Tom’s most memorable moments in Family Support came during a visit to Ipswich River Park, where he discovered a client’s love for photography – an interest that quickly blossomed into a passion, with the client now bringing their camera everywhere they go. Earlier in his years with Career Services, Tom found equal meaning in watching individuals reach workplace independence and succeed with little to no prompting, a true testament to their confidence and capability. For Tom, the most enriching part of his work is witnessing this growth and achievement, which he likens to a Jedi Master training a Padawan – each lesson and milestone guiding the individual one step closer to independence. He carries this same approach into everyday experiences, enjoying opportunities to bring learning outdoors by teaching clients about local wildlife at Ipswich River Park, exploring new books and interests during library visits, and ending the day at the gym, where he shares his passion for fitness and wellness before heading home.

Throughout his career at Communitas, Tom has learned the importance of teamwork, patience, and meeting people where they are. He believes skills take time to build and reminds himself – and others – that growth doesn’t happen overnight. On challenging days, Tom grounds himself by listening closely to his clients and asking a simple but powerful question: “How can I help? I’m on your team.“

Outside of Communitas

Outside of work, Tom is an avid nature photographer with a natural eye for capturing everything from wildlife and sunsets to lunar eclipses. His photography has been featured on WCVB News Center Five, including images of the November 2022 lunar eclipse and striking sunrises and sunsets across Massachusetts. He’s also a published author, having written several books – including a memoir about growing up with autism, inspired by and dedicated to Dave.

Tom is equally passionate about fitness, riding his stationary bike 20 miles every weekday morning and reaching a personal milestone of 10,000 total miles in May 2022. He’s also a lifelong pop culture fan who regularly attends comic conventions and has met icons such as Stan Lee, Henry Winkler, Jeff Goldblum, Ewan McGregor, Jason Momoa, and many others. One of his most meaningful personal moments was finally telling Stan Lee how much he inspired him to become a writer – a moment Tom says helped him grow both personally and creatively.

“Stan Lee inspired me to be the author I am today and hope he is smiling upon me for being the author I am today especially with having published my memoir to help people get a new perspective of autism from a first-person account.”

Describing himself as philosophic, wise, and instinctive, Tom approaches each day with intention and heart. When asked to sum up his job in one word, his answer is simple: rewarding. For Tom, there is nothing more impactful than seeing the people he supports discover their own potential, courage, strength, and determination on their journey toward independence. It’s a mindset reflected in the words he lives by: “Give no thought to expecting a reward for doing the right thing – doing the right thing is always the right path to be on.”

To Tom, Communitas represents people coming together with a shared passion for helping others turn dreams into reality. Seeing clients smile, gain confidence, and know they have someone in their corner is what makes the work – and the organization – so special. Having been part of Communitas for so many years, Tom reflects on how fortunate he was to work alongside incredible coworkers he admired early in his career. Learning from their guidance allowed him to grow professionally and, in turn, pass that knowledge along to new staff as they joined the team, becoming a positive role model himself along the way. It’s a philosophy he carries with him each day: “You are like a mirror – everything you do reflects back upon you. If someone is standing beside you, they are not only seeing their own reflection but yours as well. Reflect the energy you want to give to others, and they will reflect that same energy back to you.”

A powerful moment at Comic Con – Tom shares the story of his late best friend, David Pothier, with actor Henry Winkler while holding a sticker in David’s honor. After learning about the scholarship foundation created in David’s name, where Tom proudly serves as a board member, this moment became one of remembrance, advocacy, and lasting impact.