After her first visit to Dearborn Academy in the mid-1990s, Rebecca Altepeter left and told her friends and family, “Someday I will work there. They are doing incredible work and it feels like family.” Rebecca finally realized her dream when she became the director in 2016 after building her leadership skills as the principal at a therapeutic residential and day school for adolescent girls and as a coordinator in the Office of Student Services for Cambridge Public Schools.
Rebecca earned her B.S. with a dual major in Slavic and environmental studies from Indiana University and her M.S. in Moderate Special Needs from Wheelock College. She holds certifications as a Special Education Administrator, Moderate Special Needs teacher, and General Educator.