For the past 26 years, Flaherty served in various roles at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts, most recently as the associate vice president for student affairs since 2012. She has experience overseeing support services and transition programs for students with disabilities.
Her early professional roots were with the Charles River Center, Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD), and the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Institute for Community Inclusion. Flaherty holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a bachelor’s degree in communications with a specialization in psychology from Fitchburg State College.