Al Frugoli
Founder, Updraft Advisory
Education
M.A., Nonprofit Management
Worcester State University
B.S., Rehabilitation Services
Springfield College
About
Career built from the ground up
I started in direct support in 1995. That's not incidental — it's foundational. Thirty years of progressive leadership across IDD, PACE, behavioral health, and community services means I've held nearly every role in the organizations I now advise.
That arc matters for consulting. When I walk into an organization facing a merger, a regulatory challenge, or a policy fight, I'm not pattern-matching from a distance. I've built the staffing models, run the audits, written the RFRs, and sat in the DDS meetings.
And I've built the data systems. From Access databases coded from scratch as a program manager, to multi-platform EHR dashboards as a COO, to a complete RCM pipeline as a startup CEO — the technology through-line is real and runs the length of the career.
Updraft Advisory was formed because high-intensity, change-focused work is where I thrive — and because the organizations doing the hardest work in Massachusetts human services deserve access to that level of operational and analytical depth.
What a peer says
Colleagues say
Peers and organizational leaders who have worked alongside Al describe someone who improves outcomes, strengthens strategic position, and fosters the kind of relationships that outlast any single engagement.
— Based on direct feedback from senior nonprofit and healthcare leaders in Massachusetts
Technology through-line
Built on data from the beginning
The instinct to find where technology and operational process intersect — and build something better — has been present at every stage, not just the recent ones.
Data architecture & dashboards
Multi-platform reporting at Incompass pulling from EHR and finance systems — real-time contract utilization against state maximum obligations. Board-level quality and risk dashboards at CLASS.
RCM & billing infrastructure
End-to-end revenue cycle at RBTR Institute from scratch: payer contracting, credentialing, clearinghouse, EHR data extraction, Excel transformation logic, QuickBooks integration, copay billing. Fully documented.
Workflow automation
Power Automate at RBTR reducing manual processing across the finance stack. PolicyStat and Smartsheet at Incompass. Access database design at COTS and Champlain Community Services going back to the early 2000s.
Policy modeling & BLS analysis
The ADDP rate campaign succeeded because the analytical model was airtight. Building the data case — not just commissioning it — is what moved the outcome from the 50th to the 75th BLS wage percentile.
Sector leadership
Coalitions and field contributions
ADDP Day Services Committee
Member 2015–2022. Co-Chair 2020–2022. Led the data analysis underlying the BLS-driven advocacy that shifted Massachusetts DDS reimbursement methodology.
Arc of Massachusetts Council of Executives
Seven years alongside peer CEOs and executive directors statewide — state advocacy cycles, provider coalition work, and peer learning.
Career history