James M Boles is a retired Health and Human services administrator with over forty years' experience is the helping professions. Starting in direct care positions he rose to the position of CEO in a not for profit human service agency serving over 10,000 people. He has been researching early healing, health and helping agencies for many years and has an interest in under-examined or unexplored history. His background includes the opening of one of the first community group homes for the Mentally Ill, founding of the Museum of disABILITY History, Buffalo, New York and authoring and contributing to many publications. Founder of People Inc Press which publishes disability related materials. He received his Doctor of Education degree from Columbia University in 1978. For several years, as adjunct professor, he taught disability related courses at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York. In 2006 he was appointed by George W. Bush to the board of The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, serving two terms. The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities presented him in 2011 with the Hervey B. Wilburn Historic Preservation Award.