This is great news, Donna. We will all miss Esme, but Cindy sounds like a perfect fit for NACDD. I look forward to meeting her and working with her.
Molly
From: Donna Meltzer [mailto:xxxxxx@nacdd.org]
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 10:56 AM
To: 'Alison Lozano'; 'Ann Trudgeon'; 'arlene Poncelet'; 'Becky Harker'; 'Beth Swedeen'; 'Brian Cox'; 'xxxxxx@myfairpoint.net'; 'Carol Stamatakis'; 'Carolyn Knight'; 'Charles Hughes'; 'Cheryl Hess'; 'Chris Egan'; 'Chris Miller'; 'Claire Mantonya'; 'Daniel Shannon'; 'Deborah Swingley'; 'Debra Dowds'; Donna Meltzer; 'Ed Holen'; 'Elmyra Jones'; 'Eric Jacobson'; 'Graham Mulholland'; 'Heidi Lawyer'; 'Jaime Daignault'; 'Joanna Cordry'; 'John Block'; Karen Schwartz; 'Kristen Larsen'; 'Larry Clausen'; 'Marcia Tewell'; 'Mary Lee Underwood'; 'Mary Okero'; 'Mathew McCollough'; 'Mike Clark'; Cole, Molly; 'Nancy Cronin'; 'nlaga4@yahoo.com'; 'Norma Smith'; 'Pam Sablan'; 'Pat Maichle'; 'Patrick Reinhart'; 'Rosanne Ada'; 'Sandee Winchell'; 'Shannon Buller'; 'Sheila Carey'; 'Sheila Romano'; 'Sherry Manning'; 'Steve Gieber'; 'Steve Wiseman'; 'Suellen Jackson-Boner'; 'Teresa Sander'; 'Valarie Bishop'; 'Vendella Colllins'; 'Vicky Davidson'; 'Wanda Willis'; 'Waynette Cabral'; 'Yvonne D. Petersen'; 'xxxxxx@nacdd.simplelists.com'
Cc: Sonia Vega; Marshall Jones; Sheryl Matney; Angela Castillo-Epps
Subject: NACDD Hires New Public Policy Director!
Dear Colleagues:
While we are still feeling very sad that Esmé Grant has left NACDD, we are happy to announce that a close colleague of ours, Cindy Smith, has agreed to join NACDD and serve as our new Director of Public Policy. Cindy comes from our sister program, NDRN where she currently serves on their public policy staff. Cindy is a lobbyist, attorney, and has finished doctorate level education in special education. She brings to us a deep knowledge of developmental disability policy and expertise in key areas such as education and employment. Cindy also previously worked at ICI Boston on data collection related to employment of people with disabilities and was a policy specialist with CHADD, Children and Adults with AD/HD. Cindy has expertise in social policy and disability and disability and diversity. She is also a sibling and came to DC from Massachusetts. Those of you who participate in the Public Policy Committee had the chance to hear Cindy speak on a Committee call a few months back and may know that she and Esmé collaborated on many things together. Cindy will be a true asset to our network and I am excited to have her on board.
Cindy’s first day will be February 12, 2015. In the interim please share your concerns or questions regarding public policy items with me. Our former intern Josh Rappaport will be assisting me in triaging important policy/legislative matters over the coming weeks so please also do not be surprised if you receive emails or calls from Josh (xxxxxx@nacdd.org). We will do our very best to keep everything moving forward in the absence of a public policy director.
Thanks so much!
Donna
Donna A. Meltzer, CEO
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
1825 K Street, NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
202-506-5813 extension 103
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