CQL Welcomes Chris Stewart To Its Board of Directors

Posted on April 24, 2023

Chris Stewart has been appointed to the Board of Directors for CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. He will serve as the national board representative for The Arc of the United States, which is a founding organization of CQL. Stewart, who has worked in the human services field for more than 20 years, is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at The Arc of Central Alabama.

“Chris is a recognized leader with decades of experience in the field that will help our board continue to move CQL forward,” says Laura Vegas, Board Chair of CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. “And with starting his career outside of human services, he also brings valuable expertise from the for-profit world as well.”

In his leadership role at The Arc of Central Alabama, Stewart is responsible for oversight of more than 650 employees across 89 locations, who manage a wide range of programs and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to becoming the President and CEO in 2013,
Stewart was the organization’s Chief Financial Officer beginning in 1999. He currently serves on numerous federal, state, and local committees and boards across diverse areas of the disability services system.

“I am honored to be appointed to serve in this capacity. CQL has made large strides in helping the IDD community and The Arc family is truly grateful,” shares Stewart.

Stewart has received many prestigious honors throughout his career. These include a number of different awards acknowledging excellence in leadership from entities such as The Arc’s National Conference of Executives, the Alabama Disability Conference, and the Birmingham Business Journal.

“We’re honored to have Chris on our board of directors. His perspective from a provider organization is so beneficial for us,” adds Mary Kay Rizzolo, President and CEO of CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. “Since The Arc of Central Alabama is accredited by CQL, Chris has deeper insights into how we can improve as an organization.”

He was also appointed to Alabama’s Interagency Autism Coordinating Council in 2018 and his Arc Chapter was awarded the CARES Award at the Autism Conference in 2023. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) turned to Stewart for feedback about Alabama’s Medicaid programming and its Statewide Transition Plan for compliance with the HCBS Settings Rule.

CQL’s Board of Directors

CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership is governed by a 15-person Board of Directors. With in-depth experience across the human services field covering a wide variety of areas, the board plays a critical role in helping CQL identify and meet its organizational objectives.

CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership is governed by a 15-person Board of Directors. With in-depth experience across the human services field covering a wide variety of areas, the board plays a critical role in helping CQL identify and meet its organizational objectives.

Board of Directors – Officers

• Laura Vegas, Chairperson
  NASDDDS
• Desiree Loucks Baer, Vice Chairperson
  NADSP
• Celia S. Feinstein, Treasurer
  Independent Consultant
• Courtney T. Kelly, Secretary
  Liberty Healthcare Corporation

Board of Directors – Members

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About CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership

Since 1969, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership has been a leader in working with human service organizations and systems to continuously define, measure, and improve quality of life and quality of services for youth, adults, and older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. CQL offers accreditation, training, certification, research, and consultation services to agencies that share our vision of dignity, opportunity, and community for all people.