CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership is thrilled to announce that Katherine (Katy) Neas and Nancy A. Ward have been appointed to the organization’s Board of Directors. Ward and Neas are nationally recognized leaders in promoting policy, driving advocacy efforts, and advancing rights, that have positively impacted countless lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through more than 70 years of combined experience, the latest additions to the CQL Board of Directors will provide expert insight and help support CQL in realizing its vision and fulfilling its mission.
“From policy, to person-centered practices, to advocacy, and everything in between, Nancy and Katy bring a wealth of knowledge to CQL,” states Mary Kay Rizzolo, President and CEO of CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. “Their participation on our board helps strengthen CQL as an organization and reinforce our reputation as being synonymous with quality in the disability services field.”
Katherine (Katy) Neas is the CEO of The Arc of the United States, the oldest and largest nonprofit serving people with IDD. With more than 35 years of experience, Neas leads the Washington, DC-based national office of The Arc, including its nearly 600 state and local chapters. Neas’ decades-long career spans diverse areas in the field, including governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and member associations.
“I’m truly honored to join the CQL Board of Directors, an organization whose mission to elevate the lives of people with disabilities aligns deeply with my own values. For decades, I’ve witnessed the power of centering people with disabilities in decision-making – ensuring they have the tools, support, and opportunities to define their own futures,” shares Neas. “CQL is a leader in driving meaningful change across policies, services, and systems that directly impact lives. This is about building a future where people with disabilities are not just included but empowered – where they are seen, heard, and able to shape their own lives on their own terms.”
Nancy A. Ward is a lifelong, renowned advocate for people with IDD, being at the forefront of a wide range of issues involving rights, legislation, healthcare, general awareness, and more. For 20 years, Ward served as the voting rights advocate for the Oklahoma Disability Law Center, Inc. She has been actively involved in various national organizations including People First and SABE. Presenting on disability issues internationally, Ward has spoken in countries such as China, Japan, and Dubai.
“I am very excited to be SABE’s representative on the CQL Board. I am looking forward to working with the board on issues for people with developmental disabilities,” says Ward. “The opportunities I had for site visits with CQL previously make me excited to be able to work with the CQL board to help people in various living situations.”
About CQL’s Board of Directors
CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership is currently governed by a 12-person Board of Directors. Its members include national changemakers who are providing innovation in various aspects of the field, covering advocacy, awareness, legislation, policy, service delivery, research, and other areas.
CQL Board of Directors – Officers:
- Desiree Loucks Baer (NADSP) – Chairperson
- David Ervin (Makom) – Vice-Chairperson
- Celia S. Feinstein (Independent Consultant) – Treasurer
- Margaret A. Nygren (AAIDD) – Secretary
- Laura Vegas (NASDDDS) – Immediate Past Chairperson
CQL Board of Directors – Members:
- Christopher Banks (Autism Society of America)
- Thane Dykstra (Trinity Services, Inc.)
- Chester Finn (NYS OPWDD)
- Katherine Neas (The Arc of the United States)
- Chris Stewart (The Arc of Central Alabama)
- Nancy A. Ward (SABE)
- Angela Weis (Mosaic)
“Katy and Nancy are both transformative leaders who have made a substantial impact on the field and have driven efforts to help empower people with disabilities all over the world,” says Desiree Loucks Baer, Board Chairperson for CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership. “CQL will greatly benefit from their vast experience and fresh perspective on its Board of Directors.”
Learn More About CQL’s New Board Members
Katherine (Katy) Neas
Katherine (Katy) Neas is the CEO of The Arc of the United States, the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. She leads The Arc’s Washington, DC-based national office and network of nearly 600 state and local chapters, which provide direct support and advocacy to more than a million people with IDD across the United States.
Katy has a deep commitment to advancing the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities, exemplified by her 35-year career spanning government, nonprofit, and association sectors. She is well known as an ally and thought leader by government officials and legislators, nonprofit providers, self-advocates, parents, and executive staff across the country.
She began her career a staff to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy, where she worked on the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Katy spent 23 years at Easterseals, a national nonprofit that provides direct services to children and adults with disabilities and their families. She has extensive policy experience in early education, special education, employment and systems transformation for children and youth with disabilities and their families.
Prior to joining The Arc, Katy was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education where she managed a staff of 200 and a nearly $20 billion budget. She advised U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on matters related to the education of children and adults with disabilities and led efforts to support community living, improve education and employment outcomes, and to break barriers for all people with disabilities. She also directed the Department’s extensive work in addressing the mental health crisis affecting our nation’s youth.
In 2024, Katy was named one of Forbes Magazine’s 50 women over 50 who are making an impact. A graduate of Georgetown University, a mother, wife, and native of Des Moines, Iowa, Katy is widely regarded for her bipartisan and collaborative work. She is honored to lead The Arc into the future, working with its dedicated staff, board, chapters, self-advocates, families, and partners to build a world where people with IDD are valued members of society who have the power to choose how they live, learn, work, and play.
Nancy A. Ward
Nancy A. Ward was the voting rights advocate for the Oklahoma Disability Law Center, Inc., for 20 years. The center is the federally funded protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities in Oklahoma. She recently retired but continues to work on advocating for voting rights particularly for people with disabilities and seniors.
Nancy is actively involved in People First, a Self-Advocacy grassroots organization. She helped organize the first nation-wide Self-Advocacy organization, SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Empowered). She has spoken on disability issues world-wide including countries such as China, Japan and Dubai.
She has spoken to members of Congress and Oklahoma’s Legislature on disability issues and awareness, resulting in Oklahoma passing legislation in 2007 requiring any new laws use respectful language when referring to individuals with disabilities.
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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.
CQL Welcomes Katherine Neas and Nancy Ward to Its Board of Directors