James Gardner - CQL  An internationally recognized leader and visionary in the field of human services, James F. Gardner, Ph.D. has provided inspired leadership for The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) since 1989. Committed to organizations based on person-directed outcomes for people with disabilities, Dr. Gardner is an expert in the application of quality improvement methods to the field of human services. A compelling speaker, teacher and writer, Dr. Gardner has written and edited numerous publications in the field of human services and maintains a full schedule of speaking and teaching engagements.
Dr. Gardner earned a Ph.D from Indiana University in a dual program of American Studies and American Social History and a Masters in Administrative Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University. A recipient of a Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Medical Ethics at the Harvard Medical School, Dr. Gardner has held faculty positions at The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. In 2004, he was awarded the National Leadership Award from The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) for his proven exceptional leadership in human services. George Jesien - AUCD President Dr. George Jesien began his appointment as Executive Director of AAUAP on July 1, 1999. His experience includes extensive administrative and supervisory responsibility, most recently as the Executive Director of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation since 1997. In this role, he directed and managed Foundation activities, including national grants management, the public policy fellowship program, associate trustee program, and fiscal management of an annual budget of approximately $2.6 million. He served as a Principal Investigator for a series of federal, state, and locally funded projects in personnel preparation, research, materials development, outreach, direct services, and information dissemination via the Internet at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin and Madison between 1989 and 1997. In addition, Dr. Jesien was awarded a one year Kennedy Foundation Public Policy Fellowship in 1994 to work with the Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy with Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. Dr. Jesien has traveled extensively providing technical assistance for disability programs in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Stephen Bennett - UCP  Stephen Bennett leads UCP with a 30-year history of success in business development, strategic planning, financial management, marketing, event production, and local and national public policy.
As Executive Director of UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties from 1978-1986, he developed housing and assisted living facilities and advanced public policy for people with disabilities at both the state and federal levels. Bennett was the President of Pallotta TeamWorks from 2001-2002, where he managed 380 employees, an operating budget of $76 million and massive fundraising events for breast cancer and AIDS research. From 1992-2001, he created and headed a national consulting practice focused on health care enterprises. The firm developed business strategies and directed projects in managed care, financing, regional strategy, market strategy, public policy and e-health. Bennett was the CEO of AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) from 1978-1986, where he was credited with saving one of the nation’s largest AIDS service organizations from bankruptcy. Bennett has also taught at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and at Pepperdine University. Renee L. Pietrangelo, CEO - ANCOR Renee Pietrangelo was appointed CEO of the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) in November 1999. Since that time, she has orchestrated the development/transition of infrastructure, systems, processes and governance structure to support the vision and mission of ANCOR. This includes the creation of the ANCOR Foundation, a nonprofit 501© 3 education and research organization as well as a for-profit service arm of ANCOR; organization relocation to expanded headquarters facilities; and the launch of a National Advocacy Campaign to address the critical issues of staffing shortages and inadequate reimbursement for the supports and services providers offer. Ms. Pietrangelo has overseen a national workforce research initiative in support of the National Advocacy Campaign’s objectives and is recognized as a national spokesperson on the issue. In that capacity she has worked with numerous federal and state leaders in crafting initiatives to address workforce shortages. In 2004 she was awarded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services distinguished “Secretary’s Highest Recognition Award” by then Secretary Tommy Thompson. Ms. Pietrangelo has over 30 years’ experience as a nonprofit association executive, with established expertise in the areas of leadership competencies and development, and education and training. Her previous association executive positions were in the fields of medical technology and financial services. Ms. Pietrangelo has been integrally involved in quantitative and qualitative national research on leadership competencies. She earned her PhD in philosophy at Georgetown University, with an emphasis on ethics and human values. Chester Finn, SABE Doreen Croser - AAMR President Amy Hewitt, NADSP |
