FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Peri Jude Radecic, Executive
Director
May
29, 2007 (520) 327-9547, extension 23
Peri Jude Radecic Takes Over as Executive Director of
the Arizona Center for Disability Law
Radecic to implement organization’s new strategic
plan.
Phoenix, Arizona....Today, Peri Jude Radecic (pronounced Rad-ah-sick) takes over as Executive Director of the Arizona Center for Disability Law (Center). The Center is the only non-profit legal
advocacy organization in Arizona
protecting the rights of children and adults with a wide range of physical,
mental, psychiatric, sensory and cognitive disabilities. The Center investigates reports of abuse and
neglect; advocates for basic rights to health and mental health care services
as well as access to public accommodations; ensures fair housing and equal
employment opportunities; and ensures that children with disabilities have
access to a free and appropriate public education.
A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
native and University of Arizona James E. Rodgers Law School graduate, Radecic
has worked to expand civil rights for all Americans for over 20 years. Radecic joined the Center in 2003 as a staff
attorney and has focused her work on voting rights and state public policy
issues. Prior to that, she served as the
Civil Rights Manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development
in Washington
state enforcing federal civil rights laws with
recipients of federal funds. Her civil
rights expertise also includes lobbying for passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) in Washington. During the ADA
debate, Ms. Radecic was the civil rights lobbyist for the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force working to ensure that individuals with HIV and AIDS were
included in the ADA.
As Executive Director,
Radecic will be responsible for the overall management and operation of the
Center. With offices in Tucson
and Phoenix,
Radecic will lead a staff of 29 with a budget of 2.2 million dollars. The Center does not charge clients for their services;
instead, it is funded through federal, state and local grants as well as the
generous contributions of individuals in the community.
As Executive Director,
Radecic intends to carry out a new three year strategic plan for the
organization. “The Center’s Board of
Directors is committed to increasing the availability of much needed legal and
advocacy services to children and adults with disabilities across Arizona,” said Radecic. “With shrinking federal resources, my job
will be to secure new community, corporate and foundation support and use those
dollars to reach communities outside of the metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Tucson. We have a talented and
dedicated staff who are experts in disability rights. We need to be able to get our staff into
communities across the state and expand opportunities for children and adults
with disabilities.”
Mary
Slaughter, President of
the Board of Directors, commenting on Radecic’s new
assignment, stated, “Peri Jude has done an excellent job as Acting Executive
Director of the Center. She has already
expanded our fundraising capacity and the Board is looking forward to her
leadership as she carries out our new strategic vision. She brings a wealth of organizing,
fundraising, lobbying, non-profit management, civil rights enforcement and
legal experience and is uniquely qualified to strengthen civil rights for
children and adults with disabilities.”
Radecic replaces Henry Watkins, who has served as Executive Director
of the Center from 2005-2006. Radecic
has been serving as the Acting Executive Director since Watkins departure from
his position in October 2006.
-30-
The Arizona Center for
Disability Law is a not for profit public interest law firm, dedicated to
protecting the rights of individuals with a wide range of physical, mental,
psychiatric, sensory and cognitive disabilities. The Arizona Center
for Disability Law is authorized under various federal statutes to ensure the
protection and advocacy of all individuals with disabilities in the state.
