Adele Foschia has managed non profit organizations for many years. Prior to her retirement in 2003, Adele was the President and Chief Executive of Easter Seals North Carolina, moving to North Carolina in 1987 to head the organization. Prior to that time, she was the CEO of Easter Seals organizations in Washington, D. C. and Texas. She retired from Easter Seals in 2003. In all three sites, she was the first female CEO.
Adele has a M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Maryland. During her 20 year tenure in D. C. where she was a teacher, Center Director and then CEO, she served on the very first Head Start Advisory Board and started the first early intervention and day care program for disabled infants and toddlers. She also served on the first Protection and Advocacy Board of Directors in Washington D.C. When she left, the Mayor of Washington proclaimed an official Adele Foschia Day in recognition of her accomplishments for the children of that city.
While Adele was in Texas where she was the State Director for Easter Seals, she implemented a complete reorganization of that affiliate, resulting in a model that has been duplicated by many other affiliates throughout the national organization. During her time there, a comprehensive children's development center and related programs in Austin, the state capital, were brought into the Easter Seals organization through merger/acquisition.
Adele has been a leader at the national level as well. She has held numerous positions with the Easter Seals Leadership Association, including serving as president. Adele received the Myrtle M. and Tom B. Medders Award in 1980 from Easter Seals national, a prestigious award given to an outstanding chief executive officer. Easter Seals North Carolina received numerous awards under her leadership.
Prior to her retirement, Adele spearheaded for Easter Seals the merger between Easter Seals and UCP in North Carolina. That merger took place on 1/1/04. The resulting organization, with a budget of more than $50 million dollars, brings even more services, both in number and diversity, than either organization could have delivered on its own to the people of North Carolina in need of services.
Since her retirement from Easter Seals, Adele has provided consulting work for national Easter Seals and various local organizations. She has most recently served as the Interim Executive Director and CEO for NAMI North Carolina, a statewide affiliate providing services to people with mental illness.
Adele has served and continues to serve on numerous Coalitions and disability organizations in North Carolina. She has served as Treasurer of Coalition 2001, Treasurer of the Disability Rights Center Board of Directors and Advisor to the Association of Self Advocates of North Carolina.
Adele is married, has two children and two grandchildren, and resides in Raleigh, N.C.
"I am so pleased to be a part of the process as protection and advocacy services (P & A) move to a non-profit organization. My years of experience in non-profit work have convinced me that effective non-profit organizations provide accountability and visibility not available in any other organizational structure. CLA's outstanding reputation over the years on behalf of people with disabilities certainly enhances the opportunity for a highly successful operation for P & A in the years to come."