Council Welcomes New Director
The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities is pleased to announce that Kimberly Mercer-Schleider has been selected as the new Director. Kimberly has 14 years of professional experience in supporting individuals with disabilities. She started her career as a teacher for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) with students with Autism in one of the district’s largest high schools. She left teaching to support programming efforts at Center for Independent Futures. While there, Kimberly developed community based housing options, oversaw staffing structures, and helped to create supports needed to successfully support adults with disabilities to live in the community. Most recently Kimberly has been the Transition Manager for CPS where she has overseen district wide transition supports for the nation's 3rd largest school district.
With Kimberly's knowledge, experience, energy and enthusiasm the Council will continue on its path of leading change in Illinois so that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead full lives in their communities. Director Mercer-Schleider will assume her duties on Monday, September 12, 2016.