BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Amy Howard has been named interim CEO at ACHIEVE, the chapter of The ARC New York that serves Broome, Chenango, and Tioga counties.
Howard has been with ACHIEVE for more than 12 years, serving as VP of operations and, more recently, as COO.
She replaces Mary Jo Thorn, who stepped down from the CEO position after 13 years. In ACHIEVE’s February newsletter, Thorn said good-bye and shared “that among the many passions I have had in my life — there are three that have been lifelong — my family, the work that I do, and dogs (of which I currently have four).”
Howard says changes in how the state’s Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities are driving changes at ACHIEVE. Programs are shifting to integrate clients into the community more than in the past, she says. ACHIEVE shut down its workshops last year in favor of training people to work with other employers, supported by job coaches who can help those employers should issues arise.
The organization serves some 2,200 people in the three-county area. ACHIEVE has 550 employees and a budget last year of $28.5 million. It has multiple programs, 20 group homes, housing about 170 people, and supported employment programs that serve 360.
Contact McChesney at cmcchesney@cnybj.com
Photo credit: ACHIEVE
