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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 18, 2022
ECNV Board Taps Dominique Dunford-Lack as Interim Executive Director
On February 16, 2022, the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc. (ECNV), Board of Directors appointed Dominique Dunford-Lack as the Interim Executive Director. ECNV is a community resource and advocacy center run by and for persons with disabilities. ECNV Board chair, LeeAnn Alberts, announced that Dunford-Lack was selected because of her demonstrated commitment to ECNV and disability justice as well as a strong business background that can continue and grow the work that Jill Jacobs began as ECNV Executive Director.
Dunford-Lack brings new energy to ECNV and a strong commitment to equity and disability justice. “As an advocate for the disability community and someone who lives with an ‘invisible disability’ myself, I am passionate about furthering the mission of ECNV,” Dunford-Lack said. “I hope to elevate the diverse perspectives and experiences of people within the disability community, and to address the intersectional factors of discrimination they may face in their daily interactions.”
ECNV is not new to Dunford-Lack. She formerly served as a member and Vice-Chair of ECNV’s Board of Directors from 2020, and has volunteered for ECNV and other disability advocacy and social justice initiatives such as voter engagement since the early 2000s.
Dunford-Lack comes to ECNV from the private sector. She previously worked for Fannie Mae in Credit Risk and Green Asset Management of multifamily real estate. Before that, she worked in the commercial real estate and insurance industry for more than ten years. She has a master's degree in Business Administration from the Darden School of Business. She’s also been an entrepreneur in two small business endeavors and was the co-founder of Hearthstone, a grassroots organization committed to forward beautiful universally-designed and affordable housing for people with disabilities and seniors.
“Dominique is the right person to lead ECNV as we build on the changes that Jill started," stated Cherie Takemoto, ECNV Director of Disability Justice and Strategic Innovation. "She brings a firm commitment to disability justice as it intersects with other marginalized identities. Her business acumen and years of active experience as a volunteer and member of the ECNV board are a winning combination for future success.”
Former Executive Director, Jill Jacobs, was appointed by the Biden administration as the Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities within the Administration for Community Living at Health and Human Services. Prior to her exit, Jacobs commented, “As much as I look forward to the many ways I can continue my work in disability justice at the federal level, I’m not sure that I could have accepted my new position if Dominique wasn’t there to continue and grow the many new initiatives we began, while I was there.”
The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) is a Center for Independent Living (CIL) serving Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, and Falls Church. Founded in 1982, we are a community-based non-profit agency run by people with disabilities. We are a cross-disability organization and work with people of all ages who have every type of disability. With our geographic proximity to the nation's capital, ECNV’s advocacy is instrumental not only in local and state legislative efforts but also federally and will continue to do so for decades to come.
For More Information Contact:
Laura Halvorson
Communications Coordinator
LHalvorson@ecnv.org
(571) 410-0676
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