The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the nation’s premier civil rights organization representing the estimated 11 million deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the United States, has officially announced the appointment of Nicholas Kiego as its next Chief Executive Officer. The announcement, delivered by NAD Board President Stephanie Hakulin, marks the culmination of a rigorous, nationwide search process aimed at stabilizing the organization and charting a definitive course for its future. Mr. Kiego is set to assume his leadership role on August 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the 58th Biennial NAD Conference in San Francisco.
This leadership transition represents a critical juncture for the 144-year-old federation. Established in 1880, the NAD has served as the primary advocacy body for the protection of the linguistic rights, education, and accessibility of deaf Americans. The appointment of Kiego follows a transformative two-year tenure under Interim CEO Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins, who was brought in to restore fiscal and operational stability following a period of organizational volatility.
A Chronology of Organizational Transition
The path to appointing a permanent CEO has been characterized by careful deliberation and a commitment to community-driven governance. Following the departure of previous long-term leadership, the NAD Board of Directors initiated a comprehensive search in early 2025. This search process prioritized candidates capable of addressing the multifaceted challenges of a modern non-profit, including financial sustainability, legislative advocacy, and the maintenance of a diverse, nationwide membership base.
Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins’ tenure as Interim CEO, which began in 2024, is widely regarded by stakeholders as a "stabilization period." During these 24 months, the NAD focused on rebuilding its internal infrastructure, streamlining its reporting processes, and reaffirming its role as the lead plaintiff in several high-profile legal challenges regarding American Sign Language (ASL) access. The decision to appoint Kiego serves as the final step in the Board’s "Road to Stability" initiative, transitioning the organization from a period of recovery to one of proactive growth.
Strategic Objectives for the Incoming Leadership
In his first public remarks following the appointment, Nicholas Kiego outlined a clear, ambitious agenda. Addressing the Board and the membership via a formal video announcement, Kiego articulated a multi-pronged strategy centered on six key pillars: rebuilding institutional trust, ensuring long-term financial solvency, aggressive membership expansion, revenue diversification, mission-focused programming, and the preservation of the NAD’s historical legacy.
Financial sustainability remains a paramount concern for the organization. Like many civil rights organizations, the NAD has faced fluctuations in donor giving and grant availability in the post-pandemic economic landscape. By focusing on revenue growth, Kiego intends to insulate the organization from market volatility, allowing the NAD to maintain its commitment to public policy advocacy in Washington, D.C., and beyond. Furthermore, his emphasis on "rebuilding trust" suggests a recognition that the organization must remain transparent and responsive to the evolving needs of its affiliates—the state associations and organizational members that constitute the federation’s backbone.
The Significance of the 58th Biennial Conference
The 58th Biennial NAD Conference, scheduled for June 30 to July 5, 2026, in San Francisco, is positioned as more than a standard industry gathering. It is the forum where the new CEO will be introduced to the membership, and, more importantly, it is where the strategic goals for the next decade will be solidified.
The biennial conference is a legislative and democratic milestone for the organization. During these five days, individual members and organizational delegates participate in the Council of Representatives, where they vote on resolutions that dictate the NAD’s advocacy priorities for the subsequent two years. The presence of the incoming CEO during these deliberations is a deliberate move by the Board to ensure that leadership is aligned with the grassroots concerns of the deaf community. Analysts expect that Kiego’s presence will provide an early indicator of his management style, particularly regarding his ability to engage with community stakeholders and reconcile disparate priorities within the federation.
Data and Institutional Context
The NAD operates within a complex ecosystem of advocacy and legal services. Data from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) indicates that the population of Americans who are deaf or hard-of-hearing continues to grow, yet accessibility to healthcare, education, and employment remains inconsistent. The NAD’s role is to act as the primary watchdog for these civil rights.
Current organizational metrics show that the NAD supports over 50 state and local associations. Maintaining this network requires a delicate balance of centralized coordination and decentralized execution. The "heavy lifting" performed by Dr. Scoggins included the successful management of these affiliates, ensuring that local organizations were equipped to handle regional advocacy issues while contributing to the national platform. The Board’s confidence in Kiego is predicated on his ability to scale these efforts, potentially through increased investment in digital advocacy tools and updated communication strategies that resonate with a younger generation of deaf activists.
Official Responses and Stakeholder Reactions
The Board of Directors, led by Stephanie Hakulin, has expressed full confidence in Kiego’s strategic vision. The Search Committee, composed of representatives from various sectors of the deaf community, reportedly received feedback from hundreds of stakeholders before narrowing the pool of candidates. This participatory approach was intended to mitigate the friction that can often accompany a change in executive leadership.
"The NAD stands on solid ground," President Hakulin stated during the announcement. "Because of the groundwork laid by Dr. Scoggins, we are now prepared to move into a phase of innovation."
While the formal reaction from major partner organizations has been one of optimism, observers note that the success of the new CEO will ultimately be measured by the organization’s ability to secure legislative victories. The NAD’s legislative department is currently tracking several bills regarding captioning requirements in streaming media and the standardization of ASL interpretation services in medical facilities. The transition of power will be scrutinized by these partners to ensure that there is no "lag time" in these critical advocacy efforts.
Implications for the Future of the NAD
The appointment of Nicholas Kiego signals a shift toward a modern, corporate-adjacent model of non-profit management. The emphasis on revenue, membership growth, and financial stability suggests that the NAD is preparing for a future where advocacy is increasingly expensive and competitive.
The broader implications of this transition are significant. As the deaf community continues to leverage technology to bridge accessibility gaps, the NAD must decide whether to position itself as a traditional membership organization or a high-tech advocacy hub. Kiego’s background and his commitment to the "significance of the NAD’s legacy" suggest he intends to bridge these two worlds—respecting the history of the organization while adopting modern management techniques to ensure it remains relevant for the next century.
For the membership, the message from the Board is clear: the organization is ready to move beyond the internal focus of the last two years and return to the external focus that defines its mission. The San Francisco conference will serve as the litmus test for this transition. With the infrastructure for growth already in place, the organization’s trajectory will now depend on how effectively Kiego can mobilize the collective energy of the deaf community toward unified national goals.
As of August 1, 2026, the NAD will officially enter a new chapter. With a clear mandate to rebuild and a focus on community engagement, the incoming leadership faces the challenge of uniting a diverse, passionate, and historically significant organization under a singular, forward-looking vision. The eyes of the community will be on San Francisco this summer, where the next era of the National Association of the Deaf will begin to take shape.
