The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the nation’s premier civil rights organization representing the estimated 11 to 34 million deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the United States, has entered the final phase of its executive recruitment process. NAD President Stephanie Hakulin officially announced that the organization is accepting final applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer, with the submission window closing promptly at midnight on March 2. This high-stakes transition marks a pivotal moment for the 144-year-old advocacy group as it seeks a leader capable of navigating an increasingly digital, policy-driven, and diverse landscape.
The Search Process and Methodology
The current search for a new CEO is being facilitated in partnership with Innivee Strategies, a consulting firm specializing in organizational leadership and succession planning for deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations. The selection process was designed to be highly participatory, diverging from traditional, insular corporate headhunting. Throughout the fall of 2023 and the early months of 2024, the NAD board conducted a series of community-wide surveys and focus groups. These efforts were intended to capture the diverse needs of the community, ranging from educational equity and accessibility to legislative advocacy and digital inclusion.
The resulting prospectus is described by the board as a collaborative document that encapsulates the organizational requirements for the next leader. Key competencies outlined in the search criteria include a deep understanding of American Sign Language (ASL) linguistics, demonstrated proficiency in federal policy advocacy, experience in non-profit fiscal management, and the ability to maintain the NAD’s historical commitment to the civil rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens.
Organizational Background and Historical Context
Founded in 1880, the NAD serves as the primary national advocacy organization for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Its mission centers on the preservation, protection, and promotion of the civil, human, and linguistic rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the United States. The organization’s scope of influence includes litigation regarding accessibility, lobbying for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enforcement, and promoting inclusive education models.
The decision to initiate a formal search for a new CEO follows a period of organizational evolution and leadership transition. Historically, the NAD has served as a cornerstone of the deaf community, providing a centralized voice in Washington, D.C. The incoming CEO will be tasked with managing a complex ecosystem that includes legal teams, lobbyists, communication specialists, and a vast network of state associations. Given the organization’s mandate to protect the rights of a community that frequently faces systemic barriers in healthcare, employment, and education, the leadership role requires a unique intersection of political acumen and cultural competence.
Chronology of the Recruitment Effort
The roadmap for this leadership transition was established in mid-2023, following the board’s determination that a change in executive management was necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization.
- August 2023: The NAD Board of Directors formally announces the intent to initiate a nationwide search for a new CEO, establishing a search committee and contracting with Innivee Strategies.
- September – November 2023: The organization executes a community engagement campaign. This included four town-hall-style focus groups and an online survey distributed via social media and organizational newsletters to gather feedback on the desired traits of the next leader.
- December 2023: The search committee publishes the official prospectus, outlining the strategic pillars of the role and the technical requirements for applicants.
- January 2024: Formal recruitment begins, with active outreach to leaders within the non-profit sector, academia, and disability rights advocacy groups.
- February 2024: The search enters its final stage. President Stephanie Hakulin issues a formal reminder to the community, emphasizing the impending March 2 deadline.
- March 2024 and Beyond: The search committee will move into the vetting and interview phase, with plans to narrow the pool of candidates before final selection by the Board of Directors.
Supporting Data and Demographic Significance
The urgency of this search is underscored by the current climate of accessibility advocacy. According to data from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 15 percent of American adults report some trouble hearing. As the population ages and technology continues to change the way information is consumed, the role of the NAD in advocating for closed captioning, video relay services, and educational accessibility becomes increasingly critical.
Furthermore, the economic impact of the work performed by the NAD is substantial. The organization’s advocacy directly influences compliance with the ADA, which affects the integration of millions of people into the workforce. The incoming CEO will be expected to manage an operating budget that sustains legal defense funds and public awareness campaigns, both of which are funded largely through membership dues, grants, and private donations. The ability to articulate the value proposition of the NAD to donors and stakeholders will be a primary performance metric for the successful candidate.
Stakeholder Perspectives and Internal Reactions
While the board has maintained a policy of confidentiality regarding specific candidates, the general sentiment within the broader deaf community is one of anticipation. Many stakeholders have emphasized the importance of a leader who is not only fluent in ASL but is also attuned to the intersectional needs of the community, including the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the deaf community.
Industry observers note that the search represents a shift toward a more transparent, community-led hiring model. By soliciting direct feedback through surveys, the NAD has effectively decentralized the hiring process, ensuring that the final choice has a degree of popular mandate. This approach is intended to foster trust between the leadership and the membership, a critical component for an organization that relies on grassroots mobilization for its advocacy efforts.
The Path Forward: Implications for Advocacy
The appointment of a new CEO will have immediate implications for the NAD’s strategic focus over the next five to ten years. Key issues likely to be at the forefront of the new leader’s agenda include:
- Digital Accessibility: Addressing the proliferation of AI-generated captioning and ensuring that digital platforms remain accessible to users who rely on high-fidelity, human-verified translations.
- Legislative Advocacy: Strengthening the enforcement of the ADA and addressing gaps in educational services that continue to impact deaf students in public schools.
- Organizational Sustainability: Navigating the transition from traditional funding models to more diversified income streams, ensuring that the organization can continue to fund high-cost litigation efforts.
- Cultural Representation: Strengthening the organization’s commitment to diversity and ensuring that the leadership team reflects the full spectrum of the deaf experience.
As the March 2 deadline approaches, the search committee is preparing for a rigorous review period. Following the close of the application window, the committee will evaluate resumes against the established criteria, conduct initial virtual interviews, and eventually invite finalists for in-person meetings with the Board of Directors.
The NAD has encouraged those interested in the role to visit the official Innivee Strategies portal, where the full prospectus remains available. The transparency of this process, highlighted by the public release of the prospectus and the inclusion of community voices, serves as a benchmark for how national advocacy organizations can navigate leadership transitions in an era that demands both high-level professional expertise and deep, lived-experience-based empathy.
As the organization moves toward this new chapter, the deaf and hard-of-hearing community remains focused on the outcome. The selection of a CEO is not merely an administrative hiring event; it is a foundational decision that will define the trajectory of deaf rights in the United States for years to come. Whether the new leader will focus on aggressive litigation or collaborative policy reform remains to be seen, but the process currently in place suggests that the NAD is committed to finding a candidate who understands the weight of the responsibility and the significance of the community they represent.
For those interested in following the progress of this search, the NAD continues to provide updates via its official website at nad.org/ceosearch, where archives of previous search-related documentation and community feedback summaries are also available to the public. As the deadline passes, the next phase of the process will focus on the quiet but essential work of deliberation, with the community expected to receive further updates once the board has completed its initial vetting of the applicant pool.
