The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) has announced the appointment of Valerie Breen as its new executive director. She will assume responsibilities on March 20, succeeding Debra Dowds who recently retired.
Breen has served as chief executive officer of the Brain Injury Association of Florida (BIAF) since 2005. Her expertise in the field of health care and disabilities spans a more than 30-year career working in the health-related industry as an innovative leader of sustainable human service delivery programs and services. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Applied Social Sciences with a Master of Science degree in Social Administration, she has dedicated most of her career to ensuring that families impacted by chronic and disabling conditions have access to the critical health and community-based resources necessary to thrive.
Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Mich., she moved to Florida in 1994 and currently resides in Tallahassee. She also serves as the overseer/care coordinator for her mother, who sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2010. She is a recognized health care consultant, an innovative leader in the field of health care and disabilities, and is a nationally recognized speaker on the subject.
“I am extremely honored to have been chosen as the next executive director for the FDDC and to work with such a committed Council, staff and community. My hope is that through my leadership, we can continue to positively impact the systems that serve persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. I look forward to bringing my passion and expertise developed through my 30-year career serving persons with disabilities to the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. My desire is to continue the Council’s mission to support Floridians with intellectual and developmental disabilities in accessing meaningful lives throughout the community,” said Breen.
The FDDC is a non-profit organization charged with advocating and promoting meaningful participation in all aspects of life for Floridians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more information on the FDDC, go to www.fddc.org.
