FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2024
BERKELEY, CA — The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Bohn as its new Executive Director. Bohn brings 27 years of experience leading disability organizations and a deep commitment to incorporate anti-ableism and disability justice principles to her new role. She will become Executive Director effective June 3, 2024.
Nicole Bohn possesses an exceptional blend of professional expertise, leadership acumen, and lifelong lived experience as a person with a disability. Members of the Search Committee lauded Bohn’s extensive track record in advancing accessibility initiatives, her collaborative approach to driving change, her experience working with multiply-marginalized communities, and her unwavering dedication to empowering individuals with disabilities. Bohn’s appointment as the new Executive Director of DREDF represents a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing pursuit of equity and justice for people with disabilities.
Bohn joins DREDF from the City and County of San Francisco, where she served as the Director of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office on Disability since January 2017. In this capacity, she served as the overall ADA Coordinator for the City and County of San Francisco, overseeing disability compliance and elevating accessibility initiatives for over 96,000 residents and visitors with disabilities.
During her tenure with the Mayor’s Office on Disability, Bohn led numerous initiatives aimed at advancing accessibility and disability rights both locally and at the state and federal levels. Some of her notable accomplishments include:
- Leading the push for the San Francisco Disability Community Cultural Center, which will be the first municipal disability cultural center in the United States.
- Spearheading accessibility initiatives such as accessible remote public comment, JFK Promenade accessibility improvements, and the commemoration of the historic disability rights sit-in to demand the implementation of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
- Advocating for accessible transportation and safe deployment of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco.
- Advising on disability-specific pandemic response efforts, including masking advocacy and COVID vaccine clinics for people with disabilities and older adults.
- Serving as leader and advisor in various committees including the Pandemic & Emergency Response: Disability Access working group.
Nicole Bohn chatting with community activist, Dennis Billups.
Bohn’s extensive professional background also includes serving as the Director of Disability Programs and Resource Center at San Francisco State University, where she managed accommodations and services for students and employees with disabilities. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco.
DREDF embarked on a comprehensive search process, spanning over six months, to identify the ideal candidate for the position of Executive Director. Guided by the executive search firm Vetted Solutions, the Search Committee included four staff members and four board members. Vetted Solutions collected input from the staff, board, and community stakeholders, which informed the job description and the Committee’s objectives for the ideal candidate. Through a rigorous vetting process, the committee meticulously evaluated candidates’ qualifications, experiences, and personal attributes to ensure alignment with DREDF’s vision, values, and goals.
In her new role as Executive Director of DREDF, Nicole Bohn will lead the organization in its mission to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development. Bohn will be succeeding DREDF’s Executive Director of 16 years, Susan Henderson.
“We are thrilled to welcome Nicole Bohn as the new Executive Director of DREDF,” said H. Stephen Kaye, DREDF Board President. “Her wealth of experience, proven leadership, and dedication to disability rights make her the ideal candidate to lead our organization into the future.”
Media Contact:
Tina Pinedo
DREDF Communications Director
media@dredf.org
510-225-7726
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About Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) is a leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities. Founded in 1979, DREDF works to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development. Learn more at dredf.org.