Providence Center Names Karen Adams-Gilchrist CEO and President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          Contact:  Aimee Bullen

October 11, 2016                                                          410-766-2212 x110

Providence Center Announces New Leadership: Karen Adams-Gilchrist named CEO and President

Glen Burnie  –  Providence Center, a non-profit organization that serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, announced today that it has selected     Karen P. Adams-Gilchrist as its new Chief Executive Officer effective November 15, 2016.

Adams-Gilchrist will join Providence Center with more than 25 years of nonprofit management and supervisory experience, most recently as Chief Program Officer for Easter Seals UCP North Carolina & Virginia.

“We are delighted to have Karen join Providence Center as its new CEO,” said Charles “Chuck” Goodman, Chairman of Providence Center’s Board of Directors. “The selection process was rigorous and Karen’s leadership skills and track record in organizational management, program development, and strategic planning will build a strong future for Providence Center. Her career has been devoted to serving and empowering people with disabilities and it is clear she has our mission at heart.”

“Providence Center has been supporting its community for 55 years with strong and dynamic programs that are impacting lives throughout Anne Arundel County,” said Karen Adams-Gilchrist.  “I am humbled to join the Providence Center’s team.  I look forward to building on Providence Center’s rich history and working alongside an extraordinary team of staff to ensure a solid financial position and supportive programs that continue to enrich lives and create fulfilling and contributing roles in the community by doing the right things for the right reasons, Everyday.”

Karen will relocate from North Carolina where she has spent the past 25+ years in the developmental disabilities field, including 19 years of program operations oversight at Easter Seals UCP North Carolina & Virginia where she was responsible for a budget of $75 million, a staff of 2,000 employees, and programs that supported more than 20,000 individuals. She received her bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University in Maryland.

Providence Center, a non-profit organization based in Anne Arundel County, empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to build skills, gain independence, reach life goals, and find meaningful, contributing roles in their communities. Providence Center meets the growing needs of nearly 500 men and women through an array of services and supports, including job discovery, vocational training and supported employment, skills training for more independent living, and transportation.

The mission of Providence Center is to provide services that allow individuals with disabilities to enjoy increased self-determination in leading a more independent, valuable and functioning role in society. These support services are individually designed and professionally managed to enable these individuals to exercise higher levels of control over their lives.