RUTH HUGHES NAMED CHADD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (CHADD), the nation's leading organization serving
people of all ages affected by ADHD, today announced the appointment of
Ruth Hughes, PhD, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Hughes replaces E.
Clarke Ross, DPA, who left CHADD in September 2010.
In addition to leading the staff, Hughes will serve as CHADD's
primary representative and chief spokesperson in Washington, DC. "Ruth
embraces the disability, understands CHADD, and knows Washington, DC,"
said Steven Peer, President of CHADD's board of directors. "This is
evidenced by the strides she has made in her seven months as interim
CEO."
Hughes is a clinical psychologist and the mother of an adult son who
has ADHD. She previously served as CHADD's Deputy CEO and Chief Program
Officer. Her responsibilities have included public policy, chapter
services, membership, and CHADD's Parent to Parent and Teacher to
Teacher training programs. Under her leadership these programs impacted
thousands of families throughout the country.
Before her tenure at CHADD, Hughes was for seventeen years the Chief
Executive Officer of the International Association of Psychosocial
Rehabilitation Services (now USPRA), an association representing
providers or rehabilitation services to adults and children with serious
mental illnesses. Today her work focuses on advocating for a system of
care where every child and adult with ADHD has access to
state-of-the-art information and services.
The unanimous board decision was aided by executive committee
research. "Having the full faith and support of the board insures a
strong organization," Peer said. "I don't believe we could have found a
stronger candidate anywhere."
A formal ceremony will take place at CHADD's annual international
conference (November 10-12, 2011) in Orlando, Florida.
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