Gainesville's Challenged Child and Friends has new executive director

GAINESVILLE - Amy Gates has joined the Leadership Team at Challenged Child and Friends (CCAF) as the new Executive Director. <br /> <br /> Gates will be responsible for the overall management of CCAF, working directly with the Board of Directors to develop and implement innovative and sustainable strategies to improve general operations and services to children and families. <br /> <br /> She comes to Gainesville from Connecticut where she worked originally as a speech-language pathologist and later as a district administrator in the public schools. <br /> <br /> Most notably for CCAF, Amy oversaw preschool special education in Hartford, an urban district of over 20,000 students where she created an integrated preschool program for students with significant hearing impairments, allowing these students to remain in district and attend school with their typical peers. <br /> <br /> Most recently Amy was Director of Education for Ädelbrook Behavioral and Developmental Services, a non-profit agency serving students with disabilities through educational, residential, outpatient, and in-home services. Amy was instrumental in growing Ädelbrook's educational continuum, laying the foundation for the addition of two new schools and two transitional academies in her almost three years there. <br /> <br /> Board member and Co-Chair of the Search Committee, Davis White said, "we are thrilled that Amy has joined the team at Challenged Child and Friends. She brings extensive experience serving children with special needs in both educational and agency management roles. Her focus on service to families, effective business management, and opportunity creation makes this an exciting time for CCAF."<br />