Longtime director of Options and Advocacy for McHenry County to retire in November

Options and Advocacy for McHenry County is looking for a new leader ahead of the November retirement of its longtime executive director, Cindy Sullivan.

Sullivan, of Woodstock, has been with Options and Advocacy, which works with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, for 21 years. She has been executive director for the past 13 years.

Sullivan has worked on behalf of the disabled for more than 35 years and has been an ardent advocate for inclusion, equality and an increase in support for families of disabled children, Steve Middaugh, president of the nonprofit’s board of directors, said in a news release Friday.

After the birth of her daughter, Stefanie, who has special needs, Sullivan did everything she could to learn about what services were available to create the best life for Stefanie, according to the release.

She also learned about the gaps where services and programs didn’t exist, leading her to participate in the transformation of a new statewide early intervention agency that supported advocacy and the coordination of services.

Since then, Options and Advocacy has grown to become a “premier provider” of services and support for individuals and families in McHenry County, with 32 employees serving more than 1,500 local families, according to the release.

“Cindy has been a hero in McHenry County and throughout the state to families for decades, and an exceptional leader in the nonprofit and social services communities,” Middaugh said in the release. “She’s adapted to so many changes over the years and been such a positive force who is beloved by her staff and the families whom Options and Advocacy has served.”

With Sullivan’s retirement looming, Options and Advocacy’s board of directors is searching for a new executive director.

According to the release, the position requires “a strong sense of community, leadership, and a passion for supporting children, adults and their families, as well as a good sense of humor.”

Applicants should have a master’s degree in management or a related field, a minimum of three years of leadership with a nonprofit agency, and strong organizational and budget management skills, among other qualifications.

Letters of interest and resumes can be sent to Middaugh at steve.middaugh@edwardjones.com.