Guest Blog: A Fond Farewell & Best Wishes to Ronald S. Cohen
Dear Fellow Members of the UCPLA Family,
As the Chair of our Board, I find myself in a uniquely bittersweet position at the opening of this new year. As most of you know by now, this month we will bid farewell to our President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald S. Cohen, who has led this organization with skill and finesse for nearly 40 years.
During Ron’s more than 30 years as President and CEO, he has grown UCPLA from an organization with a $5 million budget and five sites in one county to an international family of organizations with two subsidiaries – UCP Wheels for Humanity and UCP WORK, Inc. – that have a combined $55 million yearly budget, 40 sites in six Southern California counties, and numerous projects in developing nations. Thanks to Ron’s leadership, the dedication of our staff, and the support of our community, UCPLA is now one of the largest nonprofit providers of direct-care services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in California, serving 1,000 individuals and their families each day through our UCPLA sites alone.
In addition to being a great leader for UCPLA, Ron has served the larger disabilities community as a passionate advocate for, and a leading expert in, developing accessible, affordable housing for individuals with significant disabilities, many of whom were told they would never live on their own. Because of Ron’s tireless efforts, UCPLA has received commendations and awards from the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing and the Westside Urban Forum. Although the development of 20 group homes and 11 independent living apartments, in addition to the accolades Ron has received from local, state, and federal officials for these vital projects, is no small feat, I’ve often heard Ron describe the impact of his accessible-housing expertise somewhat differently. When telling stories of UCPLA clients who moved into the buildings he led the way in developing, Ron often says, “Their dream became their address.” I can’t think of a better way to measure the impact of a life’s work than being able to say you kept a promise to make someone’s dream come true.
Speaking of promises, Ron has never let lawmakers in Sacramento forget about the Lanterman Promise to provide community-based services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the course of their lives. It is no secret that California has not been keeping up its end of the bargain. But Ron has been at the forefront of the fight to ensure that organizations like UCPLA, and the people we serve, have access to the resources they need. From acting as President for one of the most influential disabilities advocacy coalitions in California to testifying before Congress, Ron has always been an indispensable and passionate voice for the people and families we serve.
I have known Ron a long time, and I know that he cares for UCPLA deeply. Deeply enough that he would never consider leaving if the organization were not on a steady path in the hands of a more-than-capable guide. Starting on January 21, those hands will belong to UCPLA’s new President and CEO Lori Anderson. We are excited to welcome Lori, who was formerly the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Residential Services for Bethesda Lutheran Communities, overseeing the organization’s residential operations throughout the United States, to the UCPLA family. The Board and I look forward to working with Lori to continue growing the organization, and to paying tribute to Ron’s legacy by ensuring that UCPLA continues to be a leader, an innovator, and a strong, supportive family.
As you can see in this video, my sister Karen has been a member of the UCPLA family for more than 50 years. I will never stop being grateful for the quality-of-life this organization has helped Karen achieve. I will never stop being proud to represent this organization as a Board member and supporter. And I will never be able to thank Ron Cohen enough for his leadership, passion, and dedication to UCPLA.
We wish Ron well in his new journey and promise to be good stewards of the organization to which he dedicated so much of his life. I look forward to being in touch with you as we welcome Lori Anderson to the UCPLA family, and to sharing the wonderful new developments on the horizon.
All my best,
Paul Miller
Chair, UCPLA Board of Directors