New York, NY – January 10, 2022 – Richard Weber, Chair of the Board of Directors of the 105-year-old Institute for Career Development, announced today the appointment of Diosdado Gica and Joseph T. McDonald III as Co-Presidents of the organization with a mandate to shift its focus to helping youth with disabilities transition from school to career. Previously, Mr. Gica served as ICD’s Chief Operating Officer overseeing programs and operations, and Mr. McDonald served as its Executive Director of Development and Communications. They will retain oversight of those areas of responsibility in their new roles as Co-Presidents. Both served as Interim Co-Leads of the organization, while the Board of Directors considered the shift in overall focus.
The Institute for Career Development has adjusted its focus at different intervals in the past, always retaining its commitment to people with disabilities but adapting to contemporary priorities. Most recently it has focused on vocational evaluation, career planning, and job training and placement primarily for adults with disabilities. That experience, however, has highlighted a gap in serving people with disabilities that, if filled, could enhance career opportunities earlier in life. That gap exists in the transition from school to career, during which school-based support ends and career opportunities – as distinct from job opportunities – have not yet arisen.
In its new direction, ICD will focus on filling that gap, working with youth with disabilities – starting while they are in high school – to prepare them to make the jump to college or vocational training and start their careers. In that regard, ICD staff members will serve as school-based navigators for individual students to guide them around obstacles and over hurdles as they work toward building the skills needed to launch fulfilling careers. ICD will approach students’ needs holistically to reduce dropouts for in-school youth and to increase High School Equivalency diplomas for out-of-school youth.
Working in collaboration with the nonprofit consulting firm The Bridgespan Group, ICD identified this gap and developed a braided-funding model for filling it. While ICD will make initial investments to launch its directional shift, long-term plans include growing support from a network of partners including schools, individual donors, institutional funders, and government entities.
“The Board of Directors of ICD is excited about this new direction and about the leadership of Dio Gica and Joseph T. McDonald III,” said Board Chair Richard Weber. “Each has a vital set of skills needed to implement this new direction. They both have years of experience at ICD, and they collaborate seamlessly in a way that offers the best possible option to lead the organization.”
“The new direction that ICD’s Board of Directors has approved represents a major advance in assisting youth with disabilities in achieving their career ambitions,” said Co-President Dio Gica. “I look forward to implementing the innovative programs needed to make this advance a reality.”
“The programs that ICD will be building require the interweaving of funding from a variety of sources,” said Co-President Joseph T. McDonald III. “We are already reaching out to potential partners and funders who share our commitment to serving youth with disabilities in ways that advance the field.”
The new ICD programs will include a school-based transition program for high school students with disabilities and a program for out-of-school youth with disabilities who want to pursue a High School Equivalency diploma. Some of the new initiatives are expected to begin within a few months; others will start with the new school year in the fall. The entire shift in ICD’s direction will take place over three years. In the meantime, ICD will continue to provide leading-edge vocational evaluation, career planning, and job training and placement for adults with disabilities.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Henry Miller at hmiller@highimpactpartnering.com.
About ICD
The Institute for Career Development is a New York City-based non-profit whose mission is to help people with disabilities transform their lives through career development and employment. A leader in the field of vocational rehabilitation since its founding in 1917, ICD specializes in providing vocational evaluation, career coaching, planning, and navigation services, job skills training programs, internships, and job placement services.