LOCH SHELDRAKE – New Hope Community, a nonprofit dedicated to providing support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), has announced the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Debra (Debbie) McGinness. 

McGinness has been an impactful, dynamic leader at New Hope Community since 2018. Under her leadership, New Hope Community has strengthened and expanded programs, begun important new initiatives, and diversified communication paths.

From the start, McGinness felt a deep connection with the mission and people of New Hope Community and the community at large. Collaborative partnerships with community organizations such as SUNY Sullivan and BOCES created new opportunities for staff, students, and those supported through New Hope Community to learn and grow. 

McGinness was instrumental in procuring a grant in Direct Support Professional (DSP) and front-line supervisor credentialing for staff advancement and ensured New Hope Community’s involvement in the build of a DSP Micro-credential program offered at no cost through SUNY Sullivan.

In 2020, Select Human Services, a $10 million human service organization founded by McGinness in 2010, merged with New Hope Community. This merger helped expand New Hope’s reach and impact to more than 750 people with I/DD throughout the lower Hudson Valley region. 

In 2022, McGinness was legislatively appointed to the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council (DDAC). This state-level council works with Office for People With Developmental Disabilities to recommend statewide priorities and goals for people with I/DD. 

Lastly, McGinness mindfully grew New Hope Community’s outreach to support higher levels of health and wellness. She initiated a Community Outreach Dinner in December 2018, which has continued annually, serving over 400 free hot meals to community members in need. Many additional charitable initiatives have flourished, strengthening our relationships with individuals and organizations dedicated to enriching the lives of people with I/DD.

“I am honored to have led New Hope Community as its CEO and am very grateful for the many rewarding opportunities and experiences I’ve had throughout my career. And I am incredibly proud of all our team has accomplished together. As I move into retirement, I am confident that under incoming CEO, Karen Russell, New Hope Community will continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead,” said McGinness.

Terry Grafmuller, New Hope Community Board Chair, commented, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Debbie for her seven years of exemplary service to the organization. Debbie’s leadership has strengthened New Hope Community’s strategic positioning and ensures a solid foundation for our future success.”