Meet Jeremy Caffee, Executive Director of the Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL).
Hired in 2017, Jeremy’s tenure with our organization is relatively short in comparison to some other staff, but his passion for disability is connected to his personal journey and goes far beyond his work at ACIL.
“There is a stigma and presumption that if you have a disability, that there is something inherently wrong with you. Whether that is a mental health disability, physical, or developmental, there is this belief that you are unable to make appropriate decisions for yourself, live independently, obtain a degree, employment, or have a family. We need to eliminate that stigma. As Executive Director of ACIL, I work to help people see that with the right services and supports in place, everything is possible. For me, working to eliminate that stigma and ensuring that disability rights are upheld is the most challenging aspect of advocacy,” he said.
Working as the Executive Director of a Center for Independent Living may not seem like a natural fit for someone like Jeremy, who is a self-professed “book nerd” and has a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch university Midwest, but as a person who has worked for many years as an independent care provider to help people with disabilities maintain independence, the job appealed to him.
Most people do not know that I am a 20-year Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor. Having cancer at 22 was a humbling and scary experience. I had to learn how to advocate for myself regarding my treatment, health, and insurance. I came through the experience a better person with a much deeper understanding of disability. I bring that experience and the lessons it taught me to the position of Executive Director,” he said.
Jeremy came across the ad for the Executive Director at ACIL after it had been up for several weeks.
“I thought to myself ‘that would be an awesome job and a great place to work.’ It was already past the last day to apply, but I thought I would give it a shot. I am glad I did because it put me in a great position to advocate for the disability community,” he said.
As someone who has worked with people with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness in the past to obtain safe and permanent housing, Jeremy is passionate about ensuring housing for people with disabilities as part of his effort to eliminate the stigma put onto our community.
As Executive Director, Jeremy is responsible for the overall well-being of ACIL, our staff, consumers, and assets.
“My role encompasses a wide range of operational duties, including collaborating with vendors who provide services to the center, managing accounting functions, developing, and implementing policies and procedures, and setting the strategic direction for the center. I work closely with the board of directors to ensure the center’s goals and objectives are met,” he explained.
Jeremy also works closely with community partners like Miami Valley Fair Housing Center and Disability Rights Ohio to ensure the center’s advocacy goals are realistic, focused, and in the best interests of the communities that we serve. He also engages in grant writing, fundraising, program & business development, and provides technical assistance to community organizations.
In addition to his duties as Executive Director, Jeremy stays busy pursuing a Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration from Grace College which he hopes to earn by May of 2025. Once he earns his master’s degree, Jeremy hopes to have more time to enjoy his hobbies which include reading, writing, and, during warmer months, refinishing and repurposing furniture.
When he is not busy working or pursuing his degree, you are likely to find Jeremy at home with his partner of 16 years and their two dogs, Lucy, and Baylor. While he and his partner are content to just talk and spend time with one another, they share a love for thrifting and have a mutual interest in antique and vintage items. They also do a fair amount of traveling with friends, particularly to the Gulf Coast where they hope to retire someday.
Need to get in touch with Jeremy? Contact him at 937-341-5202 Ext 101 or [email protected]
Jeremy Caffee
