Wendy Sullivan has announced her retirement after serving 30+ years as chief executive officer of Easterseals Midwest, growing the nonprofit into the largest provider of services to people with disabilities in Missouri.
“The organization has expanded significantly under Wendy’s leadership, allowing us to grow both in the number of people supported and geographically,” said Easterseals Midwest Board of Directors Chair Corey Hamilton. “We are grateful, and most importantly, those we support and their families are grateful for being able to lead more meaningful and fulfilling lives.”
Since Sullivan became CEO in 1998, Easterseals Midwest has grown from supporting about 200 people a year to a major multi-state provider, supporting more than 25,000 individuals annually across Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri.
Over the course of her tenure, she supported major advances in disability rights and healthcare delivery, as well as a major shift from institutionalized care to community-based services.
Sullivan expanded Easterseals Midwest's reach through a series of program expansions, mergers, and acquisitions, including the 2025 merger with the Center for Hearing and Speech, which broadened access to services such as audiology and speech-language therapy.
The organization’s budget grew from about $6 million a year when Sullivan took the helm to more than $120 million. Today, more than 1,600 Easterseals Midwest employees provide an array of services, including home visits, community living, autism care, employment support, hearing and speech, and health home support services.
“We’ve given more parents the skills needed to communicate with their child for the first time; we’ve helped more young adults start their career path, and we’ve given more adults tools to live independently,” Sullivan said. “We’ve helped people have equal opportunity to realize their goals, dreams, and aspirations, and I know this dedicated staff will continue to advance this mission.”
Sullivan said her love for working with people with disabilities started during a high school volunteer project, just as schools were beginning to integrate special education.
She planned to become a special education teacher, but she changed course after finding a summer job at Easterseals Midwest unexpectedly rewarding and engaging. She joined the organization full-time as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) in 1981.
Sullivan continued to rise through the organization, but her experience as a DSP handling direct care and advocacy for people with disabilities continued to shape her humility and focus as a leader.
“When I approve my timecard on my last day, I will do so with gratitude,” Sullivan said. “I will think of the families who welcomed us into their lives, the staff who gave more than anyone could ask, and the people we support who continually show me what true dignity looks like.”
Sullivan’s last day will be Dec. 31, 2026. The Board of Directors has begun a thorough and transparent succession planning process.
The board has formed a Succession Planning Committee to guide the work and conduct a national search. A nationally recognized consulting firm has been retained to gather insights from Sullivan, board members, donors, advocates, and administrators to develop the role narrative for the organization's next leader.
