National Association of the Deaf

The Board of Directors of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) elected Andrew J. “Andy” Lange president at their May 2003 meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland, filling the vacancy resulting from the resignation of former President Kent Kennedy. Lange will serve out the remainder of Kennedy’s term ending at the Biennial NAD Conference in Kansas City in July 2004.

“While I am saddened by Kent’s resignation due to personal reasons, I am honored by the Board’s confidence in my ability to lead the NAD and the country in promoting, protecting, and preserving the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America,” stated Lange. “We have a very strong Board and Kent deserves much credit for his years of service to the NAD and the community as a whole.”

The NAD Board unanimously adopted a Proclamation expressing its gratitude and appreciation for Kennedy’s leadership and service to the deaf and hard of hearing community. In recognition of their desire for Kennedy’s skills and expertise, they also voted him to the Board position of Appointed Member At Large.

The Board also appointed Lynn Z. Null of Tulsa, Oklahoma as Region III Representative, to serve out the remainder of Lange’s term ending at the Biennial NAD Conference in Kansas City in July 2004. She is currently President of the Oklahoma Association of the Deaf.

Asked why she did not step up to the presidency, Marilyn J. Smith, NAD Vice President replied, “The NAD bylaws do not require that the Vice President assume the presidency in the event of a vacancy. I am in the midst of a capital campaign for my agency and the NAD deserves someone who can devote far more time than I can.” Smith continued, “I am thrilled that Andy has agreed to step in and lead the Board as we face threats to the basic civil rights of deaf and hard of hearing individuals. There is nobody better suited to become NAD President today than Andy.”

The NAD Board also took action on a number of items at the Board meeting including approving the Fiscal Year 2004 budget, increasing individual membership dues which will go into effect this fall, adopting an aggressive fundraising plan for debt payoffs, and approving a position paper on mental health services.

Andrew J. Lange’s professional career spans more than thirteen years in the telecommunications industry. He recently became Chief Operating Officer with Handscomm, Inc., in Sacramento, California. Prior to this, Lange was Senior Government Account Executive with Sprint Corporation, and he has also held positions at CSD and AT&T.

Lange’s community service spans the local, state, and national level– most recently as Region III Representative on the NAD Board of Directors. He currently serves as President of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association. Previously he was Board Member (1991-94) and then President (1995-97) of the Georgia Association of the Deaf. An active member of the Association of Late Deafened Adults as well as TDI, he served as a member of the 2001 TDI national conference committee. Lange was also Chair of the U.S. Deaf Ski and Snowboard Association qualifying competitions in 2002.

Lange graduated from Gallaudet University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Data Processing. In 1995, he received a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.

Lange has a progressive hearing loss that began at the age of 14. He and his siblings are the third generation of deaf members that include grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Lange and his wife, Sue, have a 13-year-old son, Eric– this summer, they will be relocating from Atlanta, Georgia to the Sacramento, California area.