Chief Executive Officer

Overview

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization through a critical period of growth, renewal, and transformation. At this pivotal juncture, the next CEO must be committed to building trust with members, centering community accountability, and steering RID toward a long-term organizational structure fostering integrity and mission alignment. This leader will shape the future of a mission-driven nonprofit rooted in equity, access, and transparency — serving the evolving needs of Deaf communities, interpreting professionals, and the public.

RID was founded in 1964 at Ball State Teachers College in Muncie, Indiana, as a professional association dedicated to supporting interpreters and improving communication access for Deaf individuals. Over the past six decades, RID has evolved into a national certification and advocacy organization, responsible for setting standards, promoting professional development, and cultivating ethical interpreting practice. Today, RID stands at a pivotal juncture—committed to rebuilding trust, deepening accountability, and ensuring that the next chapter of its legacy reflects the diverse lived realities of the communities it serves.

RID’s purpose is to serve equally our members, profession, and the public by promoting and advocating for qualified and effective interpreters in all spaces where intersectional diverse Deaf lives are impacted. We are driven by a deep commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIAB) and seek a leader who embodies these values with clarity, courage, and compassion.

The Opportunity

This is not a maintenance role—it is a bold leadership opportunity. The incoming CEO will be responsible for:

• Innovating service delivery to align with rapidly changing communications and Deaf interpreter landscape.
• Strengthening external relationships with members, donors, partners, and the communities we serve.
• Leading strategic execution of RID’s ambitious three-year plan.
• Stabilizing internal operations and finances through modern, transparent systems.
• Identifying and cultivating new funding sources to ensure the future of RID.

Our next CEO will be a systems thinker, change agent, and values-driven leader who thrives in a complex and dynamic environment, leading with both heart and strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Champion the implementation of RID’s 3-year strategic vision, ensuring alignment with RID’s Mission, Vision, and Values (MPVV).
• Drive bold innovation in systems, partnerships, and professional relevance.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors on a growth mindset for effective governance and strategic communications that enhance and develop RID’s public reputation, professional services and membership value.

External Relationships & Advancement

• Serve as RID’s public voice—authentic, transparent, and community-centered.
• Identify new relationships with funders to increase and broaden RID’s revenue streams.
• Cultivate and expand fundraising pipelines and strategic partnerships. Research relationships with current, past and prospective funders and lay the groundwork for longer-term fundraising success.
• Ensure engaging and proactive communications with external stakeholders (e.g., members, Deaf community partners, certification bodies and Affiliate Chapters).

Membership & Conference Planning

• Projects enthusiasm, hope and optimism for RID’s future towards membership.
• Identifies strategic long- and short-term opportunities for increasing membership.
• Leads the successful planning and implementation of RID’s conferences, working closely with the Board Vice President.
• Oversees milestone tracking for key conference deliverables including venue, program, speaker confirmations and registration benchmarks.
• Effectively markets RID’s conferences to members and stakeholders in collaboration with the Board, member leaders, and RID conference and communications staff.

Financial Management & Oversight

• Partners with the Treasurer and Finance Committee to restore fiscal stability. Oversee systems of internal controls to safeguard financial assets of the organization.
• Establish forecasting models, grant strategies, and financial accountability systems.
• Ensure that RID continues to operate in accordance with non-profit accounting and financial management best practices.
• Evaluate financial results and key metrics against appropriate base comparison (prior year budget, cash flow and other forecasts, provides in-depth analysis to prepare and present projections and deviations from plan) in coordination with the Treasurer.
• Oversee banking and finance vendors, outsourcing and auditor relationships.

Internal Operations

• Restructure internal workflows, practices, and compliance processes.
• Build scalable, resilient infrastructure to support future growth.
• Support HR procedural fairness and uphold RID’s values of integrity, ethical leadership, and accountability.
• Build a workplace culture of productive collaboration, commitment and shared accountability.