A Message from Karen Shoemaker, CEO

I want to share with you a personal decision I have made to retire as CEO of The Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties effective September 1, 2024.

I have been incredibly fortunate to have served The Arc for nearly 25 years and know that I will be leaving The Arc in a strong place both organizationally and financially.  The Arc has strong leaders at the organizational and Board level, and an extremely solid foundation.

Under George Lewis’s leadership as President, the Board will be putting together a search process and committee.  I am very confident in the Board’s ability to lead the search to identify a quality CEO as my successor who will lead The Arc to future growth and success in its mission to serve the Lehigh Valley’s IDD community.

I am grateful for the many amazing people that I have known throughout my time as CEO of The Arc, from the staff to the Board to the people with IDD and families that we support.  The mission of The Arc to champion a life of inclusion, opportunity, and equity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, education, and supports is a cause that I deeply believe in and that I will carry with me always.