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WESTCHESTER INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (WIHD) APPOINTS NEW CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) has appointed Mary Ann Grossman as its new Chief Development Officer.  This is a newly-created position at the 50 year-old WIHD, which serves the region as a leading resource for individuals with disabilities in the areas of clinical and support services, and for health care professionals as a major university-affiliated resource for research, education and training. Ms. Grossman formerly served as the Chief Development Officer, New York, for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, a leading child advocacy organization, where she broke ground to develop major fundraising and build out its worldwide Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography.

As Chief Development Officer at WIHD, based in Valhalla, NY, Ms. Grossman will be responsible for leading, planning and coordinating financial development activities to raise private funding to benefit the many programs, services and innovations that support children, adults and families served by the institute.

David O’Hara, vice president and director, Center on Disability, Health and Technology at WIHD states: “The role of development has become increasingly important as WIHD continues to expand the reach and impact of the programs that have served the greater community over many years.  By implementing best practices in professional development, WIHD and its board of directors commit to providing a sound return on that financial support by offering more opportunities to improve the lives of the people we serve.”

Prior to her work at the Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Ms. Grossman’s career spanned the financial services industry, beginning with Citigroup in 1987. She subsequently served as Strategic Account Manager for Reuters and Business Development Manager for a joint CNBC/Dow Jones new media offering. At Standard & Poor’s, she was named to a new position, National Business Development Manager, to build a market providing economic consulting to Fortune 1,000 corporations.  She has consulted to a number of nonprofit organizations and speaks on careers in development and marketing as well as issues concerning women and their careers.  Most recently, Ms. Grossman participated as a panelist on the topic of women and career transitions at the 16th Annual Stern Women in Business Conference at New York University.

A cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Psychology, she holds an M.A. from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and the Russian Institute, where she was a Ford Fellow.  She serves on the Board of the Financial Women’s Association of New York and on the advisory group of the Women’s Venture Fund.  She and her husband are the parents of a daughter, and they reside in Larchmont, NY.

The Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) serves individuals with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, neurological disorders, metabolic disorders, cognitive disabilities and significant learning disabilities. WIHD also serves children and adults with speech, language and hearing disorders or delays.  A primary focus is on reaching unserved and vulnerable populations including children in foster care, their foster parents and birth parents and children who have experienced sexual abuse.  WIHD also serves as an advocate for changes in public policy. 

WIHD originally operated as a program of the Westchester Medical Center and has operated since July 2005 as an independent non-profit organization.  It is located in Valhalla, New York on the campus of the Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College.  WIHD also has teaching affiliation agreements with over eight other universities.

About the Westchester Institute for Human Development

For more than 50 years, WIHD has played a critical role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities and their families.  As one of only 67 University Centers of Excellence in the country, the Institute is committed to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families through research, education, and innovative services.  WIHD programs focus on the development of children, the safety of vulnerable children, and the support of families and communities to promote the health and well-being of people of all ages.  

For more information about the Westchester Institute for Human Development, please call 914-493-8147, or visit www.wihd.org.

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