FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2005 FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Eileen Quinn
202-543-1147
equinn@afhh.org
Brian Gumm
202-543-1147
bgumm@afhh.org The Alliance for Healthy Homes, a national nonprofit organization dedicated
to protecting children and families from housing-based environmental health
hazards, has appointed Robert Zdenek as its new Executive Director. Zdenek
will join the Alliance this month. Zdenek brings to the Alliance a wealth of experience in housing and nonprofit
management at both the community and national level. He served as President
of the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED) for
thirteen years and then served in leadership positions at the United Way
at both the local and national level. Most recently, Zdenek has run his
own consulting firm focused on asset building strategies, organizational
change, and community economic development initiatives for government
agencies, community development corporations, and nonprofit organizations. “We are delighted to welcome Bob Zdenek to the Alliance,”
comments Bailus Walker, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “His
outstanding credentials and track record of accomplishment are ideal for
generating attention and action to protect children from lead and other
hazards in their homes.” Zdenek succeeds Don Ryan, who founded the Alliance in 1990 as the Alliance
To End Childhood Lead Poisoning. In 2001, Ryan led the Alliance to expand
its work on lead poisoning prevention to encompass other housing-related
health hazards. Zdenek is poised to capitalize on the Alliance’s
considerable past successes in childhood lead poisoning prevention and
other important indoor environmental health issues by solidifying political,
financial, and public support for healthy homes. “I am honored and excited to join the Alliance for Healthy Homes
and to build upon the strong foundation that the dedicated staff and board
have created,” notes Zdenek. “The Alliance makes connections
across sectors, among communities leaders across the country, and between
communities and national policy, and I relish the opportunity to make
further progress on its critical mission of protecting children and improving
housing conditions for low-income families. In the aftermath of the Hurricane
Katrina national tragedy, the work of the Alliance and our community partners
is even more critical to ensure that all families and children live in
housing that is environmentally safe.” # # #
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