Chad A. Ludwig, Founder and Executive Director
(Translated ASL video for article below)

Dear Community Members,

It is with a heavy heart that I  share this news with you all. I have notified the Board of Directors of my formal resignation from my Executive Director position with Bridges Oregon, effective Tuesday, June 30, 2026. My resignation is primarily driven by the need to transition into a full-time caregiver role for my mother, who now requires increased daily support and care.

It brings me great joy and pride knowing that I was part of the effort to secure legislative funding for Oregon’s first community-based needs assessment (CNA) in 2015. The final report was presented to the Oregon Legislature during the 2017 session, though no implementation funding followed at that time. In response to the identified needs within Oregon’s Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities, Bridges Oregon was formed.

Implementation of the organization began on July 5, 2017. After several years of foundational work and advocacy, Bridges Oregon received its first funding in late 2020 and launched its first advocacy services in early 2021. As I prepare to step into a new chapter, I am proud of the foundation that has been built for the organization’s future, including an established three-year strategic plan and a finalized Fiscal Year 2027 budget currently being prepared for Board review as part of Bridges Oregon’s next phase of growth and sustainability. For me, this journey has spanned nine years—from the earliest advocacy efforts that helped shape the vision for Bridges Oregon to where the organization stands today.

Serving this community has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I remain deeply grateful to the staff, board members, partners, advocates, legislators, donors, volunteers, and community members who helped build Bridges Oregon into what it is today.

Please stay tuned for additional updates from the Board of Directors in the coming days.

Thank you.

Chad A. Ludwig, MSW, ADAC, CDI
Outgoing Founder and Executive Director