(Video transcript/description at bottom)
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to share that Nicholas Kiego has been appointed as the next Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of the Deaf.
Nicholas officially takes the helm on August 1. We are excited for you to meet our new leader in person this summer at the 58th Biennial NAD Conference in San Francisco. The Board has full confidence in Nicholas’ strategic vision and commitment to our mission.
Between now and August, the Board’s priority is sustaining our momentum. This summer’s conference will be a pivotal moment for our organizational affiliates and individual members to take part in the strategic goal setting that will drive our federation forward.
To ensure a smooth and successful transition, Interim CEO Bobbie Beth Scoggins is working closely with the Board to prepare for this change in leadership. We recognize the heavy lifting Bobbie Beth has done over the last two years; she led us through a difficult time, restored our stability, and set the groundwork for long-term growth and success. Because of her leadership, the NAD stands on solid ground, ready for our new CEO to build the next chapter in partnership with the Board.
The Board also expresses its gratitude to the CEO Search Committee for their hard work, to the candidates who shared their vision for the NAD, and to the community members whose feedback was essential to this decision.
The Board stands ready to support incoming CEO Nicholas Kiego in this transition. Together with our affiliates and members, we will create new opportunities and strengthen our collective future.
Stephanie Hakulin
President, Board of Directorss
A Bold Future for the NAD: Welcoming Our New CEO
Video Transcript/Description
Introduction: The video caption reads as “A Bold Future for the NAD: Welcoming Our New CEO” Visually, the presentation matches this forward-looking theme with a clean, cinematic aesthetic that utilizes a soft bokeh background filled with glowing, pastel blue and light cyan circles. This bright and open atmosphere is framed by structured, deep navy blue geometric curves and subtle halftone dot patterns. Accented with vibrant crimson red tones that pull from the official NAD logo, the design uses high-contrast slate blue and teal typography to clearly guide viewers to the website (www.nad.org)
Image Description: The video opens with a medium shot of President Stephanie Hakulin with long locs and white-rimmed glasses against a vibrant, solid blue background. She is wearing a dark polo shirt featuring a circular “NAD” logo, set against a solid blue background.
President Stephanie Hakulin: On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce that Nicholas Kiego has been appointed as the next Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of the Deaf.
Nick will officially take the helm on August 1st, 2026. We are excited for you to meet our new leader in person this summer at the 58th Biennial NAD Conference in San Francisco. The Board has full confidence in Nick’s strategic vision and commitment to our mission.
Between now and August, the Board’s priority is sustaining our momentum. This summer’s conference will be a pivotal moment for our organizational affiliates and individual members to take part in the strategic goal setting that will drive our federation forward.
To ensure a smooth and successful transition, Interim CEO Bobbie Beth Scoggins is working closely with the Board to prepare for this change in leadership. We recognize the heavy lifting she has done over the last two years; she led us through a difficult time, restored our stability, and set the groundwork for long-term growth and success. Because of her leadership, the NAD stands on solid ground, ready for our new CEO to chart the course forward in partnership with the Board.
The Board also expresses its gratitude to the Search Committee for their hard work, to the candidates who shared their vision for the NAD, and to the community members whose feedback was essential in reaching this decision.
This transition marks a new chapter for the NAD. The Board stands ready to support Nick in working with our affiliates and members to chart new pathways forward.
It is now my pleasure to introduce Nicholas Kiego, our incoming Chief Executive Officer, who will share a few remarks.
Image Description: The video shows a medium shot of Nick Keigo with salt-and-pepper hair, looking directly at the camera with an attentive expression. He is wearing a dark, subtle plaid blazer over a pink-and-white checkered dress shirt with his hands clasped, set against a solid, textured dark blue background.
Nicholas Kiego: Thank you, President Hakulin, and thank you to the NAD Board.
I am deeply honored to have this opportunity and I am committed to doing my best to serve you well.
The work I have to do is clear: rebuild trust, make NAD financially stable, grow our membership, grow our revenue, focus on our mission, and remind the community of the significance of NAD’s legacy.
I will be attending this summer’s NAD conference. I look forward to meeting many of you there. If you see me walking around, please feel free to stop me to have a chat. I want to meet as many of you as I can and I want to hear your stories about what inspires you to be a part of NAD.
Again, I am honored to serve as your next CEO. I am ready to get to work for the Deaf community.
President Hakulin: Thank you, Nick. We are ready and excited to start this journey together.
To our affiliates and members across the country: You are the heart of the NAD. Your energy and involvement are what keep us moving forward. We invite you to join us this summer. Come be part of this historic change. Help us plan our goals and decide the path we will take for years to come.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for joining us today. We look forward to a great conference in San Francisco!
Transition to 58th Biennial NAD Conference image: Set against a serene, light blue background featuring a subtle, sketched overlay of the Golden Gate Bridge, the central focus is a vibrant, watercolor-style illustration of the same iconic bridge framed in a white square, bursting with splashes of red, blue, and yellow. In the upper-left corner, the white circular NAD logo sits next to the conference title in clean, white sans-serif text. The bottom third of the image prominently displays the event dates, June 30–July 5, 2026, in large, bold dark blue lettering, positioned directly above a smaller white call-to-action that directs viewers to the official website: www.nad.org/sf26.