Graham has spent 42 years in the field of education, 35 of those at AIDB as an administrator at the Helen Keller School and in Health, Evaluation and Outreach programs.
He has been president of the institute for the past 10 years.
“I have been blessed with a career as an educator and administrator and am especially appreciative that I had an opportunity to work for AIDB, the nation’s most comprehensive program serving people who are deaf and blind. But it is a good thing that I now plan to spend more time with my family and my grandchildren,” Graham said.
“I love AIDB and I hope that my time spent here has contributed to some positive outcomes for this organization and the people we serve. I am confident that the future is bright for AIDB.”
Graham came to AIDB in 1977 as principal of the Helen Keller School of Alabama and became director of the institute’s statewide network of regional centers in 1983.
He received his doctorate in administration and leadership from the University of Alabama, his master’s degree in special education and bachelor's degree in speech and hearing science from the University of Southern Mississippi.
He began his professional career in 1971 as an itinerant teacher with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and then served as coordinator of Mississippi Deaf-Blind Services.
Lynwood French, chairman of the AIDB Board of Trustees, said the board, which recently gave Graham an exceptional evaluation, would regret the loss of his leadership and insight.
“Dr. Graham has led AIDB well through some very tough economic years and enabled us to grow an even stronger and more diverse program,” French said.
“We will begin an open and objective nationwide search process to select a successor for Dr. Graham. We will be looking for someone that can carry on our tradition of successful services for the deaf and blind children and adults of Alabama, who can build on our solid foundation and continue to move AIDB forward.”
Contact Aziza Jackson at ajackson@dailyhome.com.
