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2026 National APSE Board of Directors At-Large

Please describe your history/nature of involvement/interest in promoting competitive integrated employment in your state. Additionally, explain why you are passionate about competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities:

In the last 4 years, I transitioned to working with disabled adults in the state of Oregon after working within education, specifically with children in elementary and middle schools in New York City. I was the CEO/President of Exceed Enterprises in Oregon state for 2 years before negotiating a successful merger with a larger non-profit, Albertina Kerr. Exceed was an organization that supported disabled adults with I/DD to gain competitive integrated employment as well as Day Services Activities. Exceed supported over 25 adults with I/DD to gain competitive employment with Oregon State. I am passionate about this work as I have family members with I/DD and know their passion, want, and desire to be independent adults with gainful employment. I have supported children to close educational gaps and develop agency and advocate for themselves. Now, I work to empower disabled adults gain competitive integrated employment as well as I am advocate for inclusion and belonging within the workforce.

What best represents your position/lived experience?

Family Member of a Person with a Disability; Service Provider or Manager

What skills, knowledge, or lived experience do you have that will contribute to strengthening and growing the financial health of APSE and promoting its mission to advance employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities?

I have skills and expertise in leading an organization using strategic approach as well as managing a fiscally healthy organization/entity using business acumen, business strategy, as well as have experience managing a board as a CEO as well as being a board member as I am on the Clackamas Workforce Partnership board within Oregon state.

How do you think serving on the National APSE Board will help you grow as a leader in the Employment First Movement?

My appointment on the National APSE Board will support my increase knowledge of Employment First advocacy as well as bringing Employment First national movement to the local level and supporting the local chapters.

Biography

A seasoned nonprofit leader and advocate, I Nadja Sailesman have spent more than two decades advancing inclusion and empowerment. I previously served as CEO of Exceed Enterprises, which was an Oregon non-profit that supported adults in gaining competitive integrated employment as well as enrich their social and emotional lives within their Day Services Program. After leading Exceed Enterprises for 2 years, I successfully led a merger with Albertina Kerr and continued as Chief Program Officer post-merger, ensuring seamless integration and sustained mission alignment. My earlier leadership roles include key leadership positions at NYC Mission Society as an after-school and summer day camp leader and at Success Academy Charter Schools, where I led operations and was an Assistant Principal to support the educational growth of children in low income and BIPOC communities for elementary & middle school, age children, which included the population of children with IEP within our school structure. Currently, as Vice President of Disability and Inclusion at Relay Resources, I lead the organization’s accessible, inclusive, and equitable workplace and workforce practices. I lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for disability advocacy, expanding Relay’s programs, such as our competitive integrated employment program and our IT, cybersecurity program, abilIT, for neurodivergent adults. I, also lead initiatives that amplify accessibility and disability inclusion, and serves as a representative and speaker at disability employment conferences and related events.