A volunteer Board of Directors guides the organization. Elaine Cooluris, A-DA’s Executive Director, oversees the organization’s operations. With a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, she has more than 30 years experience overseeing grants funded under a variety of local, state and national entities that provide educational and vocational upgrading and other employment-related services. The organization serves more than 500 individuals each year and since 1976, has placed more than 10,000 people into jobs. Our offices are located in Central San Diego at 4283 El Cajon Blvd., Suite 110 and in the South Bay at the South County Career Center located at 1111 Bay Blvd., Suite E, Chula Vista.

In 2002, A-DA was one of only three organizations in the U.S. to receive President Bush’s inaugural New Freedom Initiative Award for our exceptional contributions in advancing individuals with disabilities in the workplace through the use of Assistive Technology.

Over the years, A-DA has received funding from the U. S. Departments of Education, Labor and Housing and Urban Development; the San Diego Workforce Partnership; the California Employment Development Department; the cities of San Diego and Oceanside and numerous private foundations. In 1999, A-DA registered its first on-site vocational training course for Computer Operator with the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS). In 2000, our Information Technology course was added to our training options and in 2006, Pre-Apprenticeship Training was approved by CAPPS.

A-DA has developed workforce, education and community linkages with numerous public and private agencies to better serve people seeking advanced training and employment. These include the Department of Rehabilitation, San Diego Workforce Partnership, South County Economice Development Council, San Diego Futures Foundation, San Diego County Office of Education, the One-Stop Career Centers, San Diego Unified School District, the San Diego Community College District, the Association of Rehabilitation Programs in Computer Training, Skillsoft and many others. These linkages offer a wide variety of leveraged resources to maximize support for our program participants.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS