Nicole Kim, the longtime professor and current director of College of Adaptive Arts’ School of Business, has been selected to take over at the helm as the organization’s new Executive Director.
DeAnna Pursai, the school’s co-founder and current Executive Director, will stay onboard and pivot into her new role as the College of Adaptive Arts’ Director of Development and Community Outreach.
For the past 15 years, Nicole has been a passionate educator at the College of Adaptive Arts (CAA). She empowers adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(IDD) through courses like “Speaking with Confidence,” “Joy of Baking,” and “Intro to Employment Skills,” demonstrating her commitment to inclusive education.
Nicole has been with CAA since its inception and was one of the school’s original Board Chairs.
Prior to coming to CAA, Nicole was a distinguished operations professional with over 25 years of experience in program management and operations. She held several leadership roles at top-tier tech companies such as PayPal, eBay, Indeed, Instagram, and Cigna Healthcare.
Nicole’s transition from the tech industry to her new role as Executive Director at CAA underscores her dedication to supporting the organization’s mission. She is focused on creating an equitable and lifelong collegiate experience for individuals with disabilities. Her leadership style, characterized by empathy and a deep appreciation for every individual’s contribution, continues to drive the success of her teams.
Nicole’s appointment as Executive Director marks an exciting new chapter for the College of Adaptive Arts, promising innovative leadership and a steadfast commitment to the community it serves.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join the leadership team at the College of Adaptive Arts,” said Nicole. “This opportunity allows me to combine my professional expertise with my passion for inclusive education. I look forward to working with such a dedicated team to create meaningful and enriching experiences for our students, ensuring that every individual can thrive and achieve their fullest potential.”
College of Adaptive Arts is a non-profit which serves more than 225 adults with I/DD across 9 different states. The school provides collegiate education for adults with IDD who have been sidelined from traditional post-secondary special education. CAA offers a mix of online learning and in-person classes, which take place on the campus of West Valley College in Saratoga, CA, and it boasts 10 different schools of instruction in things like Digital Media Studies, Communication, Business, and Visual Arts.
The vision of the College of Adaptive Arts is to be able to replicate its innovative educational model on college campuses across the world so that any adult with IDD has access to higher education, wherever and whenever they want.