11/4/2025

After 11 incredible years with All In, I’ve made the decision to step down as CEO. Leading this organization, and the people who make it what it is, has been the honor of my professional life. I am truly grateful to our Board, donors, and partners for their unwavering support through the years, and I am extremely proud of our team’s accomplishments!

It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with our team at All In. I have been continually impressed and honored to work with each of them. Their amazing dedication to the mission, knowledge and expertise, and their wonderful collaborative spirits continue to impress and motivate me. Together, we’ve received local and state funding to provide training, coaching and systemic change support for schools across the state who are seeking to become more inclusive for their students with disabilities. We’ve developed a growing interdisciplinary research collaborative with members from institutions across the nation. Our work supporting schools to establish alternatives to punitive discipline for students with disabilities succeeded in reducing suspension rates significantly. We’ve provided consultations and information for thousands of parents, partnered with unions, universities, international nonprofits, and schools across the country. Through these years of dedication and collaboration, we have grown the organization significantly while remaining true to our mission to support the civil rights of students with disabilities to be included.    

Furthermore, our partners at the NJDOE Office of Special Education Programs have been an inspiration. Their dedication to the wellbeing of New Jersey’s students can be witnessed in everything that they do, and they do not get the accolades they strongly deserve! We have incredibly talented educators and administrators across the state who believe in inclusive education and toil tirelessly to ensure all students are provided what they need to succeed. To all of the administrators, teachers, and other school staff that have worked with us on positive change through the years, I am forever honored that you choose to invite our staff into your districts, and thankful for the tremendous positive growth that we’ve made together.      

What I will remember most though is the individual students whose lives were transformed with the support of our staff and consultants. Students thrived after being moved from segregated settings to inclusive placements. Their post-secondary experiences have included jobs they love, college degrees, marriage, and technical careers. Those former students are now leading the independent, self-directed adult lives that all young adults should experience. The change in their life trajectories has been incredible, and is a testament to the teams that support them. Thank you to everyone involved who allowed us to participate in making that positive change a reality.     

Michele Gardner is the incoming CEO of All In, and she is a rockstar! I am absolutely confident in her and the team’s ability to advance All In’s mission. Michele has decades of experience leading educational programs in NJ public schools, and as Director of Special Education, she guided a K-12 NJ school district to become the model for inclusive education in our state. She is truly an impressive leader, and I look forward to seeing her, in collaboration with our Board and staff, guide the organization to future success and new heights.  

As we make this transition, it’s important that the focus remains on the work All In continues to do to support inclusive education for all learners. As a nonprofit organization, funding is always a challenge, and donations are a needed support that allow All In to continue to have an impact. Please consider making a donation to support the ongoing success of All In’s vision of a society where all individuals are valued members of their community.

As I prepare for my next chapter, my heart is full of gratitude and optimism. Thank you for your trust, collaboration, and belief in what we do.

With gratitude,
Fred