LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — New Hope Community, a human services organization in Sullivan County dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD), has announced changes in leadership. As planned, president and CEO A. James Forbes, Jr., has retired, effective October 1. Debra (Debbie) McGinness has been appointed CEO and Bhakar Singh has been appointed president.

Under Forbes’ leadership, New Hope Community introduced several innovative programs including experiential learning through such programs as an organic farm, created in collaboration with SUNY Sullivan. In 2015, New Hope Community was awarded the national Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL).

McGinness started her career in nursing and advanced to an executive leadership position within the field of I/DD in the mid ‘80s. In 2010 she co-founded and has served as the CEO of Select Human Services, Inc. (SHS) based in Pleasantville. Singh joined New Hope in 2017, and has served as vice president of Strategic Transformation and Programs. He was also senior associate executive director for chapter relations for the State Office of the Arc New York, the state’s largest nonprofit developmental disabilities organization.