#ADA30 Summit 2020
Vivian G. Bass was elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Jewish Women International (JWI) in July 2016.
Bass has dedicated her career to improving the quality of life, independence and community inclusion and dignity of persons with disabilities throughout the Washington, D.C., area, nationally and internationally. She became the CEO Emeritus of The Jewish Foundation for Group Homes (JFGH) in June 2016 subsequent to serving for 30 years at the helm of the agency, which ultimately grew to 77 residential locations via a wide variety of models, two innovative transition youth programs, a staff of 260, and having $28 million in total assets. As JFGH continued to become a model for more than 25 communities over five continents, Bass travelled extensively, mentoring these communities wishing to emulate the JFGH Program.
Bass has presented at The World Congress on Disabilities in conjunction with the Paralympics, The National Organization on Disability (NOD), The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), The General Assembly of The Jewish Federations of North America, The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), The International Lion of Judah Conference and numerous others.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Save a Child’s Heart US (SACH) and The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) as well as CaringMatters (formerly HospiceCaring) in Maryland. She was a founding board member of Potomac Community Resources (PCR), which evolved from the local Catholic Community. Bass is a Lion of Judah (“Woman of Valor”), the highest distinction internationally for Jewish women.
Bass remains loyally engaged with The University of Michigan, where she pursued both her undergraduate and graduate studies in Special Education.