November 18, 2021 By CDHD CDHD Director Dr Julie Fodor receives AUCD Lifetime Achievement Award Congratulations to CDHD Director, Dr Julie Fodor! This week, Dr Fodor received the AUCD Lifetime Achievement Award – an honor given to those who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to serving people with developmental disabilities and their families. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the AUCD’s highest honor, recognizing exceptional leadership, advocacy, research and contributions made by outstanding individuals. Dr Fodor joined the CDHD in 2001, quickly putting her wealth of knowledge and experience to work in advancing the CDHD’s mission and improving resources for Idaho’s disability community. Her work focused on programs for early childhood, autism supports in schools, behavior analysis and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. She implemented the Idaho SESTA program and worked with the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at the University of Idaho to introduce two postgraduate programs with an emphasis on ASD. The benefits of her work are felt statewide, with improved community-based supports and family support models, an Idaho training cooperative to support children’s Medicaid providers and behavior interventionists, self-determination waivers for self-advocates and more. In addition to her role at the CDHD, she served on the AUCD board of directors (2007-14). She initiated a training and technical assistance program for tribal schools in four states. This included a master’s degree in special education for tribal school teachers. She also wrote curricula, instructional materials, research, publications, conference presentations and trainings. As colleagues, friends, teachers, students, self-advocates, Idaho’s disability community and family members, we see the positive impacts of Dr Fodor’s continued dedication firsthand every day. Please join us in congratulations and gratitude for her exceptional work and leadership at the CDHD.