Rolling Start, Inc., a prominent nonprofit Center for Independent Living serving California’s Inland Empire, has officially launched a nationwide search for its next Executive Director. The organization, which has spent nearly five decades championing disability rights, accessibility, and community inclusion, is looking for a visionary and strategic leader to guide its operations into its next era of growth and impact. Applications for the position are open, with a priority review date set for August 31, 2026.
Founded in October 1977 by Nick Hambrick and David Ritter—two individuals with spinal cord disabilities—Rolling Start began as a grassroots advocacy organization powered largely by volunteers with disabilities. From its earliest days, the organization established itself as a powerful voice for equity and access. Its early victories helped reshape the physical landscape of the region, including securing the installation of blue curbs in downtown San Bernardino and advocating successfully for the integration of wheelchair lifts on local public transit buses.
Over the decades, Rolling Start has expanded its reach and deepened its community roots. Today, the organization serves approximately 1,500 consumers annually across an expansive and geographically diverse service region of more than 33,000 square miles, encompassing San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties. Operating from this vast footprint, Rolling Start delivers core independent living services designed to empower individuals with disabilities, promote self-determination, and foster inclusive communities. The organization’s enduring commitment to advocacy, independence, and opportunity has earned it widespread recognition and numerous awards from government officials and community leaders alike.
The Opportunity
The search for a new Executive Director represents a rare and exciting opportunity for a proven disability rights and nonprofit leader to step into a respected institution with deep historical ties to California’s disability community. The incoming leader will inherit an organization with a proud legacy of grassroots advocacy, direct service delivery, and community leadership. Rolling Start enters this transition well-positioned for future growth, offering the new director a solid foundation upon which to build.
The next Executive Director will play a critical role in strengthening organizational capacity, forging new community partnerships, and ensuring that Rolling Start remains a formidable advocate for disability rights and independent living principles. The organization’s Board of Directors and staff are seeking a visionary candidate who combines strong management acumen with exceptional communication skills and a profound, unwavering commitment to the Independent Living philosophy.
Furthermore, stakeholders place a high premium on personal qualities such as self-awareness, dedication to disability and social justice, a collaborative spirit, transparency, openness to shared learning, genuine compassion, and an overarching dedication to empowering both the consumers the center serves and the staff who deliver its programs.
Position Summary
The Executive Director serves as Rolling Start’s chief executive officer, operating with direct accountability to the Board of Directors. In this capacity, the executive is responsible for providing comprehensive leadership across all facets of the organization, ensuring complete alignment with its core mission, strategic priorities, and the foundational tenets of the Independent Living philosophy.
The scope of the role encompasses holistic oversight of advocacy initiatives, program development and execution, fiscal management and sustainability, staff supervision, fundraising efforts, and external relations. Beyond internal operations, the Executive Director functions as an inspiring ambassador for Rolling Start. The role requires building and nurturing strong relationships across diverse communities, acting as a trusted representative and collaborator with government agencies, funding partners, community stakeholders, and the consumers who rely on the center’s services.
Key Responsibilities and Leadership Scope
In fulfilling the duties of the chief executive, the Executive Director will be tasked with steering the organization through its daily operations and long-term strategic initiatives. This involves guiding advocacy campaigns that address systemic barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, overseeing the financial health of the nonprofit through prudent fiscal oversight and diversified fundraising strategies, and supporting a dedicated team of professionals.
The executive will work closely with the Board of Directors to refine and execute strategic plans, ensuring that programs remain responsive to the evolving needs of the communities across San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties. Maintaining transparent communication channels with staff, consumers, and external partners will be essential to sustaining the collaborative culture that has defined Rolling Start for nearly fifty years.
Qualifications and Ideal Candidate Profile
Candidates interested in leading Rolling Start must meet specific professional and educational benchmarks established by the Board of Directors. The ideal candidate will bring a background that reflects significant leadership experience within the nonprofit sector, disability advocacy organizations, or related human services fields. A comprehensive understanding of the Independent Living movement, legislative policies affecting individuals with disabilities, and the operational dynamics of a community-based organization is critical.
In addition to professional qualifications, the search committee has outlined a specific profile of personal characteristics that the successful candidate should embody. The ideal Executive Director is a collaborative and transparent leader who values shared learning and collective problem-solving. A deep-seated commitment to social justice, equity, and disability rights must be evident in the candidate’s career history. Compassion, self-awareness, and a genuine dedication to the empowerment of people with disabilities are viewed as indispensable traits for fostering a supportive internal workplace and an effective external advocacy presence.
Location and Operational Expectations
This is a full-time, in-office position centered primarily at Rolling Start’s main office in San Bernardino, California. To ensure strong leadership presence and regional integration during the transition, the Executive Director will be expected to make regular weekly visits to the Victorville office during the first three months of employment.
Given the expansive geographic span of the organization’s service area—covering approximately 33,000 square miles across San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties—the executive must be prepared to travel throughout the region as needed. Engaging directly with the diverse communities, local agencies, and constituents served by Rolling Start is an integral component of the executive’s day-to-day responsibilities.
Compensation and Benefits
Rolling Start offers a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to attract high-caliber leadership talent. The annual salary range for the Executive Director position is established at $90,000 to $100,000, commensurate with the specific experience, background, and qualifications of the selected candidate. In addition to financial compensation, the organization provides generous paid time off and a comprehensive benefits package to support the health and well-being of its executive leadership.
Application Process
While applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is successfully filled, candidates who wish to be given serious consideration are strongly encouraged to submit their materials on or before August 31, 2026. Review of incoming applications will begin immediately upon receipt.
Interested applicants must submit a professional resume alongside a thoughtful, detailed cover letter. The cover letter should explicitly describe how the applicant’s professional skills, lived experience, and personal characteristics align with the qualifications outlined in the official job description. Applications, inquiries, and requests for any necessary accommodations should be directed via email to Christine Griffin at Bender Consulting Services, Inc. at [email protected]. Applicants are requested to include "Rolling Start Executive Director Search" in the email subject line and to note how they originally heard about the search.
Rolling Start has partnered with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., a certified woman-with-a-disability-owned business enterprise specializing in executive search, to facilitate this leadership transition process.
Rolling Start, Inc. maintains a steadfast commitment to equal opportunity and to cultivating an inclusive, welcoming workplace environment. The organization actively encourages applications from qualified individuals with disabilities, as well as candidates representing diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and lived experience backgrounds. Rolling Start strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Furthermore, the organization is fully committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the application process and during employment.
