In May of this year, Governor Roy Cooper appointed Karey Perez to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD).  Perez represents the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services where she is the Adult Services Section Chief. She is responsible for the administration and management of the Aging and Adult Services social work programs (Adult Protective Services, Guardianship) and the Special Assistance programs administered by the 100 county Departments of Social Services (DSS).   

An alumnus of Methodist University, Perez holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Clinical and Counseling. “My passion is to help those individuals in need.  We need to look out for one another and truly care about those in our communities.  Everyone is different and has unique needs to be successful. My social work experience provides insights into identifying services for individuals with disabilities which assists individuals in leading active, integrated, and productive lives,” Perez said.

Perez was aware of NCCDD through her social work and is anxious to collaborate alongside the Council’s members. “It is my desire to coordinate efforts with State programs to yield meaningful initiatives and help the council achieve their goals,” Perez added.

Perez said, “I am impressed with all NCCDD initiatives and results. One particular initiative which I feel can make a great difference is Rethinking Guardianship.  I believe the education, training, and policies from this initiative can provide the needed approach for less restrictive alternatives to guardianships.”

Having moved multiple times as a military spouse for her husband’s Air Force career, she is pleased to have settled in Spring Lake, NC since his retirement with their two dogs, Dash and Bash.  She is looking forward, through the power of the Council’s member diversity and initiatives, to help identify specific county needs and produce a targeted approach to the needs of people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.