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Kimberly Hill Ridley

Kimberly Hill Ridley smiling. She has red hair and is wearing a beige sweater over white collared shirt, a gold chain and hooped earrings.

Council Member

Latham, New York

Kimberly Hill Ridley has served as New York State’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer (CDO) since being appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in February 2022. Kim has been charged with advising the Governor and executive staff on policy and budgetary issues as they pertain to disability issues, serving as the state’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator and chairing New York’s Most Integrated Services Coordinating Council (MISCC), which is responsible for the state’s Olmstead compliance. Kim also acts as the New York State lead related to the execution of Executive Order 31 - signed by Governor Hochul in July 2023 - focused on New York being a model employer for people with disabilities and Executive Order 40 - signed in September 2024 - committing New York to become an Employment First State.

As CDO, Kim and her team spend a significant amount of their time meeting with advocates, and people with disabilities and their families, focusing on priority topics such as homecare, employment, housing, accessibility and transportation and collaborating with state agencies to reduce the silos that exist within the many existing service delivery systems in New York State. Through this work, Kim has championed the addition of Accessibility to the extensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work being done within state agencies and offices — ensuring that the rights and experiences of people with disabilities are included in these efforts.

Kim lives with a C5-C6 cervical incomplete spinal cord injury resulting from an accident during her junior year in high school and has never let her disability have a negative impact on her attitude or achievements. Prior to joining the Executive Chamber, Kim served in various disability-focused roles with the New York Assembly spanning 28 years. Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Utica College of Syracuse University (now Utica University) and resides in Latham, N.Y., with her husband, Michael, and their children, Michaela and Alex.

NCD.gov

An official website of the National Council on Disability