The FREED Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Carly Pacheco as the new Executive Director. This appointment was effective July 1, 2021. She had been the Interim Executive Director since May 4, 2021.

With over 7 years at FREED and almost 5 years as Deputy Director, Carly has demonstrated strong leadership skills and passion for independent living.

Carly grew up in the Bay Area, and lived in Los Angeles and Seattle before moving to Nevada County over nine years ago. Prior to joining FREED, Carly was a special education teacher serving students with the most severe disabilities; she worked to make segregated programs into inclusive school environments. 

An avid reader who also loves to cook and nurture her houseplants, Carly is looking forward to continuing FREED’s critical work and advancing the reputation FREED as one of the top Independent Living Centers in California.

For over 36 years, FREED’s mission has been to promote independence and self-determination for people with disabilities through person-driven services, collaborative community partnerships and education, and leadership that advocates for fully inclusive communities. FREED serves the counties of Nevada, Sierra, Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa. FREED is a local disability and aging resource center with offices in Grass Valley and Yuba City. FREED Board of Directors