Helen Keller Services CEO Susan Ruzenski to retire after 47 years with organization

Dr. Susan Ruzenski, chief executive officer of Helen Keller Services, will retire Jan. 1, 2027, after 47 years with the organization, bringing an end to a career dedicated to expanding opportunities and services for people who are blind, have low vision or are DeafBlind. Helen Keller Services announced Ruzenski’s retirement on Oct. 27. The organization’s board of trustees will conduct a national search for her successor. Ruzenski will continue leading the organization until her retirement, while the executive team works to ensure continuity across its programs and partnerships. For Ruzenski, the decision to step away from an organization she has called home for nearly five decades was not an easy one. “It’s been probably one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make,” Ruzenski said. “But I feel very excited about the future, and I feel tremendous gratitude for the career that I’ve had.” Ruzenski first joined Helen Keller National Center in the late 1970s as a young spec