BIBA Dr. Heidi San Nicolas! Guam CEDDERS Founding Director Retires
On September 30, the University of Guam (UOG) recognized the greatest achievements of Heidi San Nicolas, Ph.D. After devoting more than three decades to Guam’s island community serving within the Guam Department of Education and University of Guam, Dr. San Nicolas retired from government service. Of her numerous accomplishments, most notably, Dr. San Nicolas served as the founding Director of the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS, formerly known as the Guam University Affiliated Program). She led this outreach unit of the University from a satellite University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) program of the University of Hawaii to full UCEDD funding in 1995 to the University of Guam through the Developmental Disabilities Bill of Rights and Assistance Act from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Through her leadership, Dr. San Nicolas leveraged funding in excess of $146,000,000 through dozens of federal grants and local/regional contracts and work requests to strengthen critical partnerships for improving the quality of programs and services for individuals with disabilities and their families. Dr. San Nicolas developed and nurtured Guam CEDDERS into a dynamic organization to continue its commitment to building bridges with partners to create strong linkages for crucial programs and services to support the overall quality of life of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families on Guam and throughout the Pacific region.
On November 25, the UOG Board of Regents passed Resolution 19-43 awarding Dr. San Nicolas Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Director status in recognition of her academic and outreach services at UOG.
Si Yu’os Ma’ase Dr. San Nicolas for your leadership and outstanding service as one of the pioneers in the field of disabilities serving Guam and the Pacific.
