Nancy Cordrey is the mother of two adult daughters, one with a developmental delay. Two beliefs were the impetus for Mrs. Cordrey’s heart for advocating for people with disabilities: both daughters were equally deserving of a life enriched and made fuller by being given the opportunity to reach their potential and nothing is gained by waiting for change to occur on its own. Her daughter with a developmental delay began her educational journey at the age of 3 years and continued through the age of 21. In addition to the expected meetings and contacts with state and school officials, as well as the diagnostic and intervention support of numerous doctors and hospitals, their 19-year journey required assistance from the Disabilities Law Program, the Parent Information Center, out-of-state legal representation, the Kingsbury Institute, and Delaware’s Interagency Collaborative Team. Mrs. Cordrey’s daughter now has the benefit of paratransit, a job coach and has been employed for the past 16 years where she is a productive and valued team member. Their family has found that the efforts needed to obtain services during school-aged years are truly lifelong as they now maneuver the maze of available adult services, all the while trying to remain in compliance with each agency’s protocols. Mrs. Cordrey, widowed in 2013, was employed by the Sussex County government for 45 years, retiring in 2021. She is a graduate of 2001 Partners in Policymaking and a past member of the State’s Paratransit Plan Working Group; she also served on the Transition and the Inclusion Committees of the Laurel School District. Her favorite quotation is: “The measure of a society is the way it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members.” Mrs. Cordrey has been a member of the GACEC since 2001 and serves in the role of parent of a child with a disability.

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