Pacific Autism Center for Education
Karen Kennan has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, with a focus on fundraising and community development. Karen currently serves as the Assistant Executive Director at Pacific Autism Center for Education, overseeing the Development and Marketing Departments as well as the Children's Programs. Prior to this, Karen held various leadership roles at organizations such as Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center and Jewish Community Federation. Karen also has a background in Business and Human Development studies from University of California, Berkeley and Cornell University respectively.
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Pacific Autism Center for Education
Our mission is to enhance the lives of people impacted by autism, through innovation, exceptional education, and compassionate care. PACE was founded in 1989 by a group of concerned parents and educators as a private, nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization to meet the critical need of providing education and care for children and adults with autism/developmental disabilities and their families. Prior to this time, many of our students had been placed in inappropriate classroom settings and many of our residential clients were housed in unsuitable state hospitals and development centers. Without the support of an encouraging, attentive environment, the ability to develop the skills necessary for achieving integration into the community was doubtful. Starting with 14 students in 1989 and one group home in 1992, PACE now offers comprehensive services including Sunny Days Preschool, an inclusive preschool for children ages 2 ½- 6, the PACE School serving ages 6-22, PACE Residential group homes, Faces Behavioral Services for children with 1:1 Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and Porchlight Autism Education Series, a free e-learning training system with over 50 modules for parent and caregiver solutions to implement at home.