Richard Gelula rejoined the OAI team in January 2008, having previously served in the Managing Director role from 1995-1998. Richard brings a wealth of knowledge in the healthcare field as well as in nonprofit management, fundraising, communications, strategy and board development.

Richard is the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Sleep Foundation, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Founded in 1990, the Foundation is dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving greater awareness of the need for sleep and of the effects of sleep disorders, and by supporting sleep-related research and policies. Richard held the position for nine years and led a staff of 16.

Richard has served as a local and national executive in social welfare and health causes, including the Travelers Aid Association of America, Chicago Hearing Society, the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Osteoporosis Foundation. He has also worked as a consultant to several health charities for strategic planning, development and executive recruitment.

A major focus of his efforts has been to integrate key nonprofit organizational components such as Board and staff functions, fundraising, communications, affiliate services, research and public policy initiatives with community outreach, inter-organizational relations and patient services. He has assisted organizations in identifying and employing their core competencies to effectively advance their missions. A skilled fundraiser, Richard has developed multi-million dollar and ongoing fundraising programs. He serves on the boards of the National Health Council, the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs and the Public Advisory Roundtable of the American Thoracic Society.

A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Richard completed his undergraduate work at the State University of New York at Buffalo where he majored in psychology. He then completed a master’s degree in social work at the State University of New York at Albany where his concentrations were in management of human service organizations, public policy and social service planning. He has also participated in several post-graduate training programs for management and organizational development.

Richard has also served on the boards of several professional and nonprofit organizations. He is married to Ellen C. Singer, a licensed clinical social worker, and they are the parents of two children.