Dr. Vicki Easley has spent the majority of her career rejecting the notions that mental
retardation equaled hopelessness and that status quo services were acceptable.
Vicki graduated from OCLA in 1966. She received her master's degree in diagnostic/prescriptive teaching for emotionally disturbed (special education) from Coppin State College in 1969 and a doctorate of education in psychoeducational assessment, curriculum design and instructional techniques for special populations from the Catholic University of America in 1976.
Her career began as a special education teacher. She served numerous other roles throughout her career. Easley had leadership responsibilities in a vocational rehabilitation unit, adult activity workshop program, staff development department and therapeutic program services.
She was the facility director and director of clinical and program services of a 300 bed intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled, where she directed more than 700 staff employees. During her tenure at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills, Maryland, she was credited as playing a significant role in achieving Rosewood's release from a seven year Consent Decree from the Department of Justice. Vicki provided leadership and direction needed to effect center-wide changes.
As director of Rosewood Center's Therapeutic Program services, Vicki completely transformed the center's day programs into a system of individualized therapeutic programming emphasizing integration of specialized disciplines in the day programs. This was recognized as a state of the art program on a national level.
She established the first supported employment program in the nation to operate from an intermediate care facility. She received the Maryland’s Governor’s Citation for Outstanding Service and the Maryland Department of Mental Hygiene Outstanding Administrator Award. Easley serves as a Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Volunteer, a member of her local SPCA and enjoys a range of hobbies.