After years of success, advocacy SourceAmerica's president and CEO announces retirement
Richard Belden will retire in 2027 after years of hard work advocating for disability employment
Vienna, VA (March 11, 2026) — After seven successful years of leading SourceAmerica's efforts to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities, Richard Belden will retire as president and chief executive officer of the organization in June 2027.
SourceAmerica® is a national nonprofit organization that helps administer the AbilityOne® Program – a federal program that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities including veterans. Belden joined the organization in 2019 and began serving as president and CEO in 2020. Since joining SourceAmerica, Belden has used his passion, nonprofit experience, and leadership skills to work closely with the SourceAmerica Board of Directors, a national network of nonprofit agencies, and federal customers to drive change and job creation for people with significant disabilities.
"Richard's leadership will have a lasting and positive impact on our organization, and the Board of Directors is deeply appreciative of his many contributions–particularly his work to build strong relationships, achieve organizational goals and key performance indicators, and strengthen SourceAmerica's position as a champion of employment for people with disabilities," said Mark Lezotte, SourceAmerica board chair.
Throughout his tenure, Belden instilled a sense of trust with key stakeholders by advocating for disability employment policy, working with federal partners and other leaders in the disability community, and empowering SourceAmerica's network and staff to provide resources and support, all of which led to increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
"I came into this organization with a strong belief in its mission: to increase the employment of people with disabilities," Belden said. "Over the last seven years, that belief has grown even stronger as I gained a deeper understanding of what it takes and why it matters. People with disabilities bring valuable skills, hard work, and commitment to the workforce. I am proud of what SourceAmerica has accomplished in the last several years and I look forward to seeing what the organization does for disability employment in the future."
The timing of Belden's retirement has been carefully planned so that SourceAmerica can execute a thoughtful, detailed executive search. Belden will remain focused on leading the organization through June 2027 and support a smooth transition to new leadership once his successor is identified. Candidates are encouraged to respond to the formal job posting which will go live on March 16 at SourceAmerica.org/Careers. SourceAmerica will announce Belden's successor once that person is selected.
About SourceAmerica
SourceAmerica is a national nonprofit that helps administer the AbilityOne Program – a program that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities through federal product and service contracts. We are a bridge between our network contractors and federal customers, providing the resources and support they need to successfully navigate the AbilityOne Program. To learn more, visit SourceAmerica.org and follow @SourceAmerica on Facebook, X.com (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn.