Press Release

Vice President, Fund Development is Hired Rita Thodos Joins the Pacific Autism Family Centre Foundation We are pleased to announce the appointment of Rita Thodos as Vice President, Fund Development to our Foundation. Rita comes to us with over twenty years of senior management experience in fundraising, development, and project management, most recently, as National Director, Development & Operations of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Canada, Rita provided strategic leadership to Regional Managers, to ensure the foundation’s $23 million revenue and new business development goals were achieved and sustained.Previously as Regional Manager of BC/Yukon for JDRF, the region experienced 44% revenue growth in two years under her direction. She was instrumental in securing community and corporate partnerships as well as major gifts at the leadership level.Rita is a YWCA Women of Distinction Award Nominee, a multiple JDRF National Award winner, and an active member in her community.“In choosing Rita to fill this position, I believe we have made an excellent choice, not only for this role, but for the foundation as a whole” says Foundation Founder Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia.