Robert S. Budd

Robert S. Budd is the Chief Executive Officer/President of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), a not-for-profit agency that supports individuals of all abilities with community living opportunities, employment, day services, clinical, crisis, education, after-school and other supports. Mr. Budd is a vision driven, results orientated leader with over 35 years of progressive leadership experience.

Mr. Budd joined FREE in 1985 and has held key operations positions most recently named Chief Executive Officer in 2008 and President in 2023. He played a key leadership role in expansion of the organization from an annual budget of $1 million in 1985, serving forty-five individuals to a network of organizations providing over $135 million of services in 2019 serving over 35,000 individuals annually.

Mr. Budd has initiated numerous innovative proposals most notably the Network structure that molds the uniqueness and flexibility of distinct smaller organizations with the efficiencies and strength of a larger Network. Mr. Budd is actively involved with many human service agencies that support people who are differently abled, with developmental and other disabilities. He continues to serve and take leadership roles on many advocacy boards, both regionally and nationally. Mr. Budd is the Past President of the Board for American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) and was inducted into the 2018 ANCOR Foundation Legacy Leaders Circle. The Legacy Leaders Circle recognizes ANCOR members who have made significant contributions to ANCOR and the broader disability and provider community during their tenure as an ANCOR member.

Mr. Budd also serves on the boards of New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation (New York Alliance), Interagency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies, Inc. (IAC), Long Island Select Healthcare, Inc. (LISH), Alliance of Long Island Agencies, Inc. (ALIA) and New York Disability Advocates (NYDA).

Mr. Budd dedicates time to the field consulting, speaking and training and is pleased to utilize his certification as an A.M.A and Covey facilitator to support colleagues in personal and professional growth. He teaches a Master’s program cohort class for Stony Brook University’s School of Professional Development and was one of the industry leaders on a panel at the State Of The Not-For-Profit Industry hosted by Long Island Business News.

Mr. Budd holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the State University of New York at Potsdam and a Master of Professional Studies in psychology from Long Island University, CW Post.