Leadership Series: Charles McFadden

Charles McFadden, CSD’s Chief Technology Officer, is a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate with 30 years of experience in a variety of roles. After he lost his hearing at a young age due to an unknown illness, his parents encouraged him to be self-sufficient.

“My parents gave me the sense that I’m not different than anyone else,” Charles said. “[They] taught me to look into myself, to find my own way to navigate through the world.” 

When the CSD Spotlight Tour visited Philadelphia in the fall of 2017, Charles was impressed by their commitment to their worldwide mission.

“They are passionate about what they want to do to help make a difference for the deaf community,” Charles said. “I thought, ‘These are some pretty great people here, I think I can work well with them. Maybe make a positive difference.’”

Coincidentally, CSD listed the CTO position just two months later, and Charles went for it.

“I want to solve problems. I want to work on the problems that affect the world. That’s what I’m good at,” Charles said. “We all, together, can change the world, leading to something positive.”