Brett Bulmer has been appointed the new executive director of the Brunswick-based Independence Association and Spindleworks, organizations that work with adults and children with disabilities, effective July 8.

Bulmer takes over the post from Ray Nagel, who served the organizations for the past 14 years.

Originally from Maine, Bulmer attended high school and college in Northwest Indiana. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he returned to his home state and was hired as a direct support professional (DSP), working with people with intellectual or physical disabilities, in 1997. In addition to being a DSP, his 27-year career in the field has included program management, primary care physician coordination, staff training and human resources.

After serving on the Independence Association’s Board of Directors for seven years, Bulmer became the director of programs in January of 2022.

“When I first entered this field, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. At the time, I had no intention of making it a career. But something happened along the way: I fell in love with this work,” Bulmer said. “There is nothing else like it and I cannot envision myself doing anything else. Every day, I’m impressed by the talent, skills, and dedication of the people here at IA. Joining the IA team has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I look forward to serving our clients, families, and employees in this capacity and can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together.”

Nagel will remain with the organization as the chief executive officer. His focus will be on policy updates, the creation of a training curriculum for managers and serving as a liaison between the agency and the board of directors until he retires in December.

For more information, visit independenceassociation.org.