Chad A. Ludwig

Chad A. Ludwig is a Deaf community leader, Certified Deaf Interpreter, ADA Coordinator, and nonprofit executive with over 20 years of experience advancing access, equity, and systems change for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities in Oregon and beyond.

As the Founder and Executive Director of Bridges Oregon, Chad transformed a grassroots vision into a statewide nonprofit now serving hundreds of individuals each year. Under his leadership, the organization has grown into a $3.4 million agency providing advocacy, communication access, and wraparound services across health, legal, and public systems. He built the organization in direct response to a gap: for years, Oregon had no Deaf-run agency offering these supports and Chad felt the community deserved better.

Chad’s leadership journey has spanned interpreting, legislative advocacy, systems design, and community organizing. He’s served on numerous state and national advisory boards, including the Oregon Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Program and the Hands & Voices Deaf/Hard of Hearing Advisory Council. His work continues to shape language access policies, disability rights initiatives, and sustainable service delivery models throughout the region.

In this Lead Different episode, Chad joins host Shane Feldman to explore how relationships, data, and persistence power meaningful change. Together, they unpack what it takes to connect grassroots needs with government action and how Deaf-led organizations are redefining what community-driven systems can look like.