Kareemah Abdullah

Kareemah Abdullah, Vice President of Development and Youth Programs, oversees and directs CADCA’s strategic partnership and resource development department. Abdullah provides short and long-term strategic direction and planning for public and private relations including government, corporate, foundations and community enterprises. She also identifies, cultivates and maintains partnerships that support major organizational goals and objectives. These partnerships result in increased joint-ventures and public relations that garner material and collateral resources to generate and sustain operations, strategic initiatives and special projects. Under the her guidance, the work of the Development and Youth Programs division furthers the agency’s mission; expands its reach and resources; and enriches its members, partners and domestic and international communities.

Previously Abdullah was the Deputy Director of CADCA’s National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute established by Congress under the Drug Free Communities Support Act through the Executive Office of the President, Whitehouse Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The Institute administered by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), located in Alexandria, Virginia, is “both a vehicle for coalition-specific substance abuse prevention, policy development and a center for coalition training, technical assistance, evaluation, research and capacity building.” 

Under her leadership, as the deputy responsible for the country’s drug demand reduction training and technical assistance system, the National Coalition Academy was created in partnership with the National Guard Bureau and its Regional Counter-drug Training School Network. Designed to provide substantial support to communities and states across the nation, the Academy, the National Youth Leadership Initiative, and the other components of the CADCA’s comprehensive national training delivery system established by Abdullah represents the largest sustained training and technical assistance undertaking in CADCA’s and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) history. The Institute’s “systems change” training model is used in local, state and regional settings; and internationally by the U.S. Department of State. Abdullah leads the agency work in South Africa and has presented papers internationally as a US delegate on the CADCA Institute’s documented model for population level change. 

Abdullah has acquired and leveraged millions of federal, state, local and private dollars and other resources via contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, workforce development and interagency collaboration. Kareemah had a successful career in corporate America that span more than 20 years. She is a distinguished administrator, consultant, master trainer and coach, effective interviewer, broadcast moderator, talk show host, keynote speaker and mother of four outstanding daughters.  Developing young people for youth-led civic engagement and systems change is part of her life long work.

Prior to assuming current accountabilities, Kareemah Abdullah a Certified Prevention Specialist Level 4, served as Vice-President and President-elect of the Board of Directors for the Prevention Credentialing Consortium for the State of Georgia, as a member of the Georgia Steering Committee for the U.S. Department of Justice Serious and Violent Offender “Coming Home Reentry Initiative,” and Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Prevention Coalition, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. Agency accomplishments included national recognition as successful Government Partner by the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; CADCA Outstanding Coalition; White House, Office of the President, National Drug Control Policy Drug-Free Communities Coalition, Outstanding Georgia Workforce Development Partner and the establishment of the Genesis Intel Computer Clubhouse, an international collaboration with Intel, the Boston Museum of Science, MIT Media Laboratory and the Clubhouse Network.