Ted Edlich

Ted Edlich grew up in Greenwich Village in Manhattan and has spent most of his life in the mountainous Roanoke Valley in Southwest Virginia. His academic record includes degrees from UNC, UTS, NYU, Yale and an honorary Doctor of Letters from W&L. Ted has served as the President and CEO of Total Action for Progress for four decades creating educational, employment, housing, and business development opportunities for thousands. The organization has served as an incubator for projects that have been replicated throughout Virginia and the nation. He has been committed to justice and reaching out to help families gain a good foothold on life.

Ted has a passion for learning. Next to the life of the heart it is the life of the mind brings joy and excitement. Ted’s book, Navigating the Nonprofit Rapids, Strategies and Tactics for Running a Nonprofit Company, is a compact volume of what it takes to run a first rate nonprofit organization illustrated with real life situations and compelling stories of people who have made a significant difference.

Ted is the recipient of many awards. Among them is the Humanitarian Award from the National Council of Christians and Jews and the Bob Coard Award for Innovation from the National Community Action Partnership.

Since stepping down from his position at TAP, Ted continues to be involved in consulting, counseling and coaching, training, teaching mindfulness meditation, writing, and public speaking.

In his spare time Ted has earned a first degree black belt in Chinese Kempo Karate, climbed mountains across the country, does water color paintings of places he has visited, and goes sailing with friends as often as possible on his 25ft. Catalina sailboat, “No Problem.” He is also a family man devoted to wife, his five frown children, and four grandchildren. He is a good friend to many.