Anthony J. (Tony) Cancelosi, K.M. was appointed president and CEO of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind (CLB) in September 2005.
Under his leadership, CLB is refocusing its priorities to better serve the needs of the residents living in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia who are blind or visually impaired. To accomplish this goal, Mr. Cancelosi is expanding CLB’s strategic partnerships within the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and forging alliances with other blindness and disability organizations, both regionally and nationally. Mr. Cancelosi represents CLB on the District of Columbia’s Workforce Investment Council, the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment board and Montgomery County’s Commission on People with Disabilities. As CLB increases the depth and outreach of its local programs, Mr. Cancelosi is working to identify and cultivate new sources of private and government funding, reduce administrative expenses, and bring an increased level of fiscal accountability to the organization.
Tony is responsible for developing a new membership of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind’s Governing Board. This new Board consists of corporate leaders who have helped CLB minimize its expenses. In addition to the Governing Board, in 2009, Tony developed an Advisory Board which is comprised of more than 30 Members, and this group assisted CLB in successfully fundraising to acquire a mobile vision care unit.
Mr. Cancelosi comes to CLB with extensive executive experience. Prior to joining the nonprofit organization, he was President of ICL, an international software company, and the CEO of several for-profit technology companies including iBrite, Inc., eStara, and Source Digital. He also served as COO for Kee Systems (now Sylvan Learning). Early in his career, Mr. Cancelosi worked in sales for Control Data Corporation. His nonprofit experience includes involvement with the International Center for the Disabled, National Kidney Foundation, and the Special Olympics.
In addition to serving on CLB’s Board of Directors, Mr. Cancelosi serves on the boards of directors of the DC Police Foundation, serves as secretary of the Providence Health Foundation, is president emeritus of the Association for Corporate Growth, serves of the Executive Committee of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and he is co-chair of the Capitol Network Veterans Engagement Board. He serves a member of the Wharton Club, Leadership of Greater Washington Class of 2007, and the Rotary Club. Recently, Mr. Cancelosi became a Knight of Malta as well as graduated from the FBI’s Citizen’s Academy. Additionally, he serves on the finance committee at St. John Neumann Catholic Church. Mr. Cancelosi was elected “Man of the Year” by the 2013 Lido Civic Club of Washington, DC. In 2015, DC Councilmember Anita Bonds awarded Mr. Cancelosi with the Community Cornerstone Award. In 2020, Mr. Cancelosi accepted membership to the Cosmos Club of Washington, DC.
In 2010, Mr. Cancelosi wrote a book called Santa’s Secret, and all book sales benefit Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. Mr. Cancelosi completed the Executive Finance Program at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from St. Joseph’s University, also in Philadelphia.