Pros
Lower level employees dedicated to cause and most have the lived experience of an eating disorder which gives them important insights to the necessary work.
Cons
Board of directors does not reflect the people who have eating disorders and are out-of-touch with the staff and field in general. Under their leadership they have ignored a large percentage of those who need help and have no awareness of the issues that are most important to those doing advocacy and fighting for their lives. The interim CEO and her sidekick have completely destroyed morale and in an field where fatphobia is a major component of the mental health issue being addressed, these 2 women have contributed to bringing diet culture in to the organization. They have harmed people on staff who have eating disorders and body image concerns with their flippant comments; especially those who are higher weight. They have no concept of mental health "safety" and are in no way fit for these positions. That the board of directors hired and supports this interim leadership is appalling and the remainder of the eating disorders field should be very concerned about what this means for the "National" organization supposedly working to end eating disorders. Let's be clear: this is a fundraising organization that does very little that is actually helpful to those with these disorders. Its supporters were shafted last year when a leader in the field was fired because she was outspoken that marginalized individuals did not have a place in the field and had little access to care. The interim leadership and board do not care about anyone but the thin, white community who has always had the attention of the media and field. The entire staff was shocked when this happened and it has been downhill since that time. NEDA contributes nothing to the field. There are other eating disorders organizations actually doing amazing work.