When Joseph L. Rich steps down as executive director of the Disabled Persons Action Organization at the end of the year, Cynthia L. FitzPatrick will be ready to take his place.

"I'm excited, very pleased that he has faith in me that I can do the job," she said.

Mrs. FitzPatrick was tapped to be Mr. Rich's successor by DPAO's board of directors last fall after he recommended her for the job.

"We're very fortunate to have someone of Cindy's caliber," Mr. Rich said.

He said she has been "dedicated" and "compassionate" in her work, which are the reasons he wanted her to become the next executive director.

DPAO is headquartered at 617 Davidson St., Watertown. Its mission, according to its Web site, is "to provide quality and effective individualized services to mentally retarded and developmentally disabled children and adults in Jefferson and Lewis counties. The services are primarily geared to helping families cope with the stress of caring for their disabled loved ones in their own homes."

It has an office in Lyons Falls and operates the William J. McClusky Center on Davidson Street and two "free-standing respite houses" in Watertown and one in Lowville.

Mrs. FitzPatrick has been working for the agency since 1985. She now serves as assistant executive director and before that was the program director.

For the rest of this year, she will be training to become executive director by slowly assuming Mr. Rich's duties, which he said include overseeing "every facet" of the organization's operation.

"She's taking on more and more responsibilities now with my assistance," Mr. Rich said.

He will step down officially Dec. 31 and Mrs. FitzPatrick will take over Jan. 1.

Mr. Rich said the transition was planned this way to make it as "seamless" as possible. He will be available for consultation even after his retirement.

"He's not totally going away," Mrs. FitzPatrick said.

As a girl, Mrs. FitzPatrick said, she wanted to be a teacher and volunteered in special-education classrooms during high school, which sparked her interest in working with the disabled.

Mrs. FitzPatrick said her goal was to help improve their independence and quality of life.

She attended SUNY Geneseo, where she received a bachelor's degree in special education.

When she graduated, Mrs. FitzPatrick decided not to become a teacher, but still wanted help those with disabilities.

"I guess I just didn't want to be in a classroom every day," Mrs. FitzPatrick said.

She took a job at the Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, Watertown, where she worked for five years, serving in a variety of positions, including client coordinator and caseworker.

Mrs. FitzPatrick first heard about DPAO through the group's fundraising concerts and said that got her interested in working for the organization.

"I liked the things I was hearing about Disabled Persons and the work they were doing," she said.

She was able to get a job there and has been helping to expand the organization ever since.

"The agency has grown immensely in the 20-something years I've worked here," Mrs. FitzPatrick said.

She said her work, which includes researching and applying for funding opportunities, has been stressful at times but is "rewarding."

According to Mrs. FitzPatrick, she has no new plans for the agency at this time and hopes to continue the work that it has done for more than 30 years.

"I would just like to make sure our services remain quality to the people we serve," she said.