Disability Matters

Joyce welcomes Neil Romano, former Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy. He is a disability rights leader and board member of the National Council on Disability (NDC) and former chairman. First established as an advisory Council within the Department of Education in 1978, NCD became an independent federal agency in 1984. In 1986, NCD recommended enactment of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and drafted the first version of the bill, which was introduced in the House and Senate in 1988. Since enactment of the ADA in 1990, NCD has continued to play a leading role in crafting disability policy, and advising the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policies, programs, and practices. Mr. Romano will talk about his accomplishments as chairman, and how he sees the direction of the organization going under current chairman Andres J. Gallegos. .

Joyce welcomes Susan M. Dooha, J.D., national disability rights leader and executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) to the show. CIDNY is a well-respected disability civil rights organization in New York City and nationally. It is an organization run by and for people with disabilities. CIDNY empowers people with disabilities with the skills and advocacy they need to achieve goals that will improve their lives, develop their knowledge and self-advocacy skills. Ms. Dooha will further explain this mission and its various programs and services to the community which it serves. Bender Consulting is working with Susan to help find her replacement because after more than 20 years leading CIDNY Susan is ready to move on to other endeavors that we are all waiting to hear about.

Exciting news! On March 16th, Joyce will have diplomats and other guests from the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia on the radio show to discuss their commitment to progress in the area of employment of people with disabilities. U.S. Embassy delegate Cheryl Harris, who is a leader committed to people with disabilities will be a guest on the show. The other guests joining Cheryl are Manel Bargaou, a teacher of English and the first teacher of English to use Tunisian sign language and Amine Dridi, a special education teacher for children with Down Syndrome. Do not miss this one!

Joyce welcomes Diane Coleman, the president and founder of Not Dead Yet. This organization, is a national disability rights group, that gives a voice opposing assisted suicide and euthanasia. Diane will discuss the mission of this organization in depth, as well as her leadership and policies in place now. She is a well-known writer and speaker on assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Joyce welcomes Andres Gallegos, newly appointed chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD) to the show. President Biden appointed Mr. Gallegos on January 20, 2021. The NCD is an independent, nonpartisan federal agency that advises the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy. Mr. Gallegos will discuss his vision for the Council during his tenure.

In recognition of February as Black History Month, Joyce welcomes, Robert A. James, the new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Highmark Health to the show. Mr. James will explain the commitment of diversity and inclusion at Highmark Health. Mr. James is known nationally for including all marginalized groups including people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Greg Weinstein, Jennifer Mazza-Cagliuso, Jennifer Trich Kremer, and Alina Bengert-Lombardi to the show. They are organizers of the World Information Architecture (IA) Day Pittsburgh 2021. The nonprofit World IA Day provides the foundation for learning about information architecture, a discipline devoted to the understanding of how information is structured and understood. World IA Day is the one day a year the community gets together for a global conference, curated and organized by volunteers around the world. They have plans to conduct collaborative research and mentoring projects to address change in culture and society. Joyce's guests will explain Pittsburgh's efforts to commemorate this annual event virtually, Monday, February 27, 2021.

Joyce welcomes Jo Clark, chair of the board of the Homeless Children Education Fund (HCEF) and vice president Value based care at Highmark Health to the show. Ms. Clark will discuss the organization's commitment to support the HCEF in Pittsburgh. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established in 1999 to support the educational needs of children experiencing homelessness in Allegheny County. Over the years, HCEF's role in the community has developed and expanded to meet these needs. HCEF relies on support from community foundations, corporations, and individuals and receives no governmental funding.

Joyce welcomes Larry Kleinman, executive vice president, chief human resources officer at Highmark Health to the show. Mr. Kleinman will share his perspective on the success of Highmark Health's 2020 30/30 initiative to hire 30 people last year in honor of 2020 being the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Kleinman played a key role in the 30/30 hiring initiative. Also discussed will be Highmark Health's ongoing commitment to hire people with disabilities in 2021 and beyond.

Joyce welcomes Holly O'Donnell, president and CEO, and Harvey Rosenthal, member of the board of trustees for the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The Center has advocates for the civil rights, full inclusion and equality of adults and children with mental disabilities and has been pivotal in expanding the civil rights movement to include fighting discrimination against, and segregation of, people with mental disabilities. Ms. O'Donnell and Mr. Rosenthal will discuss the services offered and the mission of the Bazelon Center.