Disability Matters

Joyce welcomes Kristy Trautmann, executive director of the FISA Foundation to the show. The FISA Foundation seeks to build a culture of respect and improve the quality of life for three populations in southwestern Pennsylvania: women, girls and people with disabilities. The organization makes charitable grants to nonprofits serving those groups. Ms. Trautmann will discuss the various programs and services of the organization in-depth.

Joyce welcomes Greg Pollock,vice president of Human Resources and Accessibility Officer at PNC Financial Services. He currently works at PNC's corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA.. He will discuss the commitment of of PNC to hire a diverse workforce, including those with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Charlie LaVallee, CEO of Variety the Children's Charity of Pittsburgh to the show. Variety – the Children's Charity is a non-profit organization that strives to enable children with disabilities to live life to the fullest with a focus on mobility, communication, and social interaction / inclusion throughout 64 counties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Mr. LaVallee will discuss the various programs and services of the organization and its goals for 2020.

Joyce welcomes Michael Kiel, author of the book, Challenge the Moment, and state board member of the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to the Show. Mr. Kiel, will discuss the book in detail. This memoir is about his perspective on life - his entire life - before, during, and after a life-altering spinal cord injury. He shares many of his highs and lows, the importance of humor, and the incredible support around him. His brutally honest life story, along with his poems, and humorous anecdotes will inspire others to discover humor and strength through their own challenging moments.

Joyce welcomes three disability leaders, Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living; Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN; and Maria Town, president and CEO of American Association of People with Disabilities to the show. The guests will discuss issues, accomplishments, and trends in the community to keep Joyce's listeners appraised on what is happening on a national basis in the area of disability. They will reflect on the past year and what to look forward to in 2020.

Joyce welcomes Lead Pastor Scott Stevens from Northway Christian Community Church's Wexford, PA location on this Christmas Eve show. Pastor Stevens will explain what led him to become a pastor as well as the history of the church, the various programs and services at all campuses of Northway Christian Community Church. Finally, he will discuss the church's outreach throughout the world.

Joyce welcomes Marca Bristo, board president of United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD), to the show. Ms. Bristo will discuss the organization's mission, to catalyze and help focus the energy, expertise and resources of the US disability community and the US government to optimize their impact on improving the lives of and circumstances of people with disabilities worldwide. She will also discuss the organization's commitment to the disability community in Japan, as they recover from the recent earthquake; and her lifelong work as a leader in the disability rights movement.

For a special holiday gift to her listeners, Joyce welcomes international musician, Scott Mulvahill to the show. Scott is a Frontman, singer/songwriter, world-renowned upright bassist, and multi-instrumentalist. For the past decade, Scott has left his unique mark on the intersecting worlds of Americana, bluegrass, folk, jazz, rock & roll, and roots music. Already acclaimed for his work alongside icons like Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, he turns a new page with Himalayas, a versatile solo album that celebrates the full spread of his abilities. "As important as the bass is to the sound of my music, it's not a crutch," he says. "To me, the songwriting, the voice, and the message are what really matter. Himalayas is based upon this idea that there's more to your life than your current challenge — that any setback is surmountable.

Joyce welcomes Leigh Ann Davis, director of Criminal Justice Initiatives for The Arc of the United States and oversees The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD), a clearinghouse for research, information, evaluation, training and technical assistance for criminal justice and disability professionals. She serves as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) and Vera Institute of Justice and is passionate about teaching others with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities the value of self-advocacy. Ms. Davis will discuss the mission of The Arc in-depth.

Joyce welcomes Dionna Harris, guidance counselor with Networks School of Employability Skills based in Newark, Delaware. Networks prepares students to become productive members of a workforce. This is accomplished by combining career technical education and employability skill training through the operation of 11 community-based enterprise areas. A hands-on instructional approach is supported by equipment and technology as textbooks and each enterprise area as a classroom. Ms. Harris will explain the concept in-depth during the show.