Disability Matters

Joyce welcomes disability advocate, Anastasia Somoza, speaker during the first night of the Democratic National Convention on July 26, 2016. Ms. Somoza gave the delegates and convention viewers a moving speech on Americans with disabilities. Miss Somoza was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia from birth and uses a wheelchair. She has been an advocate for people with disabilities since the 1990's. In 1993, she appeared at a town-hall meeting for kids and asked President Bill Clinton a question. From there, she interned for Hilary Clinton in her U.S. Senate Office and worked on Clinton's 2000 campaign for the US Senate. Anastasia will share her story and passion as an advocate for people with disabilities, and the importance members of the disability community to vote and support Hilary Clinton for President of the United States.

Joyce welcomes Tim Creagan, Senior Accessibility Specialist-Information Technology, with the U.S. Access Board. The Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Access Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, medical diagnostic equipment, and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and continues to enforce accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities.

Joyce welcomes Lisa Krause, manager, Corporate Systems for HM Health Solutions. and Lonie Haynes, vice president Diversity and Inclusion for Highmark Health. Both guests will discuss the Careers2B Program, a unique collaboration requiring participation by three distinct entities, the partnership coordinator, the sponsor company, and the hiring company. Bender Consulting serves as the partnership coordinator of the Careers2B Program. Bender recruits, screens, directs, and manages Careers2B program participants. Sponsor companies, such as Highmark provide marketable work experience for a period of 12 months. Hiring companies hire individuals who are participating in or have completed the Careers2B 12-month work experience.

Joyce welcomes Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living -NCIL-. The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: Centers for Independent Living -CILs-, Statewide Independent Living Councils -SILCs-, individuals with disabilities, and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States. Discussed on the show will be the mission of NCIL in depth, how Mr. Buckland feels the Americans with Disabilities Act -ADA- is being attacked, and why in his opinion he feels it is important for people with disabilities to vote and be engaged in the election process in November.

Joyce welcomes Charlie LaVallee, chief executive officer, and Mike Schneck, board member, of Variety the Children's Charity of Pittsburgh. Variety's programs and services are designed to empower children with disabilities by providing them with the equipment and experiences they need to gain mobility, confidence, and independence. The guests will discuss this year's Variety Gala, to be held Friday, November 4, 2016 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA. The annual event raises funds to support the programs and services of the charity.

Joyce's honored guest will be Vivek Viswanathan policy advisor on the staff of Hillary for America, and has been with the campaign since it launched in the spring of 2015. Since joining Hillary for America, he has worked closely on policies that matter for Americans with disabilities. He will help Joyce's listeners understand the campaign's vision for Americans with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the show. Mr. Coelho will discuss the efforts to pass the ADA leading up to July 26, 1990 and his tireless work on both the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). CRPD is an international human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law.

Joyce welcomes Jill Houghton, Executive Director of the US Business Leadership Network® -USBLN-®. She will discuss the 2016 USBLN® Conference September 19-22, 2016 at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL.

Joyce welcomes Josh Christianson, project director, for Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology -PEAT-. PEAT is multi-faceted initiative to foster collaboration and action around accessible technology in the workplace. PEAT works to help employers -IT companies- understand why it pays to build and buy accessible technology and how to go about doing so. Josh will explain his role with PEAT and the mission in depth.

Joyce welcomes Sam Estes, Co-chair of the Athletes vs. Epilepsy Initiative, a nationwide program for athletes, coaches, volunteers, and fans to raise awareness and funds for the Epilepsy Foundation's mission to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. The program will also include Jerry Kill, Associate Athletic Director Kansas State University, Jeff Klauk, Professional Golfer, and Chanda Gunn, Ice Hockey Olympian.