Disability Matters

In recognition of November as national Epilepsy Awareness month, Joyce welcomes Peggy Beem-Jelley, CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western/Central PA. Ms. Beem-Jelley will discuss the mission of this organization and the programs and services it has in place to foster greater awareness of epilepsy.

In recognition of November as national Epilepsy Awareness month, Joyce welcomes Phil Gattone, CEO of the national Epilepsy Foundation. Mr. Gattone will discuss the mission of this organization and the programs and services it has in place to foster greater awareness of epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes, Karen Slaughter, New York Times and international best-selling author, with over 30 million copies of her books sold worldwide. Best known for her Grant County and Will Trent series, Ms. Slaughter will discuss the reason many of the novels she writes feature a character(s) with a disability.

Joyce welcomes Christine M. Griffin, executive director of the Disability Law Center Inc. (DLC), of Massachusetts. The DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities. Ms. Griffin will discuss the services of the DLC in depth, and also talk about her background as a life-long advocate for people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Fred Maahs, chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), to the show. The American Association of People with Disabilities is the nation's largest cross-disability membership organization that promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. During the show, he will share his story of how he became a member of the disability community, what it means to be chair of AAPD, and most importantly, the 2015 AAPD Gala in Washington, DC.

Joyce welcomes Christine M. Griffin, executive director of the Disability Law Center Inc. (DLC), of Massachusetts. The DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities. Ms. Griffin will discuss the services of the DLC in depth, and also talk about her background as a life-long advocate for people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Mark Johnson, director of the Shepherd Center. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Shepherd Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord and brain injury. Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. Mr. Johnson will discuss the programs and services of this facility, in depth.

Joyce welcomes author, Donna W. Hill to the show. Donna Hill is a writer, speaker and avid knitter from Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains. A songwriter with three albums, she has published her first novel, The Heart of Applebutter Hill. It has received recommendations from professionals in the fields of education, rehabilitation and the arts as a tool to foster full inclusion of people with disabilities. During the show, she will explain why fiction is a safe and highly personal way of introducing students to the struggles and capabilities of people with differences.