Disability Matters

Joyce welcomes Ty Ballou, President of PLB Sports in Pittsburgh, PA and founder of the BallouSkies charity. Ty will discuss his son, Ryan who is living with Muscular Dystrophy, as well as the mission of this non-profit organization that provides funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.

Joyce welcomes David Carson, author of Survival Guide for College-Bound L.D. Students, as her guest. He will discuss his struggles overcoming his learning disability in college and how those struggles led him to write this publication for any college student faced with a learning disability.

Joyce welcomes Marc Ecko an entrepreneur, fashion/media mogul, venture capitalist and education reformer. He is the CEO and a founder of ARTISTS & INSTIGATORS, LLC. Marc is also the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Marc Ecko Enterprises, a billion-dollar global fashion and lifestyle company. He will discuss how his company has been selected by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to run the fashion show at the March 2012 AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC.

Joyce welcomes the new chairman of the board of the Epilepsy Foundation, Dr. Brien Smith. Dr. Brien Smith is an epileptologist living with epilepsy. He will discuss what it means to him to be the chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation, and why he decided to become an advocate for those living with epilepsy. He will also discuss the various types of seizures that a person with epilepsy can have, and some of the new research initiatives being studied to treat epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes Interim President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation, and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Tony Coelho. This is National Epilepsy Awareness month, and he will discuss the 2011-2012 goals for the organization. He will also reflect on the progress that has been made in the disability rights movement since the ADA became law.

Joyce welcomes Evan Moss and his mother, Lisa Moss, to the show. Evan Moss is an 8-year-old boy who has tuberous sclerosis and epilepsy. He has written a book entitled, "My Seizure Dog", which helped the family raise money to purchase a service dog to help him manage his seizures. Lisa Moss serves on the board of directors of the national Epilepsy Foundation; she believes in advocacy, both for her family and for others.

Joyce welcomes Ronnette Smith, senior manager, corporate affairs at Walmart, Inc. She will discuss Walmart's commitment to hiring people with disabilities as part of their corporate diversity hiring practices.

Joyce welcomes Judy Painter, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western/Central Pennsylvania. She will discuss a number of topics including the mission of the organization, her insight into why she feels people are afraid to disclose they have epilepsy, and what parents can do to help their children who are bullied at school. She will also share details about the organization's annual fundraiser, the Mardi Gras Gala, in Pittsburgh, PA.

Joyce welcomes Judy Pamer, disability advocate for ACHIEVA. ACHIEVA provides a full spectrum of services for people of all ages and abilities and their families. Ms. Pamer is also co-founder of UP KIDS support group for kids with Downs Syndrome and their families. Ms. Pamer has a son, Karl with Downs Syndrome, and knows first-hand, the issues that families of children with Downs Syndrome face. She will discuss the current bullying crisis that is facing kids in schools today, especially those with disabilities. Also, she will share proactive steps that parents, students, schools, and the community at large, can take to overcome the problem.

Joyce welcomes Michael Murray, the American Association of People with Disabilities' (AAPD) director of programs. Michael will be discussing Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), which is Wednesday, October 19, 2011. DMD is a job-shadow and career exploration program designed to link students and jobseekers with disabilities to employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. AAPD coordinates DMD through a network of more than 350 volunteers. AAPD is the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, which organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially.