Abby Cooper is a busy woman. For more than 15 years, she’s owned Kennedy Douglas Consulting, where she works with federal, state and local governments and nonprofits to increase employment for individuals with disabilities. 

The reality is that one in four people in the U.S. have a disability, but states aren’t doing enough to help these individuals enter the workforce. “I think a lot of times, people have incredible difficulty seeing the person — they just see the disability,” Abby explains.

Because the U.S. has squeezed a large portion of the country — and some of the most innovative problem-solvers — out of the job market, Abby has made it her mission to create more employment opportunities for them. She does this by educating companies on disability laws, employee etiquette and technology accommodations.

Abby’s also a firm believer that states need to band together to create consistent messaging around this matter — that if you live in the U.S. and you want to work, you should have the opportunity to do so.