Disability Matters

As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, Joyce takes time to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Judy Heumann a major American disability rights leader and activist. Originally aired: December 15, 2020, Joyce welcomed Judith Heumann, internationally recognized leader in the disability rights independent living movement, to the show. Judy worked with a wide range of activist organizations (including the Berkeley Center for Independent Living and the American Association of People with Disabilities), NGOs, and governments since the 1970s and has contributed greatly to the development of human rights legislation and policy benefiting disabled people. Judy discusses her new book, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, which was published in February 2020.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Chris Rosa, President & CEO of The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profits that educate, employ, and empower children and adults with disabilities. Dr. Rosa will share his passion for the mission of this organization and illustrate how they help uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Joyce welcomes back to the show, Maria Town, President & CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). As we continue commemorating the 34th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 2024, Ms. Town will review the ways in which the AAPD works to uphold the ADA and fights for the rights of all people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act. As we approach the 34th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 2024, Mr. Coelho will share the history of how the ADA came to be and share work that still needs done to improve the lives of people with disabilities 34 years after the landmark legislation became law of the land.

Joyce welcomes back, Peri Jude Radecic, Chief Executive Officer of Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP). DRP helps people with disabilities in many areas such as abuse and neglect, access to community services, discrimination, ADA compliance issues, education, assistive technology, voting access, and access to Medical Assistance services. They help people with developmental disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities, brain injury, and people in mental health recovery. The hour will be devoted to expanding Peri’s weekly report on the latest advocacy accomplishments of Disability Rights Pennsylvania.

In recognition of Pride Month, Joyce welcomes Jonathan Capehart, Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist and Television Commentator, Associate Editor of “The Washington Post,” and anchor of “The Saturday/Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart” on MSNBC and Jason Mida, President and CEO of Mida Associates, to the show. The guests will be celebrating June as Pride Month and sharing their personal stories with listeners.

Joyce is proud to have back Highmark Health’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Karen Hanlon. She will explain her commitment to hiring people with disabilities as a diverse part of their workforce.

Joyce welcomes Diego Mariscal, CEO and Chief Disabled Officer of 2Gether-International, a nonprofit organization that develops advocacy campaigns to empower and unify young people with disabilities. Mr. Mariscal uses communication technology to engage youth with and without disabilities around issues such as education, employment, and entrepreneurship. He will share his passion for helping those with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Chris Soukup, CEO of Communication Services for the Deaf. Mr. Soukup, a 2001 graduate of Gallaudet University, has held diverse and progressively responsible positions with CSD since the mid-1990s. Since 2005, he has been a member of CSD’s executive leadership team and was appointed by the CSD Board of Directors to lead this organization as chief executive officer in 2014. He will discuss how this organization makes communication access a top priority for the deaf community.

Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology with Bender Consulting Services, Inc. and Scott Hammerstrom, Manager of Programs and Partnerships for the Bender Leadership Academy to the show. Mr. Homme will discuss the wide range of competitive career opportunities that are available for job seekers with disabilities through Bender Consulting Services Inc. and share what factors make Bender Consulting stand apart from other recruiting firms. Mr. Hammerstrom will share an update on the programs offered through the Bender Leadership Academy to high school students with disabilities, including an update on #NotAshamed, a mental health awareness campaign.

Joyce welcomes Tracy Saula, Senior Vice President and Chief Product and Experience Officer at Highmark Health to the show. Ms. Saula will discuss her role within the organization further and the wide range of products and services that Highmark Health provides to its customers, including those with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Holly O’Donnell, CEO, at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law to the show. Ms. O’Donnell will discuss the mission and accomplishments that the Bazelon Center has made for those living with mental health disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Olivia Dunn, Procurement Manager-Supplier Diversity, and Laurinda Thomas, Senior Director of Sourcing within Global Procurement, at ADP. They will share ADP’s commitment to a workforce that includes people with disabilities and the importance of diversity within the supply chain.

Joyce welcomes Kathryn Zox, host of the VoiceAmerica’s The Kathryn Zox Show, to Disability Matters. Ms. Zox is informative and fun and opens the mic with conversations that women need to hear. The Kathryn Zox Show is savvy and relationship oriented. Ms. Zox has counseled hundreds of women and their families who have suffered from eating disorders, addiction problems, marital, family, and geriatric issues as well as persons coping with mental and physical disabilities. Ms. Zox will share her passion for her work with the audience.

Joyce welcomes Steve Nolder, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Global Communications, and Kaylene Ritchie, Talent Management & Diversity Supervisor, at Calgon Carbon Corporation to the show. The guests will share how Calgon Carbon Corporation of Pittsburgh supports the efforts of the Bender Leadership Academy’s Mary Brougher Mental Health Initiative.

Joyce welcomes Brittany Bullock, Relationship Marketing Specialist with ABLEnow. The show will be explaining tax-advantaged savings accounts for eligible individuals with disabilities. For too long, Americans with disabilities could not save or invest for the future. Advocates fought hard to change this, resulting in a grassroots movement that changed the law, so people with disabilities can achieve a better life experience. ABLEnow accounts help eligible individuals save for the future, without endangering certain disability benefits that are critical for health and independence.

Joyce welcomes Peggy Beem-Jelley, President and CEO, and Colleen Fulkerson, Special Events Coordinator, for the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pennsylvania (EAWCP). Also joining Joyce will be Logan Huwalt, a Baldwin-Whitehall student living with epilepsy, an advocate for people living with epilepsy who is working hard to raise funds for the EAWCP. Annually, March 26th is Epilepsy Awareness Purple Day; therefore, on this day, the guests reflect on the work of the EAWCP and their continued goal to bring awareness of epilepsy and help people live with it.

Joyce welcomes Danielle Filip, Chief Executive Officer and Owner of Sign Language Interpreting Professionals (SLIP), back to the show. She will discuss Act 57, Pennsylvania’s interpreting legislation. Ms. Filip is working on this legislative initiative with State Representatives, Arvind Venkat and Rob Mercuri. The goal of the legislation is to ensure that Pennsylvania has enough trained interpreters to cover the communication needs of all Pennsylvanians who are deaf.

Joyce will be joined by the Honorable Tony Coelho, Author of the America's with Disabilities Act, and the Honorable Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. Ms. Jarrett will discuss her feelings about receiving the prestigious Tony Coelho award, recognizing her work in furthering the employment of people with disabilities in America.

Joyce welcomes Rabbi Daniel J. Fellman, Senior Rabbi of Temple Sinai, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, to the show. They will discuss the healing process after the tragic event that took place at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 27, 2018. Rabbi Fellman will also discuss what they are doing at Temple Sinai to be more inclusive of the Jewish population of people with disabilities and share the purpose of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month (JDAIM) and how it was celebrated in February.