RESPECTABILITY - Key Persons
Aaron Richmond published a piece about the importance of schools who want to do e-Jewish learning having accessible websites. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Goucher College.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Abe Shapiro hosts the groundbreaking WFHB news segment, Disabulletin, which reports on the latest developments in disability policy and news across the country and around the world. He also is a 2022-2023 Coelho Law Center Fellow.
Abigail Shaw strives to educate the public on access and inclusion for people with disabilities through her work and hobbies. She earned a master's degree in social work from Fordham University.
Job Titles:
- Jewish Inclusion and Community Outreach Fellow
Adam Fishbein's interest in disability advocacy stems from his own mental health and learning challenges. Throughout his childhood, he was involved in the PA Tourette Syndrome Alliance (PA-TSA) and the Tourette Association of America.
Adam Rothstein graduated from Towson University in May 2016 with a bachelors degree in economics and a minor in business. He wants to help people with and without disabilities be financially ready for the future.
Before coming to RespectAbility, Adam Srayi worked with the Benjamin Center, where he researched and compiled data to highlight locations that provided service for people with low or no income. He hopes to hold public office in the future.
Adi Gal is a high school senior at Tenafly High School. Her work at RespectAbility focused on increasing awareness via organized campaigns targeting media outlets and elected officials.
Adina Faye Karten has been working in inclusion, health advocacy, and the development spheres for more than 6 years. She holds a M.A. in Poverty and Development and a B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology.
Adrienne Baez is passionate about where community interaction and policy change meet in the nonprofit sector and hopes to be an active part of her own disability community. She wants to increase accessibility, in education and employment.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Social Impact Strategist, Consultant
Aisha Becker-Burrowes (She/Her) is a social impact strategist, consultant and communications professional working at the intersections of media, communications and social change, with a particular emphasis on racial equity and gender justice. She co-founded and leads brand strategy and impact at FEMINIST (@feminist), the largest women-owned social-first digital platform dedicated to women, girls, and gender-expansive people with a global audience of over 6M+. [continue reading…]
Alejandra Tristan is currently a student online at Arizona State University and pursuing her master's in Public Nonprofit Administration. Her true passion is one day to no longer limit change to just the US but make a worldwide impact.
Alex Hilke was appointed to the Montebello, California Traffic and Safety Committee where he will improve street and sidewalk conditions for people with disabilities. He is currently completing a Master's degree in Public Administration.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Alex Howard earned a Bachelor's degree in Cinema and Television from California State University. He was recently a temp for Warner Brothers and a part-time film critic intern for mxdwn.com.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Writer, Social Media Strategist, and Creative Consultant
Alexander Woods is a writer, social media strategist, and creative consultant who has worked in the fashion industry for over 7 years. However, his passion lies in advocating for equality for all.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media and Communications Fellow
Alexandra Seddon received a Bachelor's degree in Television Film and Media from California State University Los Angeles in the year 2020. Her passion for public service and creative expression has helped her discover her higher purpose.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Writer
Alice Felder is a writer, creator, and entrepreneur who is studying English and Communications at West Los Angeles College. She has worked in home-healthcare with elderly and disabled people for many years.
Amanda Martin assisted with video transcription and ensured that all of RespectAbility's videos uploaded to YouTube had proper captions. She has also worked as an ASL interpreter.
Heiden is a disabled Afro-Latina who has lived with Epilepsy from the age of eighteen months old. She graduated from the University of South Dakota and has interned with the Department of Justice at the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Ana Kohout, Nonprofit Management Fellow
Ana Kohout was a rising junior at Beloit College, where she was a double major in education and youth studies and disability studies. She hoped to become an elementary school teacher and work toward making schools more accessible.
Ana Lucia Figueroa aspires to work in social media and in government programs that help those who need it the most. She has worked as a translator in events like "Vosh Arizona Ophthalmology day" in Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Creative Director
- Ann Taylor As Creative Director
- Founder of CoolGraySeven
As a seasoned creative director, and the founder of CoolGraySeven, Andrew Egan is much more than just a creative resource for his clients and regularly consults on all aspects of their business including strategy, new product development, retail and merchandising. Born and educated in the United Kingdom, Egan studied graphic design and worked in fashion editorial before establishing the London-based design group Egan Melia in 1993.
In 2000, Egan joined Ann Taylor as Creative Director and moved to New York City to help modernize the brand for a new, younger consumer. From there, he moved to fashion advertising agency Laird+Partners where he worked on campaigns for Gap and Nautica before founding CoolGraySeven in 2004. At CoolGraySeven, Egan works with clients across a wide range of different sectors including fashion & retail, luxury real estate and education. His clients include Natori, Frank & Eileen, Geoffrey Beene, Waterworks, Tolkowsky and the New Zen Center for Contemplative Care.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Andrew Reid is a DGA Award winning director and 2022 NAACP Image Awards nominee. His award-winning projects have screened at Slamdance, CAA Moebius, Paramount Pictures, HollyShorts, LA Shorts and over 50 other film festivals worldwide.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Angela Molloy is a queer and congenitally disabled scholar-activist from Edmonds, Washington who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Religion from the University of Washington. She plans to pursue doctoral work in the field of Disability Theology.
As a person with a disability and woman of color, Angelica Vega is passionate about fighting stigmas and promoting diversity and inclusion in schools and the workplace. She was majoring in philosophy and minoring in public health at American University.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Angelique Uwabera is interested in exploring the inclusivity of people with disabilities in countries with limited resources. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC with a bachelor's degree in International Relations in May 2019.
Annie Tohill became passionate about disability issues thanks to her experiences with chronic illness and autism. She edited videos and wrote press releases ahead of Born This Way's second season premiere.
Anthony Brown wrote recruiting profiles for athletes in high schools and junior colleges across the United States for PorterMedium.com. He graduated from the University of Maryland College Park.
Ari Katz is currently working toward her MA in Disability Studies online at the CUNY School of Professional Studies and expects to graduate in May 2023. When she has to be indoors, she watches a lot of TV.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Arianna Montaño graduated with honors from the University of California, San Diego, where she earned her B.A in Sociology. Her senior thesis project discussed college students with hearing loss and their experiences in school.
Ariella Z. Barker was crowned Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina, a disability advocacy position. She encouraged producers and major television networks to accurately depict characters with disabilities on television and film. She is fluent in both English and Hebrew.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
Ashley Merlanie Castillo is a disabled Latina/Hispanic journalist with cerebral palsy. In college, she won a speech and debate competition award for a persuasive speech on disability and bullying in school environments.
Job Titles:
- Latina / Hispanic Journalist
Audrey Bayne is a student at the University of Alabama who serves as her university's Student Director of Disability Affairs and founded her university's first disability-related student organization. She plans to pursue a Master's or Ph.D. program in Public Policy.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
Autumn Blalock has always believed that where inequity creates limits, art creates answers. After her Fellowship, she began her studies for a Masters in Theater and a certificate of Non-Profit Management at Villanova University.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Communications Fellow
- Writer
Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt is a writer, actress, and advocate for disability and autism representation in the entertainment industry. She wants to write for TV or film, while also finding a way to continue acting.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
Baksha Ali is interested in working for nonprofit organizations that work with people with disabilities because she is passionate about helping others. She will eventually pursue her master's degree in Vocational Counseling.
Block graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Journalism & Mass Communications. She also works at Temple Beth Ami in Maryland as an accessible educator in the religious school.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Associate
Job Titles:
- Communications / Jewish Inclusion Fellow
Ben Rosloff earned a BFA in Electronic Media from Long Island University. He has co-produced, edited and screened multiple films for the United Nations, including a film for World Autism Awareness Day, where Ben interviewed then-Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Co - CEO of ProInspire
Bianca Casanova Anderson is an educator, nonprofit leader, and social justice practitioner, with expertise in interpersonal communication, racial equity facilitation, and human development. As an educator for almost a decade, Ms. Anderson found her passion for human-centered change in the classroom. She built a unique background by cultivating inclusive learning environments that center relationships, uplift marginalized voices, and disrupt racism. As the founding Director for the Dallas-Fort Worth site of the Center for Racial Justice in Education, she trained and advised over 3,000 community leaders and educators around the nation in effective racial equity policies, practices, and procedures.
In 2021, Bianca was promoted to Co-CEO of ProInspire, where she supports nonprofit organizations and foundations by leading a portfolio of training programs and services that center race equity and leadership development.
Most importantly, Bianca loves people. She lives and leads through a lens of radical love, deep inquiry, and transformative justice. She is committed to creating spaces where every person feels safe, smart, and significant.
Bill Gaventa is an author, speaker, trainer, and consultant primarily in the arena of faith and disability. He is the founder and Director Emeritus of the Summer Institute of Theology and Disability and the current Director of the National Collaborative on Faith and Disability. He was the Director of Community and Congregational Supports at the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities in New Jersey from 1995-2013. His primary areas of experience and expertise include spiritual and faith-based supports with people with disabilities, training for clergy, seminarians, and community services staff, aging, end of life/grief issues in intellectual and developmental disabilities, cultural competence, and community building. He served as the President of American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from 2016-2017. He was Editor of the Journal of Religion, Disability and Health for 14 years, and is author of Spirituality and Disability: Recovering Wholeness published by Baylor University Press in 2018.
Blair Webb graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with her Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. She has always dreamed of forming her own creative arts program for children with disabilities.
Boming Xie worked to change the perceptions of people with disabilities in the media and in Hollywood. She previously conducted a project to research the private capital of Nanchang, Jiangxi.
Bonni Berger worked as an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Specialist in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She holds a Masters Degree in Linguistics.
Iyomahan is pursuing her bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her early exposure to special education made her passionate about disability rights, especially concerning educational issues.
Rakes is a recent graduate from Fordham University. As a visual impaired dancer, she was the AT&T Spotlight Performer on ABC's Dancing with the Stars where she performed alongside Emmy-nominated dancer and choreographer Derek Hough.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Brooke Castagna believes your disability does not define you. Her interest in disability advocacy started young after being diagnosed with learning disabilities and mental health issues.
A son of Mexican immigrants and a first-generation college student, Bryan Munguia learned about the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry and wants to increase diversity of all minorities to break negative stereotypes in society.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus
- Advisor - Chair Emeritus
Calvin Harris, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, is the Director of Communications for The Economic Innovation Group. Harris became involved in the disability space as a teenager. Because of his mother's work in the neuromuscular lab at the Washington University School of Medicine, Harris met many kids with a disability. This experience inspired him to volunteer as a camp counselor at the Muscular Dystrophy Association Camp for Kids, where he spent several summers during high school and college.
Harris previously served as senior manager of public affairs at the Bipartisan Policy Center, the only Washington-based think tank that brings together leaders with different perspectives, yet stand united in their resolve to work for consensus-based solutions. Harris is a graduate of Morehouse College and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Cami Howe co-founded an on-campus club called "The Disabled Student Alliance," which promoted self-advocacy and fought against ableism and created a community of students of all abilities. She planned to pursue a doctorate degree in Social Psychology.
Candace Cable is a 9-time Paralympian who won 12 medals. Her 27-year Paralympic athletic career gave her a platform to effect positive global cohesive change for people with disabilities through her disability education training, consulting, writing, volunteering and speaking.
Cara Liebowitz managed RespectAbility's Facebook page and contributed to its Twitter account. She holds a Master's Degree in Disability Studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.
While finishing up her degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Chanel Keenan became the NHL's first (and only) Intersectionality Consultant. She was able to help the Seattle Kraken prioritize diversity and disability inclusion at the fan and corporate level.
Charles Butler graduated from Miami University in the Spring of 2016, where he majored in International Studies. He worked with both the Policy and Communications teams at RespectAbility.
Charles V. DeLeo graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Languages and Literature. He is fluent in Japanese and Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Charlotte Ruda became passionate about public health during her studies at American University. She worked at Camp Northwood, a traditional summer camp that caters to children and young adults on the autism spectrum.
Chinyere Azike started an organization in Nigeria called Nechamah that is similar to RespectAbility. Her work has shown her that numerous possibilities exist for people with disabilities if they are provided with a nurturing environment.
Chiquita Jackson studied Political Science, Social Justice, African-American Studies, and Pre-Law at the Columbia College of Missouri. She is passionate to ensure that her brothers and sisters voices are heard, and their rights protected.
Chris-Mike Agbelie was a Ph.D. candidate at Stony Brook University, focusing on disability policy and programs and health outcomes research. He is a sports enthusiast, avid music lover, and "freestyle" dancer.
Job Titles:
- Philanthropy Fellow
- Writer
Christina Lisk is a writer committed to disability advocacy in the nonprofit sector and the arts. She wants to design programs where people with disabilities may use creative writing to find empowerment in an ableist world.
Christina Revilla Chacon is excited to experience direct advocacy for important policy issues. She is passionate about dismantling the obstacles people with disabilities face each day to reach new opportunities in employment and education.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Christina Sturgeon pitched RespectAbility's work on criminal justice reform to staffers on Capitol Hill. She also assisted with research and writing of LOIs and proposals to foundations as well as building lists.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Directors - Vice Chair
- Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion at the Walt Disney Company
Christine Cadena is Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion at The Walt Disney Company and is responsible for developing and advancing strategic company-wide inclusion efforts across diverse consumer segments. She leads community engagement with a focus on advancing representation, equity and inclusion as well as internal efforts like a companywide workgroup focused on advancing Inclusion practices for people with disabilities. During her tenure, she has held progressive roles within Disney, including Merchandising, Product Development, Marketing and Franchise Development. Prior to coming to Disney, she began her career in retail as a buyer and product development executive for Nordstrom. A native of Los Angeles, she is an alumni of UCLA.
As a result of Christopher Coleman's interests in holistic care and acknowledging the interconnectedness of mental and physical health, he has made it his mission to advocate for disadvantaged populations.
Clara Loh's work at SPD, a nonprofit organization supporting people with physical and/or sensory disabilities in Singapore, deepened her interest in disability issues. She attended graduate school at Johns Hopkins University.
Claudia Runk earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Sociolegal Studies from Loyola University Chicago. She hopes to pursue a career in public health policy with a specific interest in mental health advocacy.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Corey Evans previously worked for KATV in Little Rock (ABC Affilliate) and WSVN in Miami (FOX Affiliate) as a news editor. His career goal is to seek employment as a DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) coordinator.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Courtney Hyde's interest in advocating and bringing awareness started when she was young and diagnosed with Juenvile Rheumatoid Arthritis. She graduated from Hood College.
Courtney Murray hopes to combine her broadcast journalism education with her professional experience in the disability field, including a previous internship with AAPD, to further her knowledge of communications in nonprofits.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Secretary of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Directors - Secretary
- Partner at K & L Gates LLP
Craig Leen is a partner at K&L Gates LLP in Washington, DC, in the labor, employment, and workplace safety practice group. He advises companies on equal employment opportunity compliance, including under the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He formerly served as the Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he was a strong national advocate on civil rights and disability inclusion in employment, including his work developing an award-winning OFCCP enforcement program focused on disability inclusion, accommodations, and accessibility for federal contractors and their employees across the United States. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Lee was the Director of Programming for the Council for Students with Disabilities in the University Government of Boston College. He has advocated for increased dorm accessibility.
Dahlia Joseph worked on outreach to presidential candidates on the importance of inclusion of people with disabilities. She is fluent in Haitian Creole and also speaks French and conversational Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Dan Pinkser researched foundations and other potential funders while also representing RespectAbility on Capitol Hill and at the White House. He attended St. Andrews Presbyterian College, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Daniel (Dani) Goldsmith leads 5 Why Consultants. He has previously sold four companies that he co-founded, led, and grew to be 17 times larger than when he founded them to large private equity firms. He has more than 20 years of experience working in the financial services, manufacturing industry, business strategy, corporate governance, finance, tax, and insurance sectors with both Fortune 500 and start up high growth firms.
Daniel Kawecki is interested in exploring the intersection between disability and the criminal justice system as well as the topic of disability in poetry and fiction. Kawecki was enrolled in Mercyhurst's AIM program for students with Autism.
Daniel Martinez identifies as a blind Chicano advocate, educator, and mentor of people with disabilities. He has a Masters of Education in Special Education from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Daniel Shaffer managed the portfolios of the presidential candidates and the governors. He is a avid reader who particularly enjoys reading alternate history books.
Daniela Nieves is particularly interested in education policy for youth with disabilities in America. As a minority, she can relate to others who have intersecting identities and plans to focus her career on public service for marginalized people.
Fighting stigmas around people with cognitive and physical differences is of the utmost importance to David Richman. He attained his Bachelors of Arts in English at The University of Maryland-College Park.
Deepna Anand worked on strategic communications, served as program support and played a vital role in organizing successful fundraisers. She graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Vice Chair
- Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Affairs for Exodus Film Group
- Directors - Vice Chair
Delbert Whetter is the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Affairs for Exodus Film Group. He served as the lead business affairs executive for numerous entertainment and digital content providers for nearly two decades. Delbert has negotiated talent and production agreements including acquisition, development, and film financing arrangements, and licenses of intellectual properties. He has worked on Exodus animated features, IGOR, The Hero of Color City, and Bunyan & Babe, receiving Co-Executive Producer credit on Exodus' two recent films. Delbert earned his law degree from the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., and his MBA from Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management.
Delbert serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors of RespectAbility, a national non-profit organization that works with Hollywood to promote inclusion, representation, and authentic portrayals of people with disabilities in media. He also serves on the Disability Advisory Board of SFFILM. He was appointed in 2018 by the City of Santa Monica to serve a four-year term on its Disabilities Commission and currently serves as its Vice Chair.
He is frequently engaged to consult, speak and conduct trainings at numerous entertainment studios, companies and organizations including Hollywood, Health & Society, Walt Disney Studios and its affiliated film/television entities, NBC, DreamWorks Animation, Netflix, and Six Flags Theme Parks.
Delbert is executive producing the upcoming animated feature film Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk, starring the voices of will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Howie Mandel and Whoopi Goldberg.
Delbert is currently producing Flash Before the Bang, a live-action narrative feature film based on a true story about an all-deaf high-school track & field championship team (Film Independent 2020 Fast Track Finance Market & 2018 Producing Lab, 2019 PGA Power of Diversity Master Workshop, 2019 SFFILM Rainin Grant recipient, & 2019 WGA Disability Scene), and Live at the Deaf Club: The Story of Punk Rock at the San Francisco Deaf Club, a documentary about the legendary 1970's punk rock venue (2020 California Humanities Grant recipient).
Demetrious Lara hopes to find employment within the entertainment industry as a social media manager, or in digital communications. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Dennis Tran is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) advocate and storytellers. His diverse background spans a variety of sectors, including digital media, entertainment, technology, and philanthropy.
Dionne Joseph was born with a visible hip condition called Hip Dysplasia and has learning disabilities as well. She managed RespectAbility's Facebook account and helped with the #PwDsVote Questionnaires.
Donald Minor handled all social media responsibilities and worked to provide periodic updates to the RespectAbility website. He hopes to continue working in the nonprofit sector.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
- Special Assistant to the President
Donjeta Sahiti earned her Masters in Public Administration from Seton Hall University. She hopes to one day run her own nonprofit organization with a focus on educational advancements.
Job Titles:
- Director
- CEO of the National Association of Councils
Donna Meltzer is CEO of the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), a national nonprofit organization that supports the nation's 56 governor-appointed Developmental Disabilities Councils that work within state government to promote independence, productivity, and integration of people with disabilities through systems change activities. In this capacity, Meltzer oversees the organization's public policy and advocacy agenda as well as technical assistance to the members. Meltzer joined the NACDD in October 2012.
Previously she was the senior director of government relations for the Epilepsy Foundation, where she worked from 1987-1993. She rejoined the Epilepsy Foundation in July 2005. She also served as director of legislative affairs for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) from 1995-2005. Meltzer began her career on Capitol Hill working for the Honorable Tony Coelho (D-CA), a former member of Congress and House Whip. Meltzer also spent two years as the government affairs director for the National Health Council, where she directed the advocacy agenda for the Council's Voluntary Health Agency (VHA) members. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's School of Journalism.
Meltzer also participates in several key coalitions including serving on the board of directors of the Coalition for Health Funding. She most recently stepped down from a three-year term as chairwoman of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) where she is an immediate past chairwoman and co-chairwoman of the CCD's Fiscal Policy Task Force. She also is a past chairwoman of the National Health Council's Government Relations Affinity Group.
Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda is a globally recognized human rights expert, published author, scholar, and philanthropist.
He is a two time presidential appointee, serving three US Administrations on issues of accessibility, inclusion and urban transformation.
The Victor Pineda Foundation / World ENABLED works to accelerate inclusive innovation with organizations and communities around the world.
He leads research and training efforts globally with cities around the world and teaches a popular class at UC Berkeley called "Building the Inclusive City". [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Criminal Justice Reform Fellow
Ellis is a reentry advocate/consultant, trainer, mentor and motivational speaker. As a returning citizen with multiple disabilities and a person of color, his experience provides invaluable insight and depth into his work.
Eitan Jacobsohn has been following RespectAbility since its founding in 2013 and was eager to join the team after graduating high school in 2019. He was enrolled at Montgomery College and wants to eventually become a computer scientist.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Elayne Otstot is an aspiring public health and disability policy professional from the Huntsville, Alabama metro area. She is one of the first alumni of the Coelho Fellowship and an alumni of the American Association for People with Disabilities summer program.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
- Columnist for the Daily Beast
- Daily Beast Columnist
Eleanor Clift is a columnist for the Daily Beast, an online publication where she writes about politics and culture. She previously worked for Newsweek, where she covered a variety of beats and was a key member of the magazine's election team.
Her cover story for Newsweek about the television show, Mad Men, won acclaim for capturing the era when women were relegated to the secretarial pool.
Clift is perhaps best known as a panelist on the syndicated talk show, "The McLaughlin Group," which returned to public television in 2020 after a hiatus following the death of host and creator, John McLaughlin.
She has appeared as herself in several movies, including "Dave," "Independence Day," "Murder at 1600," and the CBS show, "Murphy Brown."
She has authored or co-authored several books, including, "Selecting a President," "Founding Sisters and the 19th Amendment," "Two Weeks of Life: A Memoir of Love, Death and Politics," "Madam President: Blazing the Leadership Trail," and "War Without Bloodshed: The Art of Politics."
Clift lives in Washington, D.C., where she is on the advisory council of the International Women's Media Foundation, the Boards of the American News Women's Club and the Board of Governor's of the National Hospice Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Elizabeth Batwinis was a rising senior at Virginia Tech where she was working toward a dual degree in psychology and human development and a minor in integrative health and wellness. She enjoys teaching cycle classes and cheering on the Washington Nationals.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Elizabeth Kim graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania, where she developed her passion for deaf/disability advocacy. She helped start The Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative (AADI).
Elizabeth Pezone recently graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services from California State University Los Angeles. She wants to help others with disabilities, giving them support like she received over the years.
During Issacharoff's two years of National Service (2013-2015) in Israel, she lived and worked in a distressed agricultural community on the border at an elementary school where she managed the third to sixth grade after-school program.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Emily Counts became passionate about working with people with disabilities through her work with Friends in Action. She plans to work in communities with barriers to healthcare access, healthy food, education, employment and physical activity.
Emily Kranking has educated herself how people with disabilities are treated in entertainment and society. Working at RespectAbility mixed her love of service with strategic communications to help people with disabilities.
Emily Snodderly began in the nonprofit sector by leveraging her research skills to increase support and improve outcomes for at-risk youth, especially youth in foster care. She wants to create a thriving community where everyone is welcome and treated fairly.
Emily Tironi majored in Media Arts at SUNY Adirondack, learning graphic design. Wanting to learn more about disability advocacy, she went on to earn her Bachelor's Degree in disability studies from The CUNY School of Professional Studies.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
In addition to her development work, Adelman managed the organization's Twitter account and contributed to the Born This Way #BTWchat Twitter chats. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College.
Emma Content wants to work so that issues such as disability and mental health are not subject to judgment or discrimination. She enjoys drawing, painting, reading and writing.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Senior Communications Associate / Development
Eric Ascher joined RespectAbility because he knows that people with disabilities are capable of doing great work, just like everyone else. A graduate from Goucher College, he has experience with website design, video editing, writing blog posts and research projects.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
- Writer
Erica Mones is a writer, YouTuber, and disability advocate who is currently pursuing her Masters in Disability Studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies. She hopes to pave the way for disabled people through screenwriting.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Member of the Board of Advisors
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at CoBank
Faye Tate is the Vice President for Diversity and inclusion at CoBank. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U. S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities.
Ms. Tate is well-known in the field of diversity and inclusion, having a proven track record in successfully developing and implementing strategic diversity and inclusion plans for multiple organizations. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Founder of the Therapy Access Project
Finn Bradley is the founder of the Therapy Access Project (TAP), a nonprofit that assists members of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities in obtaining mental health services. They has a strong background in circus performance.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Frank Liang graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Television Arts in May 2023. He is an aspiring filmmaker and producer who hopes to meet like-minded and creative individuals to make films with.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Inclusive Philanthropy and Development
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Helkowski recently graduated with her Bachelor of the Arts degree from Mercyhurst University. When not working, she likes to spend time with her friends and family, photography, cooking and traveling.
Gabriella Marquez earned her Bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University. She will be attending American University Washington College of Law in August where she plans to devote her studies to public interest law.
Gabrielle Einstein-Sim is a graduate of the University of Michigan where she studied economics. She is currently a Master's Student in Community Health Education at Teachers College Columbia University. She is a member of the Jewish National Fund's Disability Task Force, focusing specifically on the Special in Uniform program, which enables people with disabilities to serve in the Israeli army.
Einstein-Sim has strong interests in the disability sphere and undertook leadership roles in Best Buddies while at the University of Michigan. Her volunteer efforts also have included recruiting and coordinating volunteers for NYCares and interning for various nonprofits including the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism in Medicine.
Gabrielle Zwi is a community organizer, educator, and musician based in Rockville, Maryland. In October, they will graduate from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights.
Garrett Patterson assisted with fundraising, press outreach, and initiatives to meet with governors in 2014. He is a 2013 Political Science Graduate of St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.
Geoff Hoppe is interested in framing discussions about diversity and inclusion through the lens of neurodiversity. He has experience teaching at the college, high school, and middle school levels.
Georgia Carr earned her Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2022. She has a special interest in improving the lives of queer youth.
Gloria Medina wants to help all communities living in the margins of society, as she understands what it feels like to not get the same opportunities as others and to have stigma attached to a part of one's identity.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
A rising junior in the School of Social Work at the University of Washington in Seattle during her Fellowship, Grace Goldman also pursued a minor in American Sign Language. She worked at the Disability Resource Center on campus.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Grace Ogden-Parker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a prolific writer about her advocacy efforts and freelances as a lived experience blogger for a D.E.I.B. blog called Awesomely Authentic.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Talent, Culture, and Training
Grant Denny was part of a team creating responses to all 50 states on their individual WIOA plans. In addition, he helped the development team with research and fundraising.
Job Titles:
- Leadership and Workforce Development Fellow
Hannah Harriman interned at Bethel University's Disability Services Office while in college, supporting students with a variety of disabilities through their post-secondary education. She subsequently worked as a recruiter for a medical transcription company.
Hannah Pincus represented President Obama on 36 political and official domestic and international trips. She is now a private consultant on issues pertaining to international tax policy, affordable housing, technology and the future of work, and global financial crises.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Hannah Roussel is a neurodiverse, immunosuppressed person who is passionate about religion, community, and inclusivity. She has a M.A. in Talmud and Rabbinic Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach / Policy Fellow
Heidi Wangelin is a University of Washington graduate with two bachelor's degrees in Culture, Literature and Arts as well as Disability Studies. She joined RespectAbility to further her learning about public policy regarding people with disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
After graduating from college, Hillary Steen returned to RespectAbility as our Development and Inclusion Associate. She worked on fundraising - especially grant writing, research, reporting and donor database management.
Hiram Helfman has a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a Master of Arts in Diplomacy. He has spoken at disability awareness events as part of the University of Central Florida's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus
- Director
- Directors - Chair Emeritus
As a member of Congress from 1983-1991, The Honorable Steve Bartlett was the principal author of 18 major pieces of legislation including many legislative initiatives on advancing the cause of independence for people with disabilities. In addition to being a principal Republican author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, legislation included Medicaid eligibility, Section 1619 for Medicare eligibility, supported employment, assistive technology, creation of Towards Independence, the President's Council on Handicapped 1984 report, and mainstreaming reforms for IDEA. During his entire tenure in Congress, he served as the ranking Republican on the Select Education Subcommittee, with jurisdiction for disability issues in education and vocational rehabilitation. Bartlett also served on the House Banking and the Education and Labor Committees.
He currently serves as a Senior Advisor with Treliant Risk Advisors, has more than thirty years of experience in financial services, business strategy, corporate governance, ethics and compliance, and public policy at the highest levels of the private sector and government. His most notable positions include President and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable in Washington, D.C., Mayor of Dallas, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Bartlett draws on his accomplished background and experience and specializes in offering strategic consulting advice to for-profit companies and non-governmental organizations. His advice is sought on a range of policy areas including regulatory compliance, financial services, health care, corporate reputation, Congressional trends, retirement security, identity protection, federal fiscal policy, corporate governance, disability policy and media relations.
During his service as Mayor of Dallas from 1991-1995, Bartlett led Dallas to reduce violent crime, adopt a 5 billion capital improvements plan, and achieve significant economic revitalization, a downtown renaissance, and 30,000 new residential units in or adjacent to downtown Dallas.
In the for-profit world, he is on two corporate Boards and two Advisory Boards: Independent Director for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC), and membership on the Audit Committee; Independent Director for Intersections Inc. (INTX), with seats on the Audit and the Risk Committees; Member of the US Advisory Board of Alexander Proudfoot, a U K-based executive management consulting company; Member of Advisory Board of EverFi, Inc., a 20 million revenue technology company specializing in online financial education.
In the nonprofit world, Bartlett serves on the Board of Directors of the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), a 20 million non-profit based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, devoted to assisting Americans in homeownership. Most notably, HPF created and operates HOPE Now, a national system of counselors who assisted seven million homeowners in modifying their mortgages to keep their homes during the recent financial crisis.
He has provided a leadership role to a number of other non-profit organizations including Operation HOPE, International Relief and Development, Easter Seals of Greater Washington, D.C., and National YMCA. He also served on the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education.
Bartlett graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1971, later serving as guest lecturer with the LBJ school of Public Affairs.
He has been happily married to Gail Coke Bartlett since 1969 and they are parents of three excellent children, and grandparents of eight beautiful grandchildren. He is an active adventure traveler, most recently Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2011 and Mt. Blanc Circuit in 2012. His 2010 Marine Corps Marathon time was 5:29.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
- Tau Sigma National Honor Society Member
Trost is a Tau Sigma National Honor Society member and a 2023 graduate from the University of California-Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Sexuality Studies. He has been a member of The Miracle Project since 2014.
Ian Malesiewski served as the Accessibility Services Liaison in the University of Miami's Student Government. After graduation, he planned to attend law school, where he will focus on disability law and policy.
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair of SIFMA / AMF Derivative Operations Committee
- Managing Director, Is
Ila Eckhoff, CPA, Managing Director, is a member of BlackRock's Business Operations as part of Investment Operations. She is responsible for leading BlackRock's Industry and Counterparty Management strategy and TSS Services for Aladdin clients. Ms. Eckhoff serves on a number of committees, including the Business Operations and Technology Leadership Committees, and Government Relations Steering Committee. She is also a leader of Blackrock's ABN- Ability Network.
Ms. Eckhoff has had several roles at Blackrock, most recently managing the Market Initiatives team coordinating operational initiatives associated with meeting Dodd Frank and EMIR commitments for Over the Counter (OTC) derivatives working alongside the market structure, portfolio management, technology, and legal teams. Prior to that, Ms. Eckhoff managed BlackRock's US Derivative Operations and Trading Operations Groups where she was responsible for collateral management and trade confirmation across fixed income and equity, swap payments and OTC legal confirmations. In addition, she has worked to enhance the firm's system capabilities and develop the operations infrastructure for derivatives. Ms. Eckhoff has also developed and implemented collateral and swap payment processes and procedures for alternative products at the firm. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2000, Ms. Eckhoff managed the New York Collateral teams at both Barclays Capital and Credit Lyonnais, handling all interest rate, FX and equity derivatives. In this role, she was responsible for coordinating global collateral management for all US clients working with legal, tax and regulatory reporting. At Credit Lyonnais, she also managed the Accounting Policy Group where she developed and implemented the Bank's procedures on collateralized derivative trading.
Ms. Eckhoff is co-chair of SIFMA/AMF Derivative Operations Committee, a member of the ISDA Collateral and Credit Steering Committees and a member of the SIFMA AMG Committee. She is also a member of MarkitServ's Advisory Committee and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and RespectAbility Boards of Directors. Ms. Eckhoff earned a BA degree in economics from Brandeis University and an MBA degree in Accounting from Baruch College.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Ilya Zhitomirskiy plans to create a nonprofit that will combine his interest in officiating, his background in nonprofit management, and his interest in helping other people with disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Isabella Russo graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University with a B.S. in rehabilitation and disability studies. She wants to create a transitional independent living center for people with disabilities outside of high school.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
- Entertainment Media Program Coordinator
Isabella Vargas is a filmmaker and community organizer who grew up chronically ill in South Florida. Her goals are to be a disability advocate in the media space and to craft compelling stories about people who identify as disabled and as BIPOC.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Israel Sanchez believes everyone should have the chance to live a great life, regardless of social or economic distinction. Because many people with disabilities do not have that chance, he decided to work to create a more inclusive society.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Assistant Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles, Department
Jaime Pacheco-Orozco currently serves as the Assistant Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles, Department on Disability, where he manages the day-to-day operations of the department and oversees the budgetary, legislative, and strategic planning processes. He has been active in the workforce development arena for past twenty years and previously served as the Division Chief of the City's Workforce Development System. [continue reading…]
Jaimie Ninan became passionate about disability rights after her husband acquired disabilities while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Her goal is to fight stigmas so that all people with disabilities can contribute to society as they wish.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
- Training and Consulting Bureau Associate
Jake Stimell graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. He previously worked in disability advocacy at the Invisible Disabilities Association.
Diagnosed with Asperger's at age 15, Trout wants to work in an environment that helps people with disabilities successfully achieve employment. As a Fellow, he spent months engaging presidential candidates in the early primary states.
Janie Klein was studying for her Bachelor's degree in Human and Development Engagement at Temple University. She was an education intern at The National Museum of American Jewish History.
Jasmine Green moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in screenwriting. She believes that film allows us to take a glimpse into the lives of another and find commonalities that make us feel heard and seen.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Jay Kolodne assisted with fundraising and contact expansion, as well as RespectAbility's Social Media presence. He is a graduate of Montgomery College.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Jaylynn Cruz observed a lack of awareness and opportunities within society for people with disabilities. She aims to ensure equality of opportunity rooted in mutual respect for children with disabilities and she will promote these values through her future teaching career.
Jeanette Marquez has three deaf siblings with dreams and goals of their own. Because of them, she has decided to be an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, specifically that society should be inclusive.
Jennifer Bohlman was responsible for updating the website and managing RespectAbility's Twitter account. She is currently a Professional Development Program Participant for Northrop Grumman.
Jenny McCosby worked on Research and Message Development to start changing the perceptions and stereotypes associated with people with disabilities. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Jeremy Cooper joined RespectAbility out of a longstanding desire to work in disability and mental health advocacy, which stems from his experiences growing up with a younger brother with autism. He is an avid history enthusiast.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Jeremy Hsing is a humanistic sci-fi writer, mental health advocate, and second-gen Taiwanese immigrant based in L.A. He was previously a Get Lit Screenwriters Lab Fellow, RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Fellow, and Coverfly Best Unrepped Writers List 2022 Honoree.
Jessica Hetzel participated in a TedX conference where she debuted her speech "Disability Studies: How to Create an Inclusive Society." She wants to specialize in making the educational system and live entertainment industry more accessible to the disability community.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Jill Feder graduated from Wheaton College, MA magna cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Women and Gender Studies in May 2020. She was excited to help RespectAbility earn the grants and donations it needs to maintain its life-enhancing services.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
John McSween is a rising senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he is majoring in Community Health with a concentration in Health Planning and Administration. He currently competes in wheelchair basketball at the collegiate level.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
John "Jack" Rukeyser worked alongside people with disabilities from a young age, volunteering at his local food pantry and community meals center. Driving is his passion.
Jolie Carr was a senior at Samford University in Birmingham, where she was President of TEDxSamfordU, an organization that hosts TED talk-style events. She was also the VP of community relations for Samford's chapter of the women's fraternity Delta Delta Delta.
Josh Goodrich joined RespectAbility because he grew up with many family members who had disabilities. He regularly publishes content for the BuzzFeed Community, a section for the popular digital media website.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Lao is pursuing her bachelor's degree in neuroscience at Brown University. As an individual with a mental illness, her personal experiences with stigma and marginalization have translated into a passion for advocacy.
Julia Wood is not stranger when it comes to advocating for people with disabilities. Growing up she advocated for her sister who had Mitochondrial Disease and Leukemia. Previously she volunteered for "Make-A-Wish."
Job Titles:
- Leadership and Workforce Development Fellow
Julian Gavino began her disability activism career at 18 when she started building an online community of disabled and LGBTQ+ advocates during a stay in the hospital. She holds a B.S. degree in Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology.
Julie Lun is a first-generation college student. She became interested in the disability community when she realized the topics covered in the classroom about criminal justice did not include people with disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Juliet Arcila Rojas wants to work in the public sector to ensure all populations are fairly represented. Her history with the disability community stems from her mother, who taught and assisted students with physical and mental disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Founder of Slamdance Film Festival 's "Unstoppable
Juliet Romeo is the founder of Slamdance Film Festival's "Unstoppable" program that encourages disability inclusion across all levels of filmmaking. As a writer and director, she crafts unique narratives from the perspective of a Caribbean woman of color living with a disability.
Chappell first joined RespectAbility in the summer of 2015 as part of the democracy team. He brings more than 15 years experience in public policy, resource development, marketing and community organizing to the disability agenda.
Justin Tapp was the Disability Studies Student Organization's treasurer at the University of Toledo. He was born with two congenital diseases: klippel-feil syndrome and scoliosis.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Kaitlin Martinez-Hall analyzed coverage of people with disabilities in the United States for her thesis. She is involved in workforce development as a job coach with ICAN California Abilities Network, supporting clients in the Orange and Los Angeles County areas.
Karen Horne is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience within the entertainment industry. She has been recognized as a Diversity and Inclusion pioneer and pipeline builder. Karen recently joined WarnerMedia where she is Senior Vice President of Equity & Inclusion. She leads the domestic and international creative talent development pipeline programs and initiatives across the enterprise's many brands, including HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros film and television, the Turner Networks, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, CNN, DC Comics and WarnerMedia's gaming divisions. [continue reading…]
Karolyne Kim wants to help create public health programs that educate and influence equal opportunity for people with disabilities. She loves to travel, and has visited more than 25 different countries.
Karyn Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 35 years. She has her Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland. She has written three books: Positive Identity Development, Trauma -Informed Behavioral Interventions and Trauma and Healing. She currently does individual and group therapy with people with intellectual disabilities. In addition, she regularly conducts trainings on trauma-informed support for people with IDD, trauma-informed leadership, and trauma-informed behavioral interventions for both state and individual organizations throughout the US and Canada.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Kathleen L. Brockway was a graduate student at Goucher College and studies Cultural Sustainability. She hoped to become a historian, folklorist or cultural worker to sustain deaf history and culture after her graduation in 2020.
Katie Townes wants to break perceived thoughts people might have about a person with a disability. She created a platform for gamers with and without disabilities to come together in a judgement-free environment.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Kayla Dunlop graduated from Cal State University, San Bernardino with her B.A. in Child Development. She would like to open her own small nonprofit that provides resources for children and adults living with Pulmonary Hypertension.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Kaylee Harris enlisted in the United States Navy immediately following her high school graduation. After her enlistment, she graduated with a Master of Science in Educational Psychology, with her thesis focusing on lack of support for twice exceptional students.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Kelley Cape has spent her professional and academic career galvanizing inclusive cultures everywhere she goes. She previously joined USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative as a research assistant.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Leadership and Workforce Development
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Treasurer of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Directors - Treasurer
Khadija Bari (she, her) is the Student Career Coordinator in the Workforce Development department at VISIONS/Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired. VISIONS is a nonprofit rehabilitation and social service organization whose purpose is to develop and implement programs to assist people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired to lead independent and active lives in their homes and communities. Bari has over half a decade of experience guiding underrepresented college youth in academic and career development.
Bari lives in Queens, New York with her husband, stepdaughter and their dog. Bari was born in Pakistan and immigrated to the United States at the age of 22 with her parents and younger brother. It is then that she learned she had a disability and was diagnosed as being legally blind. Bari wrote a personal reflection that RespectAbility published during Women's HERstory Month in 2020. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Kiah Amara (they/she) is a filmmaker, consultant, educator, producer, production accessibility coordinator, and media industry activist. Their work focuses on identity, fluidity, commonality, misconception, and all things "deviant from normal".
KiAnna Dorsey studied at the University of Miami to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in Motion Pictures on the Production Track. She is very passionate about diversity and inclusion in the film industry.
Kim Chua is a graphic designer who is fighting to reconstruct societal perceptions to prevent others from struggling in their own depths alone. With the support of RespectAbility staff, she will strive to champion accessible design.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Krista Ramirez-Villatoro is pursuing a Masters' degree in Design and Media Arts from UCLA. Her goal is to become a director of photography on projects that highlight the experiences of those with physical disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Kylee Tyndall is attending Syracuse University, majoring in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies and minoring in in Disability Studies. In the future, she sees herself as a child trauma therapist and a human rights advocate focusing on gender and disability rights.
Laka Mitiku Negassa graduated from the master's program at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She is interested in how health policy affects the disability community in terms of access to health care and quality of that care.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Laquana Lightfoot earned her Associates Degree in Communications from LaGuardia Community College. She uses her writing and storytelling skills to further explain to individuals about autism and the seriousness of psychological health.
Laura Halvorson assisted with maintaining our social media accounts and the recruitment and hiring of the summer 2016 fellows. She has a Masters Degree in Special Education from Texas Woman's University.
Beginning in seventh grade, Laura Haney ran her own r-word campaigns that eventually turned into inspiration for her to start her own club in high school. She was pursuing a degree in Political Science at Saint Joseph's University.
Laura Hertzog worked with RespectAbility as an in-house writer, in addition to assisting with government affairs. She participated in a semester-long program with American University.
Laura Montilla has worked for Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Lancome, Rock the Vote, Slam Magazine and more. On social media, she has devoted herself fully to personal activism in fighting against social injustice.
Job Titles:
- Communication and Inclusion Fellow
Laura Stall helped RespectAbility with Jewish inclusion projects. She previously worked as a camp counselor to support and include campers with disabilities at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Entertainment & News Media
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Director
Job Titles:
- Jewish Nonprofit Management Fellow
Leah Ilana Craig, as an autistic individual with POTS Syndrome, believes passionately in making the working world more accessible for people with disabilities so that they can live their dreams. She was in her final year at Lindenwood University's MFA program.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate of Entertainment Pipeline Programming
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
With a background in Community Organizing, Lex Paul is passionate about shining a light on injustice and prejudice, working to build understanding across the political and social spectrum through education and engagement.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Liam Itgen first became interested in advocacy for those with disabilities after working at Nassau-Suffolk Services for Autism. He was a member of the Model United Nations club at Temple University.
As a young woman with a rare genetic disease, Grossman is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities and received a Girl Scout Gold Award for her work on accessibility. She was a junior at Whittier College in California.
Lily Cantor was thrilled to be working on larger societal issues. While managing social media for RespectAbility, Cantor was excited to learn about the challenges and rewards of advocacy. She also managed our organization's Jewish inclusion work.
Lily Coltoff has spent a great deal of her life advocating for access for herself as well as for the awareness and understanding of rare conditions. After the Fellowship, she hopes to secure a job as a science writer.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Member of the Officers Team
- Board of Directors - Chair
Linda L. Burger's solid reputation as a visionary leader with added attributes of compassion and exceptional personal characteristics have placed her in the top echelon of influential social service leaders in Houston and beyond.
Her years-long, game-changing legacy of leading and shaping impactful programs and initiatives continues to transform and expand her community's response to crucial community needs. As CEO of Houston's Alexander Jewish Family Service (JFS) from 2005 - 2022, Linda and her team created and grew a robust resume' of disability inclusion and advocacy initiatives focused on erasing stigmas associated with disability and mental health issues. She also created and instituted several nationally recognized programs in suicide prevention and substance misuse.
Additionally, Linda's leadership work related to seniors, employment and Behavioral and Mental Health Services contributed to JFS's elevated standing as a premiere social service agency and recognized teaching institution for the helping professions.
That her tenure at JFS included several unexpected disasters - the devastation of recurring Houston flooding, which directly affected Linda and members of her team, and the Covid-19 pandemic - proved to be fortuitous "right person in the right place at the right time" moments as Linda utilized her deep expertise and contacts to mobilize her team and tap into community allies. In all cases, the agency's seamless continuation of services under Linda's leadership only strengthened its reputation for superior, caring disaster recovery which still reaps benefits in terms of the agency's funding and recognition.
Lizzy Francis is a screenwriting major studying to create safe spaces for all groups of people, regardless of identity or ability. In 2017, Francis worked on an SXSW award-winning film in Vermont that aimed to integrate a crew and cast of people both with and without disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Chairman in Disabilities at Baylor University
Erik Carter, Ph.D., is Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities at Baylor University. His research and writing focus on principle-driven and research-based strategies for promoting full participation, relationships, and valued roles for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He serves as Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, which works to promote the flourishing of people with disabilities, their families, and communities.
Lydia Moro graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She hopes to serve as a resource within her community by sharing knowledge with local organizations to make their digital spaces more inclusive.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Maddie Jones graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, CA. She believes that stories are the fundamental building blocks of society and that if we want to see significant change for the disability community, we must start by influencing the stories we tell and see.
Madeleine Hannah Tasini wants to make the Jewish community and Israel a more accessible place for people with disabilities. She hopes to use her power to ensure people with disabilities are treated fairly in Israel.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
- Member of Her Mohegan
Madeleine Hutchins is an active member of her Mohegan community and spends a great deal of time learning about Mohegan culture, language, lifeways, and history. They completed their B.A. in philosophy at Yale University focusing on bioethics.
Madison Essig hopes to report on disability issues or to have a job on Capitol Hill where she can advocate for disability issues. She was the first person with Down syndrome to graduate with a full diploma from the District of Columbia Public School system.
Born and raised in Downey, California, Malhar Shah is the child of Indian immigrants from Mumbai, India. His own struggles with mental health disabilities inspired his passion for education law and policy. Malhar graduated from University of California, Riverside and Harvard Law School Cum Laude.
Malhar currently works as the education attorney at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund in Berkeley, California. His advocacy and litigation work focus on reforming State-level special education monitoring mechanisms to ensure school districts throughout California provide quality services to disabled students.
Mannela Iparraguirre spent her academic career studying policy and writing about it, but now she will experience the process of applying academic lessons and policy into real-world practice. She was excited to strengthen her research skills.
Margaret Breihan graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and a Minor in Communications. She is currently a Communications Associate for the National Disability Institute.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Margot Pitois grew up with the desire to work to reach equality in our society. She is interested in international relations, humanitarian issues and social-service professions.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Maria Heredia graduated in June of 2020 from Williams College in Williamstown, MA. She spent the last two years partnering with the Office of Accessible Education at Williams addressing systematic inconsistences that disproportionately affect students with disabilities.
Marisa Rafsky was selected as a Youth in International Development & Foreign Affairs intern by the U.S. International Council on Disabilities. She is fluent in English and American Sign Language and also has studied Israeli Sign Language.
Rivera is a first-generation Latina graduate from The City College of New York. She is an environmentalist and an animal rights and disabilities rights advocate. She shares her passion through blogging.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Mary Elizabeth Mellon has previously interned at Mental Health America of Illinois and volunteered at numerous nonprofits including Sarah's Circle, an organization that serves homeless women in Chicago.
Mary McGill Lucas lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and graduated from the College of Charleston's REACH Program in 2016 with a certificate in Women and Gender Studies. They pride themselves on authenticity and living intentionally.
Lerner was pursuing his Masters in Public Health at Boston University (BU). His main interests lie within maternal and child health, public health advocacy and inclusion work for people with disabilities in religious groups and healthcare.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Matthew Ross developed content and edited captions for RespectAbility's Global Giving page for the September Open Challenge. He has a master's degree in language and communications from Georgetown University.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management and Policy Fellow
Matthew Wagner's experience with hearing loss created a desire to increase access for all people. He helped ensure the accessibility of our PowerPoints for those who are visually impaired.
Max Spain was part of a team creating responses to all 50 states on their individual WIOA plans. He previously interned at a law office where he focused on the rights of the elderly.
Medard Masangu assisted in the maintenance and expansion of RespectAbility's presence on social networks and social media by creating and posting written content, news and stories. He also filmed presidential candidates speaking about disability issues.
Job Titles:
- Communications Fellow
- Freelance Production Coordinator
Megan Swanson works as a freelance Production Coordinator in television and film, and has a background in creating marketing and social media campaigns. Someday, she wants to make a movie with fighter pilots.
Meghan Duffy had previously worked for a nonprofit organization called LEAD, which works to end the stigmas against mental health. She planned on furthering her education in Psychology to help people with their mental health full time.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Melissa Tessaro graduated Magna Cum Laude from Point Park University in 2020 with a B.A. in Public Relations & Advertising. The documentary "Crip Camp" inspired her to want to pursue a career in disability advocacy in the entertainment industry.
Michelle Adams was a Fellow at RespectAbility because advocating for the advancement of diversity and disability issues is woven into the fabric of her identity. She played on the GW Women's club volleyball team.
Ming Canaday pursued a certificate at the City University of New York in Disability Studies to better advocate for individuals with disabilities. She interned at Justice for All, a disability advocacy organization in China.
Ray Pioppo comes from a lineage of strong, educated Jewish women and is determined to help other Jewish women find their voice. She is also a certified yoga instructor and hopes to teach yoga to people with disabilities.
Molly Donald was a rising senior at the University of Maryland. Her goal for this Fellowship was to expand her knowledge of the barriers faced by people with disabilities so that she can better address them and the inequities they generate.
Job Titles:
- Policy Fellow
- Senior Development and Individual Giving Associate
Molly McConville's passion for disability rights stems from her personal relationships with family members and friends living with disabilities and witnessing firsthand the discrimination they experience. She hoped to pursue a career advocating for marginalized communities.
Born with Cerebral Palsy, Morgan A. Davis has always felt a desire to help others impacted by disabilities. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Policy Analyst
- Public Policy Fellow
Nakia Hillary Sims is a policy analyst, motivational speaker, advocate for affordable housing and a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. She has more than 20 years of experience in public policy and community organizing.
Job Titles:
- Leadership and Workforce Development Fellow
Nancy Yang previously held a leadership role at United Hmong with Disabilities (UHD), the only national disabled-led organization for Hmong people. They were inducted into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame in the Class of 2022.
Natalie Dunaway has volunteered both locally and internationally through Virginia Tech's service organization VT Engage. In her free time, she teaches Sunday school at her church.
Nathan Shearer drafted public comments on state workforce (WIOA) plans, offering suggestions and best practices for states to better include people with disabilities in their workforces. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Executive Director
Nathan Varni is Executive Director, Current Programming, ABC Entertainment Group. In this position, Mr. Varni oversees all creative and day-to-day management on ABC's primetime series, Will Trent, Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, The Conners and General Hospital. In past seasons, Mr. Varni served as the covering executive on Alaska Daily, The Company You Keep, Rebel, The Baker and the Beauty, How to Get Away with Murder, Grand Hotel, Once Upon A Time, Scandal, Cristela, The Middle, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, the revival of Roseanne and also serves as the network/studio executive on ABC's long-running daytime drama series, General Hospital, currently celebrating 60 years on-air, where he has oversaw 3000+ episodes of the series, including multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding daytime drama series. Mr. Varni joined ABC in November, 2006 as an assistant in comedy current programming and also spent time working as a coordinator in comedy development and current programming working on a vast number of both comedy and drama series including According to Jim, Samantha Who?, Better off Ted, Cougar Town, Castle, V, 666 Park Avenue and three seasons co-covering Happy Endings. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Naya Rhodes's knowledge and experience with disabilities come in part from her uncle who has bipolar disorder. She graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Mathematics and a minor in finance.
Nemo Charlton's interest in disability advocacy as well as social justice stems in part from having autism. At the University of Maryland, they advocated for Title IX funding through coalition building and a social media campaign.
Nicholas Olson is passionate about youth transition programs from school to work and the role of public health specifically in minority communities. He hopes to work on projects that provide relief for people facing complex medical needs.
Nicole Go is a DEIA Content and Production Program Manager for Amazon Studios. In her role, Nicole consults on Amazon's film and TV productions from development through launch to ensure that the content is authentic and inclusive of people from historically excluded communities across gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability status, both in front of and behind the camera. Since originating her role, Nicole has optimized mechanisms to increase accountability against Amazon Studio's Inclusion Policy and Playbook and worked with external partners such as RespectAbility to promote hiring people with disabilities. She also developed and implemented Amazon Studios' On Set Wellness Professional Program to increase psychological safety on set. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
Nicole Homerin has over a decade of experience working with individuals with disabilities as an incoming Doctoral student in Special Education at California State University, Los Angeles. She received her Master's Degree in Special Education from Boston College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Policy Fellow
As a Fellow, Nicole LeBlanc represented our organization at multiple DC-area events, conferences and meetings. She now serves on RespectAbility's Board of Directors.
Nicole Olarsch graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in the Spring of 2021, with a BA in Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Studies. She was involved in the building of a new club on campus, The Deaf and Disabled Student Union.
Nicole Rakusin's primary academic focus was on the political and social determinants of health that pose barriers to equal access to healthcare resources for minority groups in the United States. She attended Vanderbilt University.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Noa Porten founded and hosts "Spooning with Spoonies," a podcast highlighting chronically ill and disability love and dating stories. She also freelances as a dance and mindfulness teacher with a focus on accessibility and inclusion.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
- Organizer
Noah Strauss (they/them) is an organizer, educator, writer, and a graduate student in Judaism and Human Rights at Gratz College. They are creating a multi faith community in ASL using a viral disability justice-centered TikTok account.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Immediate past Chair
- Directors - Immediate past Chair
- Immediate past Chair of RespectAbility 's Board of Directors
Ollie Cantos is the Immediate Past Chair of RespectAbility's Board of Directors. Cantos has been active in the civil rights arena since 1990. He is Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, Attorney Mentor for the American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights, and Member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Omar Chung is hard of hearing, fluent in English and American Sign Language, and is the first of his family to graduate from high school and college. He subsequently worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Otilia Lampman applied to the National Leadership Program because she believes in equality for all people. She also wants to have more knowledge about not only her own disability experience, but also about other's disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment
Paul Martin is the Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture, motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; music; television, digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technology. SPE's Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Classics. Martin is responsible for global talent strategies at all levels within the organization. As the Chief Diversity Officer, he brings together people reflecting the culturally diverse world in which we live to create an innovative workplace. [continue reading…]
Pilar Pastor focused on development and fundraising efforts in support of our still ongoing projects. She previously worked preparing and evaluating different development projects for Kenya and Ethiopia.
Schindler took an interest in the field, especially intellectual and developmental disabilities, at an early age through personal connections and her mother's occupation. She was a rising junior at Brandeis University and is active with Best Buddies.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
As her previous advocacy work was focused on promoting LGBTQ rights and those of the Hispanic community, Rachel Walloga is hoping to learn and to develop more intersectionality in her professional and private life during her Fellowship.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Rami Jackson wants to raise money for causes that make the world a more equitable and equal place so everyone can maximize their potential and follow their passions. He played a key role in grant prospecting and research at RespectAbility.
Randall Duchesneau is a consultant that provides clients with real estate investment and transactional advisory services. He also is a founding member of the United Spinal Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter, and is a C5-C6 quadriplegic from a spinal cord injury during gymnastics.
Duchesneau has an undergraduate degree from Cornell, a Masters of Public Health from Yale, and has advocated for legislation on behalf of disability organizations. He has worked at General Electric and the Department of Health and Human Services, and is also the former Director of the National Leadership Program at RespectAbility. He has interviewed United States presidential candidates, governors and senators on disability employment policy.
Duchesneau also is an active mentor for individuals living with spinal cord injury and has worked with engineers to design and develop medical devices and assistive technology.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Reagan Martin is a proud disabled and chronically ill actor, advocate, and graduate student based in North Texas. Her love for the acting and the entertainment industry previously led her to work at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Rebecca Woolfe attended Mount Holyoke College and graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in religion. As a person of Jewish background who also has strong interest in other religions and spiritual traditions, she hopes to help to increase inclusion in all types of faith-based settings.
Rhonda M. Abbott, PT, FTPTA, FACHE, is the Senior Vice President & Chief Executive Officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann, Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy, Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network. Since 2001, Abbott has held integral roles within TIRR Memorial Hermann, starting her career as a staff therapist in the spinal cord injury and specialty rehabilitation program and earning successive promotions to director of therapy services and director of clinical programs, vice president of operations and chief operating officer.
Abbott oversees TIRR Memorial Hermann's continued excellence in rehabilitative care, research, advocacy and education across the Memorial Hermann Health System. Under her leadership, she has led clinical care redesign initiatives, translational research efforts, quality care improvements, expansion of therapy education programs and efficiency improvements. During her tenure, the Campus continues to demonstrate national recognition as a leader in rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report as well as being designated a national rehabilitation innovation center as a result of legislation just passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law in 2023. She has oversight for strategic planning, ensuring successful transitions of care throughout the post-acute rehabilitation continuum, achieving operational program and campus growth, along with serving as a voice for advocacy at a national level. She also led TIRR expansion efforts and clinical practice leveling across our System, helped secure CARF accreditation at five Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network locations, provided therapy direction both at TIRR Memorial Hermann and for the Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Network, and expanded the rehabilitation education program. Abbott has a passion for neurorehabilitation and teaching and is actively committed to learning, which led to her enthusiasm for therapy leadership. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Jewish Nonprofit Management Fellow
Riccardo Ricciardi had the opportunity to witness and experience the impact of disabilities on people around the world firsthand through his work in the United States Air Force and as a flight attendant. He is a bona fide computer nerd.
Job Titles:
- Nonprofit Management Fellow
Richelle Ross hoped to combine her studies in Sports Medicine with her social advocacy work to create more recreational opportunities for children with disabilities. She wanted to continue working with and advocating for athletes with disabilities.
Ricky Rendon was working on his master's degree in clinical rehabilitation counseling. Previously though Project HIRE (Helping Individuals Reach Employment), he helped students with disabilities graduate and gain employment.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Roque Renteria has performed stand-up comedy on Comedy Central and Amazon Prime. He graduated from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television with an MFA in Screenwriting.
Rostom Dadian has been involved in local politics and plans to continue to participate in the future. He was completing a master's degree at CSULA in business administration with an option in finance.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Roy Payan graduated from Cal State Los Angeles with a double major in Rehabilitation Services. He was working on his Masters in Public Policy for Nonprofits at the University of Southern California (USC).
Ryan Knight has spastic cerebral palsy. He wants to create a magazine for people with disabilities by people with disabilities and increase awareness of the disability community through motivational speaking.
Ryan Nobile interviewed the 2016 Presidential candidates on their policies that would impact people with disabilities' everyday lives. He also advocated for campaigns to release written plans for people with disabilities.
Samantha Fleischer assisted with a synagogue inclusion project in New York, and engaged with congressional staffers on Capitol Hill. She graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies.
Samantha Haas is a virtual substitute teacher, Hebrew school teacher and Intern for New Directions Early Head Start of Delaware. She has high hopes that she will be able to impact the lives of many children and families.
Samantha Stewart always has been fascinated by film and has had a burgeoning interest in misrepresentation of marginal groups since ninth grade. She has participated in her school paper, the debate team and the drama club. She hopes to attain an MFA in screenwriting.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Samuel Krauss is a TV comedy writer and a gay/disabled/wheelchair-using man who focuses on telling young adult comedies featuring disabled protagonists. He received his MFA in screenwriting from Spalding University in 2022, and was a Fellow in RespectAbility's Entertainment Lab.
Job Titles:
- Faith Inclusion and Belonging Fellow
Sara Sharma graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She hopes to impact the world by spreading awareness about the mental health issues that underrepresented people face.
As a person with cerebral palsy, Sarah Bram has been a pathfinder her entire life, paving the road for those after her. She is passionate about working for nonprofit organizations, specifically in social media management.
Job Titles:
- Political Communications Fellow
Sarah Meehan joined RespectAbility to continue her longstanding advocacy for people with disabilities, including herself. As a student, she co-founded the Association of Students with Disabilities or Chronic Conditions (A.S.D.C.C).
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Faith Inclusion and Belonging
Shereen Ali's goal is to approach disability advocacy with a business mindset. In her free time, she likes horseback riding, listening to Jazz music, traveling, and learning about other cultures.
Shira Leeder was working toward her Master's in Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management at San Francisco State University. She won the Ms. Wheelchair California Pageant in 2012.
Job Titles:
- Social Worker
- Philanthropy / Development Fellow
Simone Till is a social worker with a passion for advocating for people with disabilities through community organizing, policymaking, and philanthropy. She is currently a Master of Public Affairs student at the Lyndon B. Johnson School at University of Texas-Austin.
Sneha Dave graduated from Indiana University in May 2020 where she majored in chronic illness advocacy as well as journalism. She created Generation Patient and its program the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adults Network (CCYAN) with support from foundations such as the Helmsley Charitable Trust and Arnold Ventures to create support systems for adolescents and young adults with chronic medical disabilities across the U.S. and internationally. She is proud to work with a team composed entirely of young adults with chronic medical disabilities and also to keep Generation Patient and CCYAN independent from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.
Sneha has completed an undergraduate research Fellowship in health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She has also interned at numerous places such as Pfizer Global Headquarters in health economics and outcomes research for Inflammation and Immunology. Sneha has spoken on Capitol Hill, featured nationally on C-SPAN, and is a past contributor for U.S. News and World Report. She has served on the Democratic National Committee Disability Policy Subcommittee and recently joined the Midwest Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council, an independent appraisal committee of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review. Sneha was awarded two academic fellowships with the Association of Health Care Journalists. Sneha has spoken at the Democratic National Convention, Stanford Medicine X, the National Academies of Medicine, and other major avenues. For her work, Sneha was selected as one of the most influential teenagers in 2018 by the We Are Family Foundation and was recognized as an American Association of People with Disabilities Emerging Leader in 2020. She is proud to be a former Policy Apprentice for RespectAbility and looks forward to being part of the transformational advocacy work happening at RespectAbility as part of the board.
Sneha Dave graduated from Indiana University in May 2020 where she majored in chronic illness advocacy as well as journalism. She created Generation Patient and its program the Crohn's and Colitis Young Adults Network.
Stacie M. de Armas is Senior Vice President Inclusive Insights & Initiatives and a Leader within Nielsen's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice. She is an inclusion & identity researcher, consumer behaviorist, and subject matter expert on diverse communities. Specializing in data at the intersection of community, advocacy & entertainment, she is responsible for producing inclusive thought leadership and new research initiatives for diverse consumers, content and audiences. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Policy
Stephanie Farfan has been a part of Little People of America (LPA) since she was 16 years old and volunteers her time as a co-chair for the Hispanic Affairs Committee. She hopes to pursue a career benefitting the international disability community.
Flynt was pursuing her bachelors degree from Mississippi State University, where she serves as the Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Chairman for Student Association Senate. She has advocated for other visually impaired students in a classroom.
Stephanie Santo has a Master's Degree in counseling for mental health and wellness from NYU. She feels a responsibility to communicate with her clients and is saddened by the lack of health care access many people have in the Deaf community.
Steve Bobadilla was diagnosed with Spina Bifida L3 L4 at birth. While studying communications at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, he co-founded an inclusion program called the Adaptive Sports Program.
Job Titles:
- Entertainment and News Media Fellow
Steven McCoy founded a nonprofit organization titled Spoken Heroes, which provides support, resources, and advocacy for the deaf and blind community. His work has been featured in CNN, Yahoo News, Hollywood Unlocked, and Revolt.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach Fellow
Stevie Mays has great passion and enthusiasm when working with and for the greater disability community, because they want to end the cycle of shame and taboo they felt with their own learning disabilities growing up.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Member of the Board of Advisors
Tamala Patrice Scott brings more that 17 years of development and fundraising experience across a variety of non-profit organizations. As a Philadelphia native, Tamala relocated to Virginia for a change in scenery and to start her career where she was introduced to the field of development and loved it.
Over the course of Tamala's career, she has led fundraising efforts to raise millions of dollars for non-profit organizations such as the United Negro College Fund, Paralyzed Veterans of America, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Arc of the US and Childhelp, Inc., just to name a few. Tamala's years of development experience include working with corporate and family foundations, corporations, major donors, board members, sponsors and managing special events.
Tamala is excited to join the RespectAbility board and looks forward to helping to raise awareness and visibility for this wonderful organization.
Tammie Stevens worked for eight years at a nonprofit organization that provided instruction to those who were newly experiencing blindness. She hopes to normalize and remove the mystery of disabilities in the workplace.
Tatiana Lee is the voice behind "Accessible Hollywood," where she highlighted her journey as an actress, model and lifestyle influencer born with Spina Bifida. She was in one of Apple's first ad campaigns featuring people with disabilities.
Taylor Easley working on both her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and certification of nonprofit management at L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs school. She wants to promote employment for people with disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Community Outreach & Impact Fellow
Ragano was a graduate student at Virginia Tech, earning her Master of Public Administration Degree. She hopes to work in the federal government to formulate policy initiatives as a lobbyist for the disability community.
Theresa Maher's drive to advocate for people with disabilities started young when she realized her mother's students in special education and her uncle with autism were not accurately portrayed in Hollywood.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Strategic Partnerships
Thomas Coombs worked to ensure policies such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) are effectively used to empower people with disabilities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Florida.
As a rising senior at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, Thomas Noh studied various programming languages such as HTML, Java and C++. He assisted with website development and other IT related issues.
Timothy Young attended American University, where he was a dual major in history and international relations. He traveled to both South Africa and Russia during his undergraduate career.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Consumer Marketer and Sports Executive
Toby Wong is an accomplished global consumer marketer and sports executive who broke gender and race barriers over 25 years in Fortune 100 corporations, sports and new businesses. She is a global citizen of Chinese descent with dual American and Canadian citizenship and has resided abroad (Asia, Europe and North America). She is a late-deafened leader with passion around sports and creating inclusion, equal opportunity, and equal pay for young women and individuals with disabilities. Toby is open to Board Director and Advisor roles that will capitalize on her strengths in change management, new revenue streams, innovation, brand strategy, disability inclusion, and sports. [continue reading…]
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Founder and Partner at KNA
Tom Newman is founder and partner at KNA, a boutique advisory firm. KNA specializes in digital transformation in the media and technology sector. He has over 20 years of experience launching, investing and operating digital media companies. He founded and was CEO of Interactive One, the leading urban millennial digital media company. Prior to that, he was SVP of mergers and acquisitions for Time Warner, head of corporate strategy for AOL Media, and prior to that a banker at Goldman Sachs. Tom is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Tom serves on the board of Asphalt Green and New Alternatives for Children. He lives in New York City with his wife and two boys. He is was born with phocomelia, a congenital disability of the legs and spine, and uses a wheelchair to navigate the potholes of New York.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Finance and Operations
Job Titles:
- Entertainment Media Fellow
Tyler Hoog earned a Masters Degree in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California. His comedic perspective is shaped by his nine years in a wheelchair.
Vanessa Bliss is a 2021 graduate of McDaniel College where she received a BA in Theatre Arts and minored in Communications. She has an interest in advocating for more inclusive and accessible workplaces and disability representation in the media.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager of Entertainment Partnerships
Job Titles:
- Siakam, Nonprofit Management Fellow
Victoria Grace Assokom-Siakam wants to ensure that people with disabilities have the financial resources to pursue their ambitions. At RespectAbility, she assisted with our inclusive philanthropy initiatives.
Job Titles:
- CEO of United Spinal Association
- Founder of the Wheels of Happiness Foundation
Vincenzo Piscopo is a seasoned Public & Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility professional with 25 years of experience both in the US and internationally.
Piscopo is the CEO of United Spinal Association. Before being named CEO in November 2020, he was a Community and Stakeholder Relations Director at The Coca-Cola Company where he was a Champion for Coca-Cola in the community, through cultivation of strategic relationships with Veterans, People with Disability and Hispanic serving organizations. His passion for diversity and inclusion and social causes earned him national recognition for elevating The Coca-Cola Company's reputation in disability inclusion.
Piscopo is the founder of the Wheels of Happiness Foundation, where he utilized his expertise to help people with motor disabilities in disadvantaged areas of the world. As a result of the foundation, participants have been able to regain independence, reintegrate into society, and add value to their communities. He is a member of the board of directors of RespectAbility and FODAC (Friends of the Disabled Adults and Children).
Piscopo has a bachelor's degree in economics, an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master in Creativity from Buffalo State College.
He was born in Valencia, Venezuela to Italian Immigrants. He is married, has 4 kids and enjoys playing wheelchair tennis and reading Latin American Literature.
As a filmmaker and writer with a disability, Virginia Campbell is aware of how important it is to hear authentic stories from many different perspectives. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Vice Chair of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors
- Directors - Vice Chair
Vivian G. Bass of Bethesda, Maryland currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of RespectAbility, having been actively engaged with the organization essentially since its inception.
Bass is the CEO Emeritus of Makom (formerly JFGH), where she served for 30 years at the helm of the organization which supports for adults with disabilities. Makom ultimately grew to provide services to those in 77 residential locations throughout the Greater DC Area via a wide variety of models as well as to participants in two innovative transition youth programs.
She was formerly a Board Chair of Jewish Women International (JWI - formerly B'nai B'rith Women International) and is currently the Board President of Save a Child's Heart US (SACH). In the local DC Area, Bass is a board or advisory board member of CaringMatters, Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Tzedek DC and is a founding board member and longtime pro bono consultant of Potomac Community Resources (PCR) which evolved via disabilities advocates from within the local Catholic Community.
She is a Lion of Judah ("Woman of Valor") the highest distinction awarded internationally for Jewish women; was named as ‘Washingtonian of the Year' (Washingtonian Magazine) and has been bestowed numerous other distinctions for her advocacy with regards to persons with disabilities, women's issues and/or global humanitarian causes.
Bass has presented at The World Congress on Disabilities in conjunction with the Paralympics, The National Organization on Disability (NOD), The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), RespectAbility's 30th ADA Anniversary Summit, and The International Lion of Judah Conference, among an array of other conferences, lectures and webinars.
She remains active with alumni endeavors of The University of Michigan, where she received undergraduate and graduate degrees in Special Education.
Vivian O'Neal was awarded the Miracle Maker award for raising more than $5,000 for CMN hospitals. Watching her brother's struggles with Nemaline Myopathy exposed her to the loopholes within the ADA and true accessibility.
William Fowler increased his knowledge and gained an understanding on how to advocate on behalf of Americans with disabilities. He currently serves as a Public Relations Aide on the New York City Campaign Finance Board.
Zackary Tamimi hopes to work to change perceptions of people with autism and other disabilities. His long term goal is to continue advancing a career in political communications.
Job Titles:
- Artist
- Communications Fellow
Zavier Taylor is an artist, actor and designer from North Carolina. After learning that storytelling is a powerful political and social tool, Taylor was compelled to ensure that the portrayal of people with disabilities is accurate.
Zein Al Maha Oweis is visually impaired. She is intrigued by how powerful one's voice can be used when telling a story and raising awareness. She wants to serve people with disabilities through communications and journalism.
Zoltán Boka has earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree, taught in three continents and worked in municipal, state and federal government. His research and analysis has been published in over a dozen outlets.
Job Titles:
- Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow
Zoë Mazurkiewicz is a Coe College graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Studio Art. They recently moved to our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., where they are seeking to expand their career.