DISABILITY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

DECEMBER 2022
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
What is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities?

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was announced in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly. According to the UN, the observance of the day “aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.” 
This year’s UN theme:
“Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.”

Currently, 1 in 4 American adults has a disability, making those with disabilities the largest minority in America. Hiring differently-abled people is a tactically savvy business choice. In fact, one landmark study found that a 14% higher retention rate among the employees hired with disabilities over the overall group in the same roles. They also reported a 50% increase in self-disclosures and strengthened workforce diversity. 
Self-disclosures reflect a positive workplace culture where employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, which is a sentiment anyone can get behind.

Here are some ideas for how you can observe the day all month and become more inclusive of people with disabilities:

  • Collaborate with your employee resource group for disabled employees if you have one
Having the direct input of employees with disabilities is vital in any organization that wishes to truly practice disability inclusion. If you do not have an employee resource group, IDPD is the perfect day to launch one! 
If that’s not possible, consider having an existing employee resource group host a virtual event like a lunch and learn to educate your organization on this year’s initiatives and determine how you can contribute. 
  • Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to disability inclusion online and in the office
Now is a great time to start working on a Disability Action Inclusion Plan and co-design the new program with your disabled employees who have disclosed and feel comfortable. IDPD is a great opportunity to demonstrate your company’s commitment to the inclusion of disabled people by launching an organization-wide policy, plan, or initiative that firmly places disability inclusion on your wider D&I agenda.
  • Support employees with disabilities and encourage them to share their experiences
Storytelling is a powerful force that connects us all. Disabled employees may or may not feel comfortable sharing their experiences and stories. Organizations can share stories in a number of ways–on social media, at a virtual event, or even at a lunch and learn.
  • Show your organization’s commitment through leadership
Senior leadership and executives should use IDPD as a day to promote their organizations’ commitment to diversity and inclusion and to reinforce that disability inclusion is on the business agenda.
This might be through a Q&A with senior leadership, or through a panel on the intersection of disability and broader diversity and inclusion initiatives.
  • Encourage employees to learn about disability and inclusion
Understanding and education can be the biggest opportunity to remove unintentional barriers for people with disabilities. IDPD can be a great opportunity to organize training–be it internal or external–where employees can learn about disability and the benefits of disability inclusion in the workplace.
I The classroom in the Kamurasi Demonstration School in Masindi Municipality in Uganda with the Ugandan Sign language alphabet draw on the wall
"Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable post-COVID-19 world"

Disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security. It is also central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind. The commitment to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is not only a matter of justice; it is an investment in a common future.
The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. People with disabilities—one billion people— are one of the most excluded groups in our society and are among the hardest hit in this crisis in terms of fatalities.
Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access health care, education, employment and to participate in the community. An integrated approach is required to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
Disability inclusion will result in a COVID-19 response and recovery that better serves everyone, more fully suppressing the virus, as well as building back better. It will provide for more agile systems capable of responding to complex situations, reaching the furthest behind first.
The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy

When launching the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy in June 2019, the Secretary-General stated that the United Nations should lead by example and raise the Organization’s standards and performance on disability inclusion—across all pillars of work, from headquarters to the field. 
The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations. Through the Strategy, the United Nations system reaffirms that the full and complete realization of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In October 2021, the Secretary-General submitted his second report on steps taken by the UN system to implement the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy in 2020. Given the impact of the COVID-19 on persons with disabilities, the report also contains a brief reflection on disability-inclusive COVID-19 response and recovery. 
Looking for Ways to Support your Employees' Disability Knowledge in 2023?
Professional Development
Disability 101 E-Learning Now Available!
Free to Paid DC Metro Members

Purchase Options Available
C5’s Disability Inclusion IQ "Disability 101" module includes:
  • Appropriate language: Terminology, Person-First, Identity-First, Neurodivergent
  • Disability etiquette: Appropriate Interactions
  • Accessible, short, self-paced, and cloud-based.
  • Annual license
  • Unlimited virtual seats per organization each year.
  • Tracking and reporting capabilities for the organization.
  • Designed for the entire workforce.
  • May be taken in any order at any time and repeated as often as desired.

Within the Module:
  • Transcript and Voice Over
  • Short Quiz
  • Resources
  • Glossary of Terms

Additional Modules will be available upon request in 2023!
Disability 101 screenshot
Remember not every disability is apparent Depression Arthritis Diabetes Cancer Anxiety Join IN for Inclusion
Lori Daly
Diversifi Consulting Group
Katherine McCary
Disability:IN DC Metro
C5 Consulting, LLC
Understanding Non-Apparent Disabilities
December 15, 2022
Noon - 1:15pm

People with disabilities are the largest minority and fastest-growing subgroup of our population. Over 70% of disabilities are non-apparent, so we are not necessarily aware that our friends, colleagues, clients, or neighbors have them. It is important to recognize that just because we can’t see a disability that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. This session will encourage an open dialog that will help attendees to “always ask, never assume” if a person needs assistance or has a disability. 

Presenters:
  • The Hon. Katherine McCary, DI-DC Metro
  • Lori Daly, Diversifi Consulting Group

Learning Objectives:
  • Learn about the disability community diversity
  • Quick look: ADA and the ADAAA
  • Learn about non-apparent disabilities, including Long Covid, mental health conditions and chronic health conditions
  • Learn how language has evolved and how to change your perspectives
  • Learn about self-disclosure -the why and why not
  • How to leverage your new knowledge
 
Thank you to all our 2022 WOW HOST MEMBERS!
C5 Consulting Valuing Abilities Strengthening Inclusion
Deloitte
Enterprise Community Partners
eSSENTIAL Accessibility plus LevelAccess
EY. Building a better working world.
General Dynamics Mission Systems
iYellow Group
K and L Gates
Lockheed Martin.
Maxar Technologies
IN THE NEWS - ARTICLES OF INTEREST
In Memoriam Never forgotten
Bobby Silverstein
Remembering Bobby Silverstein
With deep sorrow, the U.S. Access Board announces the passing of Bobby Silverstein. Silverstein’s advocacy work on disability rights spanned over four decades, including his pivotal role in drafting and advancing the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family on November 17, 2022 at Reston Hospital Center in Virginia. 
“Bobby was a true pillar of disability rights and policy,” stated Access Board Executive Director Sachin Pavithran. “In his approach to build consensus and collaborate with others, he was instrumental in bringing to fruition the Americans with Disabilities Act, and he was important advocate for including disability policies in the workforce and assisting private and public sector employers to adopt disability-inclusive policies. Our society is more inclusive of people with disabilities because of Bobby’s lifetime work.” 
Department of Justice


Americans with Disabilities Act Website

Last week the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has launched a new and improved version of its Americans with Disabilities Act website, ada.gov. The updated version of the website is designed to more effectively serve the public and help expand access for people with disabilities. The website works well with mobile devices, includes easy-to-use navigation tools, and is written in plain language. More information is available here.
To find out more about the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TDD).

Circus Omnium Online Tickets


OMNIUM CIRCUS is a world renowned fully inclusive circus company bringing excitement, thrills and joy to people of all ages as only a circus can! Step into a world of all things possible where we discover the power, the passion, and the perseverance of the human spirit within in each of us!
Omnium means of all and belonging to all- presenting the best in family circus entertainment—inclusive of all and accessible to all at every performance.
Omnium sees the future of circus as a force for unity and systemic change. We are leading a global movement by example with the first fully inclusive circus company in the country both virtually and live. We honor our individual stories and celebrate what unites us, welcoming all audiences with the tools to bridge their experience and bring joy and laughter to families and children of all ages and abilities in the best way for each to appreciate it.
Humanity, love and laughter unite us all in celebration of our unique stories.

Numerous figures in different colors
The Current Landscape of DEI Practices in Marketing

By: Michelle Peterson, Stephen Sears, and Cathy Lada, CAE

Too rarely do people talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in marketing and communication efforts. A new survey looks at how associations are integrating DEI into these departments and where there’s room for improvement.
Numerous articles have been published over the last few years on DEI practices in the association space, but not many from the marketing perspective. Have you wondered if there are DEI marketing best practices, or how your association’s progress compares to others?
The DEI subcommittee of ASAE’s Marketing Professionals Advisory Council conducted a survey to gain a better understanding of how associations are handling DEI in their marketing and communications efforts. Launched in April 2022, it had 85 responses.
The results provide insight into where DEI stands in marketing and communications and offer suggestions to how to better integrate DEI in our efforts. In the first piece of a two-part article series, we’ll look at where things stand, sharing data from the survey.
Addressing DEI Organization-Wide
More than 80 percent of the respondents are addressing DEI at the organizational level. Professional associations and those with budgets greater than $5 million are significantly more likely to have DEI practices in place when compared to trade associations.

Kathy Martinez.
Expedia
Congratulations to Kathy Martinez
VP, Global Disability Inclusion
Expedia

Most of you know The Hon. Kathy Martinez, a globally recognized disability inclusion thought leader, from her many leadership roles in the federal government, non-profit and corporate worlds. Kathy, we are always amazed by your passion, integrity and commitment to our disability community! Send your congrats!
Disability:IN 2023 NextGen Leader Application
NEXTGEN Leaders pictured at DisabilityIN Conference 2022
Application Deadline: January 6, 2023
Disability:IN NextGen Leaders are college students and recent graduates (no earlier than 2021) with disabilities, including veterans, who are top talent for corporate America. NextGen Leaders have the opportunity to connect with leading brands across all industries.

NextGen Leaders are matched one-on-one with mentors from Disability:IN Corporate Partners and have opportunity to experience an all-expense paid trip to the Disability:IN Annual Conference where they network and interview with companies like Boeing, Facebook, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft. LGBTQ, people of color, and veteran individuals are especially encouraged to apply for the 2023 class.
Opportunities for NextGen Leaders
  • Meet virtually twice a month for six months with a corporate mentor.
  • Participate in monthly professional development webinars.
  • Apply to attend the Disability:IN 2023 Conference on July 8–13 in Orlando, FL. If accepted to attend conference, all travel costs will be covered.
  • Receive notifications of various job opportunities with corporate partners throughout the year via a Job Opportunity Digest.

For other questions or to learn more, contact the
NextGen team at NextGen@DisabilityIN.org.
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion Advancing Workforce Diversity



Neurodiversity at Work

Is your business looking for ways to tap into the skills and talents of neurodivergent workers? Check out the Neurodiversity in the Workplace Toolkit, a resource developed by the ODEP-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN). Recently updated with new content and features, the toolkit helps businesses learn more about neurodiversity and how to recruit, hire, retain and advance neurodivergent people.
The term "neurodivergent" has many definitions. According to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, it refers to people "whose brain functions differ from those who are neurologically typical, or neurotypical." This can include individuals with conditions such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, Tourette's syndrome, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and intellectual disability.
Organizations of all sizes and in all industries can benefit from supporting neurodiversity and capitalizing on the talents of neurodivergent workers. While no two neurodivergent people are alike, they can bring useful skills and perspectives to the workplace, and help employers look at problems in new ways.
The free, easy-to-navigate toolkit explores these and other benefits of hiring neurodivergent people, and features profiles of leading companies and partners that have launched neurodiversity hiring initiatives. It also offers enhanced sections on recruiting and hiring neurodivergent candidates as well as accommodating and managing neurodivergent employees. In addition, the toolkit includes a neurodiversity checklist summarizing lessons learned from successful neurodiversity hiring programs and a library of articles, blogs, videos and podcasts on the topic. 

To learn more, visit the Neurodiversity in the Workplace Toolkit.
National Organization on Disability
NOD Recipient of $5M Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

NEW YORK, NY (November 15, 2022)
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) announced it received a $5 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. NOD is a nonprofit organization that envisions a world where all people with disabilities enjoy full opportunity for employment, enterprise, and earnings. The donation is the single largest contribution the organization has received from an individual donor in its 40-year history.
This transformational investment will advance NOD’s mission to increase its impact on employment prospects for more than 60 million people with disabilities in America today. The organization will expand its work with employers through programs such as the Leadership Council and Employment Tracker™ and grow the organization’s research capabilities, all with the goal of identifying practices that lead to greater talent outcomes and influencing changes in public policy and perception.
NOD’s President, Carol Glazer, noted that, “While America still has a long way to go, the disability rights landscape has changed dramatically and much has been accomplished since our founding in 1982. NOD is proud to have been dedicated to this progress throughout our forty-year history. This funding will help us make even greater advancements in the decades ahead. We are honored to be selected for this generous support and want to thank all our funders and supporters who made, and continue to make, our journey possible.”

Susan M Danila Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame
Nominate a mentor for the
Susan M. Daniels
Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame
Class of 2022 Inductees

The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame was established in 2015 to carry on the legacy of disability champion and lifelong mentor, Susan M. Daniels, and to spotlight individuals and groups around the country who are making a significant difference in the lives of youth and adults with disabilities through mentoring.

This year, the celebration of mentoring will recognize the Class of 2022 as mentors and organizations whose mentoring has positively impacted the mental health and wellness of the community.

The National Disability Mentoring Coalition seeks nominations for the Class of 2022 of the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame to recognize mentors, organizations and schools (including K-12 and secondary education) that support mentees' mental health and wellness through the development of coping skills, reducing stigma and isolation, providing mental health education, and brokering connections to community resources.

Please complete and submit the below form by 8PM EST on January 7, 2023. A national review committee will select the class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees. The Class of 2022 will be inducted on March 28, 2023 during a national event and celebration of inclusive mentoring.
If you have any questions or require an alternate format to submit a nomination, please email ndmc@pyd.org.

Events In The DC Metro Area and Beyond
US Access Board Advancing Full Access and Inclusion for All
U.S. Access Board Webinar: Automatic and Power-Assisted Doors

December 1 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) 

Entrances and doors are key components of access along routes and to buildings, rooms, and spaces. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Standards require automatic and power-assisted doors to comply with the standards when provided on accessible routes. The ADA and ABA Standards reference industry standards developed under protocols of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and published by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA). The session will cover the scoping and technical requirements in the ADA and ABA Standards for entrances and doors when they are automatic or power-assisted. Presenters will review in detail the specifications in the ANSI/BHMA referenced standards that address operating characteristics, including opening speed, safety features, sensors and activation devices, labeling, among others.  

  • Visit Great Lakes ADA Center’s Automatic and Power-Assisted Doors webinar webpage for more information or to register. All webinars include video remote interpreting (VRI) and real-time captioning. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session or can be posed during the live webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site. 
The Arc of Northern Virginia 2022 Online Annual Meeting
You're Invited! We Hope to See You!
December 6th at 7:30 pm
Join us for a celebration of our accomplishments
The Arc of Northern Virginia's 2022 Annual Meeting will be presented as a live, online event on Tuesday December 6th, at 7:30 p.m. This online format allows so many more of you to join us from wherever you are.

We have a wonderful program planned. This is your chance to hear all about the accomplishments of the past year, celebrate individuals who have gone "above and beyond" in service to our mission, and to learn about the upcoming year, especially with regard to our service delivery and advocacy efforts.

Special Guest Panel Presentation:
This year’s Annual Meeting once again features a panel of elected officials serving the constituents of Northern Virginia.  This year, we are proud to feature members of the Virginia legislature. We'll ask them to share information about the commonwealth's record on developmental disability support and services, a look ahead at the 2023 agenda, and take questions from the audience submitted in advance. Confirmed guest panelists for the meeting include:
  • Senator George Barker
  • Senator Janet Howell
  • Delegate Ken Plum
  • Delegate Irene Shin
  • Delegate Mark Sickles
Awards Presentation:
One of the highlights of the year is the presentation of these two prestigious awards:
 * The 2022 Jessica Burmester Volunteer Award to Ann Deschamps
 * The 2022 Rusty Garth “You Are the Change” Advocacy Award presented
  posthumously to Frank Trippett; accepted by Linda Trippett
Sight Tech Global
December 7-8, 2022

11:00 am - 3:30 pm ET


Sight Tech Global is a world-wide, virtual conference dedicated to bringing together the technology pioneers who are applying the latest technology advances to barrier-free navigation, human interaction, and low-friction access to information for people who are blind or visually impaired. Sight Tech Global is committed to the proposition, “Nothing about us without us,” and accordingly people with sight loss and blindness will be engaged in all phases of the event. Sight Tech Global is a production of the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Roadmaps to Retirement Taking Stock and LookingForward
Roadmaps to Retirement: Taking Stock and Looking Forward

Wednesday, December 7, 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. CT
The Harkin Institute and the U.S. Department of Labor invite you to a retirement security roundtable focused on Social Security, disability employment, and retirement savings. Social Security and Disability Insurance are essential earned benefits providing a safety net both during employment and in retirement.
The first panel will discuss both programs and reform proposals to sustain and strengthen them. The second panel will focus on individual retirement savings through employers and other programs. Employer retirement savings programs are key for building adequate retirement income, but access and participation vary by income, firm size, occupation, and race. Accumulation in those accounts is also hampered as a result of leakage due to cash-outs and early withdrawals.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, December 7
Time: 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. CT
Location: Tom and Ruth Harkin Center (2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311) & Virtual livestream
Accomodations: ASL and CART
Cost: Free, but registration is required

Agenda
Panel One: Social Security and Disability
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. CT
  • Senator Tom Harkin (retired)
  • Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner, U.S. Social Security Administration
  • Taryn M. Williams, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy
  • Max Richtman, President, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
  • Judge Bob Pratt, Senior District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa
  • Jim Cavanaugh, Cavanaugh & Associates

Lunch: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. CT

Panel Two: Employer Retirement Savings Programs: Coverage, Accumulation, Adequacy, and Lifetime Income 
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. CT
  • Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Department of Labor Representative on Retirement and Pension Issues (Moderator)
  • Kim Olson, Senior Officer for Policy, Retirement Savings Project, Pew Charitable Trusts
  • Susan Lenczewski, Executive Director, MN Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
  • Michael Kreps, Principal, Co-Chair Retirement Services Practice, Groom Law Group
  • Mark Shemtob, Fellow of the Society of Actuaries


PARTNER LINKS
DC Metro Updates
WELCOME New MEMBER!
Gilead Creating Possible

Welcome Gold Member GILEAD

Welcome: Josimara Rossi (She/Her)  
Director, EEO/AA HR Compliance & Inclusion
Gilead Sciences



About Gilead

At Gilead, we’re committed to creating a healthier world for everyone – no matter the challenges ahead of us. For more than 30 years, we’ve pursued the impossible, chased it down, tackled it for answers and surrounded it for a way in. We have worked tirelessly to bring forward medicines for life-threatening diseases.
Inclusion & Diversity is key to our success as a company.
Building an inclusive and diverse workforce is critical to enabling Gilead’s mission – and, ultimately, will help us create a better, healthier world. We are highly committed to creating an inclusive culture, one that enables all people to do their best work and that is reflective of the diversity of our patients. At the same time, we recognize that we need to do more to accelerate our progress – for our people, for our business and for the world.
Gilead’s overall Inclusion & Diversity aspirations are:
  • Be the employer of choice for diverse talent
  • Foster an inclusive culture where differences are leveraged to innovate and enable our mission
  • Be respected for equitable and socially responsible practices
Defining Inclusion & Diversity at Gilead
Our success depends on every one of our employees, and the ways in which we differ are among our greatest sources of strength. These include visible and non-visible attributes, such as race, gender, gender identity, age, ethnicity, people with disabilities, appearance, thinking styles, beliefs, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, and education, among others. Inclusion at Gilead is a core value and means creating and fostering a work environment where our differences are valued, and people feel involved, respected and connected.

Working to demonstrate our commitment to inclusion requires us to:
  • Encourage and support each other
  • Recognize and mitigate unconscious bias
  • Consider multiple pathways to success
  • Respect people of all backgrounds and experiences
  • Seek diverse perspectives to drive innovation
  • Committing to these principles helps accelerate our innovation, increase performance and ultimately achieve our mission – it is more than just the right thing to do. It is essential in driving an inclusive culture and meeting the needs of patients.


Our focus is on Culture Change!
Our organization, formerly the DC Metro Business Leadership Network, is the largest regional member network of a variety of industry employers advocating for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in today's workforce, marketplace and supply chain. A non-profit business-led network established in 2006, our purpose is to bring the business community together in a dialog through education, training and resources with a focus on removing attitudinal and organizational barriers by exchanging best practices to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as smart business.

Our Members and Guests have access to resources, programs and partners to strengthen the disability inclusion efforts and outcomes.
  • Thought leadership
  • Professional Development courses
  • Business to business networking
  • Introductions to community partners
  • Access to talent
  • Hot topic programming led by Subject Matter Experts
  • Webinars

Join our

Follow us on

Our Board
Board Members:
  • John Annand, Marriott International
  • Jennifer Bassett, Chair, JBG SMITH Companies
  • Tashi Carper, Leidos
  • Michelle Crabtree, Town of Vienna
  • Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
  • Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
  • Tom Downs, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
  • Sophie Howard, Immediate Past Chair, General Dynamics IT
  • Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
  • Mary Sauder, Northrop Grumman
  • Ryan Walters, Vice-Chair, Deloitte
  • Myra Wilder, BAE Systems

Advisory Board Members:
  • Jessica Lee Aiello, iYellow Group
  • Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
  • Crosby Cromwell, The Valuable 500
  • Lori Daly, Diversifi Consulting Group and Chair, Community Outreach
  • Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
  • Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
  • Melody Goodspeed, The American Foundation for the Blind
  • Karen Herson, Concepts, Inc.
  • Carolyn Jeppsen, BroadFutures
  • Craig Leen, K&L Gates, Former OFCCP Director
  • Carrie Martin, MAXAR Technologies
  • Rick Rodgers,The Resource Network and Chair, Disability Supplier Diversity
  • Kia SIlver-Hodge, Enterprise Community Partners

Our Staff

The Hon. Katherine McCary, President, C5 Consulting, LLC serves as CEO and Executive Director. Katherine served as founding chair of the USBLN (now Disability:IN) for nine years, the founding chair of the VA BLN (Now Virginia Ability) for 13 years and has launched more than 11 chapters. She received the USBLN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
C5 is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders, experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities. With more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized business strategies. C5 is the pioneer of disability inclusion "for business by business" with just in time training Disability Inclusion IQ designed for enterprise wide learning, now a DC Metro chapter member benefit!

Our Mission
“Building the Business Network for Disability Inclusion.”

Our Vision
“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”

"In This Together" Campaign Continues
Please Donate!
Shop Amazon Smile!

In these ongoing unprecedented times, non-profits face the situation of limited funding. The DC Metro Chapter is no different. As we continue to provide education and resources with the newsletters and free virtual programming, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider a donation to support our mission in support of our monthly efforts! As most of us are shopping virtually these, days, please shop on Amazon Smile!

Follow Us on LinkedIN and YouTube