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Disability Business News
You Need to Know
July 2021
Happy 31st ADA Anniversary
A D A National Network Celebrating 30 Years
Celebrate with the ADA Center's three webinars:

Tuesday, July 20, 2021
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time Zone


Mark the 31st Anniversary of the ADA by joining this session as we hear from representatives of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) provide an update on their litigation, technical assistance, and enforcement efforts. Participants will have an opportunity to pose questions to the presenters regarding issues in their own workplace or community.

SPEAKERS
Amanda Maisels, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Sharon Rennert, Senior Attorney Advisor, ADA/Gina Division Office of Legal Counsel

Wednesday, July 21, 2021
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time Zone


The past three years have seen a significant increase in ADA related lawsuits across the country. Join us as we review selected court decisions and the impact they are bound to have on several ADA fronts, including Title I Employment, Title II Public Entities, and Title III Public Accommodations.
Covered topics will include:
  • Workplace reasonable accommodations
  • Web accessibility
  • Education-related accommodations
  • Discrimination by public entities
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employers and businesses
Our presenters will discuss the practical application of ADA court decisions to everyday situations and how case law may support conflict resolution and compliance efforts.

SPEAKERS
Diego Demaya, JD, Legal Specialist, Southwest ADA Center at ILRU
Sashi Nisankarao, Attorney, Legal Specialist, Southwest ADA Center


Tuesday, July 27, 2021
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern Time Zone


The Section 508 Standards apply the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 to web content and other electronic content. Issued by the W3C, WCAG 2.0 is a globally recognized, technology-neutral standard. This session will feature new and differing approaches to web accessibility requirements proposed for the next generation of these guidelines, the draft WCAG 3.0, (or WCAG3).
Jeanne Spellman, lead editor and chair of the taskforce developing WCAG3, will review the background of the WCAG3 development process and discuss the team’s approach to accessibility standards. Jeanne will be joined in conversation by Bruce Bailey, IT Specialist at the Access Board, and active member with the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AGWG) of the W3C.
They will discuss various questions, including: What is the purpose of an accessibility standard? Is it sufficient for standards addressing digital accessibility to provide a list of technical requirements, or is more required? What are effective approaches to use when developing an accessibility standard so that it can be consistently interpreted and applied?
The conversation will include frank discussion about the concerns and difficulties various stake holders have with current web accessibility standards. Section 508 (and EN 301 549) applied the WCAG 2.0 web standards to other digital content, which has implications for the development of WCAG3. Join Jeanne and Bruce as they review some of the opportunities for improving upon the current approach used by WCAG 2.0 (and 2.1, and 2.2) – including Success Criteria and a binary true/false analysis of accessibility.
There will also be discussion of the current WCAG3 draft under development, including a proposed approach to attributing different weights or values to accessibility provisions, so that digital content may be evaluated using a rating system which is more transparent, and results in more usability to address the needs of users with disabilities.
The presenters will address pre-submitted questions during the main presentation, and live questions as time permits. They are particularly interested in participant feedback on the WCAG3 approach and whether it addresses improvements desired by federal agencies.

SPEAKERS
Bruce Bailey, Accessibility Specialist/Information Technology Specialist, US Access Board
Jeanne Spellman, Founder and Developer, Spellman Consulting, LLC
DC Metro JULY Webinar
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Assistive Technologies
New Perspectives:
Technology Bridging the Gap
For the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community
 
July 27 2021
12:00- 1:30 PM

Technology levels the playing/working/social field for deaf or hard of hearing individuals. Join us for an in-depth conversation from recognized subject matter experts as they share information and resources to support the inclusion conversation.
Speakers
Karen Herson, Clear2Connect
Tim Wright, DomeAudio
John Macko, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, RIT


Host Sponsor and Keynote
Jessica Mosseley
iYellow Group.
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!

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Membership

Support Our Mission through your Membership
Be Recognized for your Leadership Brand


Annual Membership

Corporate - $2,000
Gold - $3,000
Diamond - $5,000
Platinum - $10,000
Non-Profit - $750
Small Business - $800
Government - $2,300
Individual - $200
Introductory Corporate Friends - $600

For any questions, please contact Katherine McCary
COVID-19 Resources
NOW ON OUR WEBSITE!
As the leading regional business on disability inclusion, it seems critical to provide our employers with important information on COVID 19. Check out the listings on our website. Contact us if you have others to add!
IN THE NEWS - Articles of Interest
National Disability Mentoring Coalition
Resources from NDMC's Intern
Jillian Howland

As part of her internship with the National Disability Mentoring Coalition, Jillian has gathered resources that she hopes to be helpful for the NDMC community during the summer months.

Here are some virtual activities that mentors and mentees can do together: 
  1. 10 Virtual Activities for Kids & Mentors during COVID-19
  2. 15 Virtual Activity Ideas for Mentors and Mentees – TEAK Fellowship
  3. Virtual Mentoring Ideas
  4. Digital tools and online activities for mentoring relationships
  5. Here's a helpful Virtual Mentoring Guide and Toolkit

Internship opportunities for people with disabilities:
  1. Broad Futures
  2. Cornell
  3. Viscardi Center
  4. AAPD Summer Internship

Fellowship Opportunities for people with disabilities:
  1. AAPD Disability Rights Storytellers
  2. Gopen Fellowship
National Business and Disability Council at The Viscardi Center
The NBDC Disability Employment Source: Your Resource for Qualified Candidates

You’re Hiring. We Have Qualified Candidates
National Business & Disability Council at The Viscardi Center
Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor noted a surge to a record 9.3 million job openings. Fill your open positions with qualified candidates with disabilities using NBDC’s Disability Employment Source (DES). Learn more and sign up today.

Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards 2021



The Center launched a call for nominations for the 2021 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards — an international award recognizing extraordinary leaders with disabilities. The deadline is September 17.

OFCCP U. S. Department of Labor
OFCCP Publishes New Corporate Scheduling Announcement List



The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published the latest Corporate Scheduling Announcement List (CSAL), which is comprised of 750 Supply and Service establishment-based full compliance reviews, Corporate Management Compliance Evaluations (CMCE), Functional Affirmative Action Program (FAAP) Reviews and University Reviews. 
The CSAL is a courtesy notification to:
  • Provide contractors at least 45-days advance notice to prepare for the compliance evaluation; and
  • Encourage contractors to take advantage of OFCCP compliance assistance offerings.
OFCCP has published the methodology for developing this list as well as frequently asked questions (FAQs) where answers to other matters related to this topic are included. 
If you believe a facility should not be selected for evaluation, please send an email to the OFCCP Scheduling Mailbox at ofccp-dpo-scheduling@dol.gov. OFCCP will respond to the inquiry promptly. 
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
CYNTHIA GILLIAM PIERRE NAMED
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF EEOC

 

Charlotte A. Burrows, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has named Cynthia Gilliam Pierre to be the agency's chief operating officer, the agency announced today. The chief operating officer manages all aspects of the Commission's day-to-day operations.

“Cynthia has a proven track record of success and a wealth of institutional knowledge about the EEOC,” said Chair Burrows. “Her background and leadership will be invaluable as we position the agency to be as effective as possible both now and far into the future.”

Pierre returns to the agency where she first started her service in 1982 as a program analyst in EEOC’s Houston District Office. She spent 26 years at the EEOC in various positions, including director of the EEOC's Birmingham District Office and director of Field Management Programs. This will be Pierre’s second stint as chief operating officer at the EEOC, after serving in that role from 2015 to 2018 for former Chair Jenny R. Yang and Acting Chair Victoria A. Lipnic. She has also worked at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, where she was regional director in Atlanta, and, prior to that, enforcement director. She currently teaches graduate classes in intercultural communications and leadership at the University of Maryland’s Transformational Leadership master’s program and leading diverse and inclusive Organizations at the George Washington University.

“I want to thank Chair Burrows for the incredible privilege to return to civil rights work at the EEOC,” said Pierre. “The EEOC touches the lives of so many workers and employers by providing protection and legal guidance in employment matters. I look forward to assisting my colleagues in fulfilling the EEOC’s mission of stopping and remedying workplace discrimination.”

A native of Lawrenceville, VA., Pierre holds a B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania; an M.A. from Antioch University; and a Ph.D. in public administration from the George Washington University. She also has completed the Senior Managers in Government program at Harvard Univer­sity's Kennedy School of Government.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.
nTIDE June 2021 Jobs Report - National Trends In
Disability Employment

Job indicators close in on pre-pandemic employment levels

East Hanover, NJ – July 2, 2021 – Sharp rises in the job numbers signal economic recovery for people with and without disabilities, according to today’s National Trends in Disability Employment – Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD). Key indicators are closing in on pre-pandemic levels as people with disabilities strengthen their position in the labor market. 


National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) – issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire

Members of Interagency Autism Committee gathered
Federal Autism Committee To Reconvene After Going Dark For 2 Years


For the first time in years, a federal panel tasked with guiding the nation’s priorities on autism is set to meet.
The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee will hold a virtual meeting July 21 and 22. The panel is comprised of government officials and members of the autism community and is charged with advising the secretary of health and human services and coordinating federal activities related to the developmental disability. The group last met in July 2019.

Since that time, all of the committee’s members saw their terms expire.
Congress approved the continuation of the committee as part of the Autism CARES Act, which took effect in October 2019, and nominations for new members were accepted between Nov. 19, 2019 and Feb. 21, 2020, but no new appointments were made.

Susan Daniels, director of the National Institute of Mental Health’s Office of Autism Research Coordination, which manages the IACC, told Disability Scoop that the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the delays and things were further held up when the White House changed hands in January.
Now, officials say that new committee members will be announced in the coming weeks.

Alison Singer, who is president of the Autism Science Foundation served three terms on the IACC off and on between 2007 and 2019, said that she’s “thrilled” to see the committee resuming.

“The IACC plays a critical role in the autism community and its dormancy for over a year has had real repercussions,” Singer said. “Individuals with autism and their families have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic in terms of lost school time, canceled services, social isolation and shuttered university research centers. It’s more urgent than ever for the IACC to resume its function coordinating federal and public efforts to support autism research and services, and to inform the HHS secretary about the effect of COVID-19 on our population so that appropriate new policies can be enacted.”

The new iteration of the IACC will be larger than before. Under the most recent version of the Autism CARES Act, the number of self advocates, parents and autism group representatives on the panel will grow from two to three each. The law also calls for the IACC to add members from the U.S. Departments of Labor, Justice, Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development.
The White House
Joe Biden
Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 1104, 3301, and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, and in order to strengthen the Federal workforce by promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. On my first day in office, I signed Executive Order 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government), which established that affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government. To further advance equity within the Federal Government, this order establishes that it is the policy of my Administration to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation.
As the Nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government must be a model for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. Accordingly, the Federal Government must strengthen its ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain our Nation’s talent and remove barriers to equal opportunity. It must also provide resources and opportunities to strengthen and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the Federal Government. The Federal Government should have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the American people. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplaces yield higher-performing organizations.

Man sitting on a couch
Autism Series Returns To Netflix

A television series following the coming-of-age experience of a young man on the spectrum will get one final season.
Netflix said it will debut a fourth season of “Atypical” next month. The season will be its last.

The series centers on Sam Gardner, who has autism and is seeking love and independence as he enters adulthood. The new season finds Sam moving out of his parents’ home and struggling with college and what to expect as he looks to the future.

Keir Gilchrist, who plays Sam, does not have autism, but the series has featured several actors on the spectrum.


Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion Advancing Workforce Diversity
Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Workplace Health and Safety Plans


With vaccination rates on the rise, America’s employers and workers are starting to look toward the post-COVID workplace. Employers whose workers stayed onsite during the pandemic may need to address new issues as they arise, and those with remote workers will need to consider options going forward. To help, EARN developed a policy brief, titled Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Plans. This brief highlights ways to ensure these plans align with disability nondiscrimination laws and regulations, and federal and state public health and occupational safety policies and procedures. Read the health and safety plans policy brief.
Office of Disability Employment Policy
ODEP at 20: Leading Voices — Becky Ogle

In celebration of its 20th anniversary this year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is talking to its past leaders about the agency’s history and accomplishments to date. As part of this, ODEP Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer Sheehy interviewed Rebecca (Becky) Ogle, who, as Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, proposed and designed ODEP. Highlights from their conversation were captured in a DOL blog post, the first in a new “Leading Voices” series. Read the interview highlights.
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
Blind man using screen reader VoiceOver
Why getting more people with disabilities developing technology is good for everyone

Unless you’re blind or know someone who is, you might not know that blind people use the same smartphones as sighted people. In fact, many blind people use touch-screen smartphones every day. The secret is that smartphones have a screen reader, a tool that allows blind people to use a mix of gestures and taps, along with vibrations or audio feedback, to use their apps.
Screen readers work on desktop computers as well as mobile devices. You can usually find the screen reader in settings under accessibility. On iPhones the screen reader is VoiceOver. It provides a verbal description of what’s on the screen, including buttons to click and other actions available to the user. A well-designed website or app user interface makes the information on the website or app accessible to the screen reader, which makes it accessible to blind users. However, a badly designed website or application will be rendered invisible to a screen reader.
We are researchers who focus on technology design that is usable for people with all kinds of disabilities. We’ve found that more needs to be done to make technology accessible and inclusive, such as improving design tools so they are accessible to screen reader users.

Events In The DC Metro Area and Beyond
DisabilityIN Your business partner for disability inclusion

Affiliate Leadership Summit Invite

July 12th
12:00-4:00pm EST


The second virtual Affiliate Leadership Summit on July 12th will be held from 12:00-4:00 EST, where we have again secured the expertise of Dr. Angela White- Jones, professor from the University of Central FL. The topics that you helped us pick are Business Engagement, Revenue Generation and Marketing and Communication all in a Post pandemic era.

As always, we appreciate all that your Affiliate does, and we look forward to sharing another conference with all of you.





ADA Update

July 13th
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET


The Job Accommodation Network will present a webinar on "ADA Update" on July 13 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET. The webinar features Jeanne Goldberg, senior attorney advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Attendees will learn the latest developments on applying the Americans with Disabilities Act in the workplace, some practical tips for compliance and answers to tough ADA questions.
The Harkin Institute Connecting People with Policy



The Role of Investors at the Intersection of Disability Inclusion and ESG Performance
July 14, 12 p.m. ET

This is the third in a series of dialogues that bring together the disability and investor communities and the private sector to achieve competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. Register now and watch for additional information about this event in the coming weeks.
This dialogue will foster greater understanding of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the employment space while recognizing the value creating opportunity for the private sector when it achieves competitive, integrated employment. We will better understand how investors engage with companies in which they invest and identify areas of collaboration between the investor and disability communities to achieve employment outcomes.
LEAD Center WOIA Policy Development
Webinar
A Second Chance at Inclusion:
People with Disabilities, Work, and Re-entry after Incarceration 

Thursday, July 15, 3:00 P.M. ED


In this webinar, attendees will learn about effective practices, partnerships, and policies that support transition to employment for individuals with disabilities formerly involved in the justice system. Mark the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act as we engage with subject-matter experts, practitioners, and advocates from the field, including Ivette Gutierrez with Social Policy Research Associates, Sharif Brown from Alliance of Disability Advocates NC, and Michael Mendoza with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition.
Kathy Martinez.
NBDC Office Hours with John D. Kemp
A discussion with Kathy Martinez, President & CEO, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA)

July 20, 2021
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET


Join John Kemp for a discussion with Kathy Martinez, President & CEO, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA).


During this Office Hours, he will explore:
  • How you can weave disability into your DEI agenda
  • Moving away from disability being a “special” initiative
  • Accommodations vs. Productivity Tools
  • Creating a work environment that can support employees with a variety of physical and non-visible disabilities, not just one type of disability
  • Empowering the entire company to be passionate about your disability-inclusive initiative beyond one champion or one person’s “cause”
  • How to create a systematic change that lasts long-term

Come with your questions to be addressed during the Q&A.
National Inclusion Project
Strategies for Inclusive Youth Recreation Programming with the National Inclusion Project

July 21, 2021

2:00 - 3:00 PM EST

In this interactive webinar, participants will be introduced to the mission of the National Inclusion Project – to make the inclusion of children with disabilities the expectation, not the exception, in community & recreation programs. We will unpack the Standards for Inclusive Recreation Programs to guide implementation of best practices and explore high impact, easy-to-implement strategies to help all children learn, play, and grow together.

Participants will leave with practical advice, tools, & resources to make their recreation and community programming more inclusive of youth with disabilities.

BroadFutures. Inspiring inclusion. Expanding the Workforce.

Talking with Young Adults to Promote Internal Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and Independence

Thursday, July 22nd, 12:00 - 1:00pm EDT

In this virtual presentation, Dr. Stixrud, a clinical neuropsychologist, author, and BroadFutures Advisory Board Member, will discuss ways of communicating with young people that facilitate a healthy, respectful parent-child relationship, while promoting autonomy, agency, and resilience. Dr. Stixrud will include ideas from his first book, co-authored with Ned Johnson, The Self-Driven Child, and from their new book, which will be published in August, What Do You Say? How to Talk With Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. .If interested in attending this talk, please RSVP to Carole Trevey to receive the Zoom link.
respect ability


Wednesday, July 28, 2021
1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CT / 11:30 a.m. MT / 10:30 a.m. PT
Duration: 1 hour
As more people get vaccinated and companies begin reopening their offices, it is critical to reflect on key lessons from the past year of Zoom calls and remote work. Please join us for this special conversation with disability employment expert, business leader, and inclusion innovator Jim Sinocchi. Jim will talk about how JPMorgan Chase has reshaped their accessibility efforts, how they deliver accommodations both in the office and remotely, and what opportunities lay ahead for future leaders with disabilities. This fireside chat will give audience members unprecedented access to ask your most burning questions about disability employment and the post-COVID world.
This FREE webinar will feature ASL interpreters and live captioning. [continue reading…]
The Harking Summit
2021 IOWA SUMMIT
Price: $199
Expand your workforce and learn how to make disability a component of your diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the Iowa Summit on Disability Employment.
Senator Tom Harkin and The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University are pleased to invite you to the Iowa Summit on Disability Employment, a gathering of Iowa business leaders, human resources experts and disability service providers, to discuss how employees with disabilities are crucial to addressing the state’s workforce challenges, including hiring, engagement and retention.
Location
This is a hybrid event. Everyone is welcome to sign up and attend online. A limited number of seats are available for in-person attendees. The in-person event will take place at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, Iowa. The online event will take place on The Harkin Institute website and via Zoom. 
Registration will open in early July.
Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
28th Annual Conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
September 21, 2021 2:00pm EDT to 
September 23, 2021 4:30pm EDT

Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel
Baltimore, Maryland

Presented by TransCen, Inc. and the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
Visit the information and registration site for details about the conference agenda and sessions, presenters, hotel facility (including health and safety information), local transit and tourist information, and opportunities for sponsors and exhibitors!
The Arc

The Arc’s 2021 National Convention

September 27–29 | New Orleans, LA


We know the last year and a half has been full of uncertainty and disruption. Our 2021 National Convention will both honor the struggles of the past year and renew our hope as we look to the future of the disability rights movement. Sessions will detail the challenges and advances made in the past year, including sessions on strategic crisis response, remote supports, diversity and inclusion, mental health struggles, and much more!

The in-person event—following the safety guidelines set by the city, state, and CDC—will feature dozens of speakers from across the disability sector, including family members and advocates, policy experts, and innovators at the forefront of disability services and supports.

We hope to see you at this exciting event. Let’s get inspired and prepared for the work ahead! 

Disability Rights Advocates a non profit organization

SAVE THE DATE!
DRA’s Virtual Gala: An Inspiring Celebration of DRA’s 2021 High-Impact Disability Justice Work.

Thursday, October 7th at 4pm PT/7pm ET
National Business and Disability Council at The Viscardi Center

SAVE THE DATE!
The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at The Viscardi Center Annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) event

October 26, 2021 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET.
Mark your calendar for this virtual, educational session and watch for registration details.
About Us
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
  • 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, Secretary, JBG SMITH Companies
  • Michelle Crabtree, Town of Vienna
  • Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
  • Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
  • Tom Downs, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Dan Ellerman, Mars
  • Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
  • Sophie Howard, Chair, General Dynamics IT
  • Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
  • Chrisonna Palmer, Vice Chair, EY
  • Carrie Martin, MAXAR Technologies
  • Jamel Walker, Northrop Grumman
  • Ryan Walters, Deloitte
  • Myra Wilder, BAE Systems

Advisory Board Members:
  • Orly Barbosa, Sandy Spring Bank
  • Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
  • Crosby Cromwell, The Valuable 500
  • Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
  • Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
  • Sylvia Henri-Wonasue, Lockheed Martin
  • Karen Herson, Concepts, Inc.
  • Craig Leen, GMU Scalia Law, Former OFCCP Director
  • Jessica Lee Aiello, IYellow Group
  • Cynthia Richardson-Crooks, DC BLN Founding Chair
  • Rick Rodgers, The Resource Network
  • Kia Silver-Hodge, Enterprise Community Partners
  • Bob Vetere, C5 Consulting, LLC
  • Sue Werber, C5 Consulting, LLC


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. She recently joined GRACE Global Response and Collaborative Environment as Director of Inclusion.

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.