VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 • SPRING 2004 AAPDNews IN THIS ISSUE New Member 3 Benefit AAPD Board 6 Elections AAPD Board of Directors Ballot Enclosed Deadline is May 21, 2004 AAPD Wins in Florida, Files Suit in California A federal judge, in a final ruling released Monday, March 29, told Duval County Florida to make provisions for voters with visual or physical disabilities by adding 60 accessible voting machines in time for the August 2004 Florida primary. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Wayne Alley said Supervisor of Elections John Stafford had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not providing accessible voting machines. According to the ruling, 20% of Duval County's precincts must have accessible machines in time for the primary. They would be placed around the county in a plan to be approved by the judge with input from the plaintiffs. The Florida suit was filed in November 2001 by AAPD. At the same time, AAPD and a group of California advocates have filed suit against California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley and four counties for failure to have accessible voting machines. The four counties, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, were planning to acquire accessible touch screens when the Secretary of State issued a directive requiring a voter verified paper ballot. An accessible touch screen with a voter verified paper ballot cannot be purchased because there are no federal standards and, therefore, no certified machines are available. Before voting machines can be used in polling places, they must be certified for security, accuracy, and durability. Waiting for voter verified paper ballots could delay access until 2011. John McDermott, lead attorney from Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP, filed the suit pro-bono in Federal District Court in Los Angeles. The suit asks that the court order one accessible voting machine in all polling places for November's election. The ADA requires that the purchase of new voting systems includes at least one accessible voting machine in every polling place. Co-plaintiffs with AAPD are the California Council of the Blind, the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, and eleven individuals who have manual and visual disabilities. This is the first suit to fight the misguided and illegal call to add a printer to every touch screen. The California suit is the third AAPD suit to champion accessibility in the polling place for people with disabilities and AAPD anticipates another victory for accessible voting. Disability Mentoring Day to be Held October 20, 2004 Make Plans Now to Participate This year's "Disability Mentoring Day: Career Development for the 21st Century" (DMD) will be held Wednesday, October 20 in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and at least 15 other countries. DMD, established in 1999 as part of a White House effort to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, is a partnership between AAPD and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The program also receives major financial support from a host of private corporations. DMD began with three dozen student participants and is now a major national event with more than 6,000 participants in 2003. What is DMD? DMD is a community-based program designed to enhance internship and employment opportunities for students and jobseekers with disabilities by bringing them together with employers from the public, private, non-profit, and educational sectors for job shadowing and other hands-on career exploration activities. The core DMD experience is based on one-on-one job shadowing or group visits to worksites. In many cases around the country, local DMD planners opt for a different structure that incorporates plenary sessions with guest speakers and/or receptions where mentees and workplace mentors can share their experiences. In some areas of the country, DMD has expanded beyond one day in October to be a year-round mentoring program. Through the program, employers are given the opportunity to recruit interns, tap a pool of potential future employees, learn more about the experience of disability, develop lasting relationships with disability community leaders, demonstrate positive leadership in their communities, and attract positive media and community attention. Employers can either host mentees at their worksite by collaborating with an established local coordinator, or they can coordinate their own DMD activities. How to Get Involved Local coordinators are the core of the success of Disability Mentoring Day each year. If you are interested in getting involved as a mentee, a workplace mentor, or an event organizer, please visit AAPD's web site at www.aapd-dc.org for more information or contact Ollie Cantos at AAPD (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY) or GeneralCnsl@aol.com. Dear AAPD Members New Heights for Higher Education Dear Members: In March, I had the opportunity to participate in a retreat with the president of a university in my home town of Baltimore who wanted to develop an initiative to make his campus a model for how it addresses the needs of students and staff with disabilities. The week before, I participated in a day-long forum hosted by the Washington College of Law at American University that was focused on sharing best practices for accommodating law students with disabilities. Last year, I participated in a two-day forum at the Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago, the topic of which was attracting more people with disabilities to become nursing students and nurses. As Congress takes up the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this year, I think it is appropriate for us to take note of the promising developments that these three isolated events might indicate. Instead of the head of disabled student services pulling together a meeting to discuss improving services for disabled students, we now have a university president convening a retreat at his private residence with national and state experts who can help him design and implement a cutting edge program for students and staff with disabilities. A law school like the Washington College of Law, having graduated extraordinary lawyers with disabilities like Paul G. Hearne awardees Claudia Gordon and Alison Ashley Hillman, is now hosting a national conference that can help change the face of legal education over time. Rush University College of Nursing, with extraordinary alumnae like Henry B. Betts laureate Marca Bristo, is leading the way to open up the field of nursing to qualified women and men with disabilities. The nursing conference was so successful that it spawned a new National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (I am a proud member of its newly-formed Board of Directors). To be sure, we still have a long way to go before higher education and the professions are truly welcoming to all of the diverse communities that make up the disability community. The National Council on Disability has put together some recommendations for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act that call attention to some key areas in need of improvement: better transition planning from secondary to post-secondary education; better data on supports and services currently available at colleges and universities; better technical assistance for faculty and disability support programs; better access to financial aid for disabled students; and recruitment of more disabled people to enter the field of teaching. The NCD fact sheet and recommendations are available on the web at www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/hea_factsheet.html. As we work to improve the policy environment for disabled students seeking higher education, we should not lose sight of the fact that many colleges and universities are already achieving a competitive advantage by making a name for themselves as being places where students with disabilities are welcomed and fully integrated into campus life. I hope that the Rush University College of Nursing, the Washington College of Law, and the University of Baltimore are bellwethers of a trend that is transforming higher education for years to come. Andrew J. Imparato AAPD President and CEO ImparatoA@aol.com Editors Note: Due to the AAPD Board Election and the number of pages dedicated to it in this issue, the continuation of last issue's Medicare article has been moved to the next issue. We believe the Medicare story is too important to shorten due to space restrictions. Because, for the most part the new benefits do not begin until 2006, we have time to make sure all of our members fully understand the new bill. We will also be covering the presidential election and where the candidates and major parties stand on disability issues, including Civil Rights, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. New Member Benefit! Healthcare and Lifestyle Benefits from VictoryPlus (Victory+) By Diane DeAngelis, Director of Marketing and Member Services, e-mail dianedeangelis@earthlink.net AAPD is pleased to offer our members the opportunity to join Victory+, a program available through USA+ specializing in Disability Access. Victory+ is not insurance; it is a Whole Family Benefits Program for people with disabilities and their families. Four Benefits Programs are available. AAPD members can save up to $55 on the initial enrollment fee. Essential Package – only $29.99/ month plus $10 initial enrollment fee • Medical Referral Program – Save up to 30% on inpatient and outpatient services with participating providers – more than 390,000 physicians, 50,000 medical facilities and 70% of the hospitals in the U.S. • Dental Services – 20,000 participating dentists nationwide – save 10-60% on the most common dental procedures. • Vision Services – Free annual eye exam per family member – 20% discount on eyeglasses, up to 25% off on laser surgery. 29,000 U.S. participating providers. • Home Medical and Rehabilitation Equipment – Save 20% when insurance does not apply. • Prescription Services – 51,000 participating pharmacies – pay a discounted price on prescriptions at the time of purchase at your local pharmacy. • Express Pharmacy – Mail Order discount up to 25% off wholesale prices – generic and brand-name pharmaceuticals – $25 quarterly credit on long-term medications. • Diabetic Supplies – up to a 30% discount on diabetic medications. • WholeHealth – up to 30% discount on chiropractic, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, and other services. • Optum® Care24 – 24/7 telephone access to staff of registered nurses. • Legal Services – Telephone referral to an attorney – no initial consultation fee – one 30 minute in-office visit each month. • Wheelchair Sports Equipment – up to 25-30% off retail prices. • Additional Services – Mediation, Extended Care, Hearing Care, $500 annually in grocery coupons. Advantage Plan – $59.99/ month plus $10 initial enrollment fee • Includes everything in the Essential Package plus up to $7,500 accidental injury medical expenses, Accidental Death and Dismemberment, travel assistance, Kinko's discount, road side services, travel savings, and discounted hotels. Classic Plan – $59.99/month plus $10 initial enrollment fee • For those who want only medical benefits – includes physician and hospital services; alternative care; accident benefit; 24-hour nurseline; Eckerd Health; express pharmacy; dental and vision services; and diabetic supplies. Premier Plan – $89.99/month plus $10 initial enrollment fee • Includes all of the benefits of the Essential and Advantage Packages plus expanded dental services, discounted funeral benefits, and American Fidelity Mortgage Banking. For further information about this program, please call Victory+ directly at (800) 505-8742 (V/TTY). You can also join from their web site at www.victoryplus.com. Click on Join and then choose AAPD from the drop-down menu. Don't forget about our other member benefits if you are not already taking advantage of them: the Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), particularly for Mobility Vehicle and Access Loans; Scriptsense mail-order pharmacy program; discounted subscription to New Mobility magazine; life insurance; and Avis and Hertz car rental discounts. At the end of 2003, we were 66,000 members strong. Today we number more than 75,000. The continuing support of our members has allowed us to offer new benefits programs such as Victory+. Look for more Member Benefits in the coming months. And be sure and sign up for AAPD's Justice for All list serve at www.aapd-dc.org. A Conversation with Susan Mazrui Susan Mazrui, blind since her late teens, is Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs for Cingular Wireless. Mazrui, a special education teacher turned corporate executive, works on Cingular's product accessibility and a number of other consumer activities. She has found that the disability community of today has a much broader membership and diversity than it did 30 or 40 years ago. Mazrui knows that as baby boomers age the market for accessible products grows. For example, a company CEO who is entering his or her 60's may be beginning to lose some hearing or sight and needs more universally designed office products for "functional limitations." She also remembers when career advancement was limited for people with disabilities because the tools weren't accessible. Often one would be advanced only to be let go. As companies adopted new software that was no longer a problem. Today, things are different. "There is a greater awareness of the need to develop more accessible products and services. There are requirements that Federal Agencies purchase accessible electronic and information technologies when readily achievable. Private companies are interested in hiring and retaining qualified employees and as long as the technology is accessible, a disability should not be a barrier to employment," she says. Mazrui says she would offer the same advice to a person with a disability as she would a person without a disability when it comes to education and career building. She says, "Most people face one form of discrimination or another in life. Sometimes it is related to gender, skin color, geographic origin, economics, or religion. Sometimes it is related to disability. It is never easy to face discrimination, but it is something that must be faced. And, it is something that can be overcome. No one can take away your dignity – anddignity outshines ignorance." What would she particularly tell young people with disabilities who want to build a career? • Make sure you have all the skills you need. • Go on some informational interviews, talk to people who are in the field in which you are interested in working. • Set up some internships while you are in school. This will give you experience in your field of choice. Paid employment is also important on a resume. It shows you are responsible and have a work ethic. • Get good references and letters of recommendation. • Know how to use the tools – including any assistive technology you will need on the job. • Build a support network. Mazrui warns to also be realistic and know there will be ups and downs. "Remember your character will be judged not by how many barriers you faced, but how many you worked to overcome," she says. She encourages forming a support system so you will have a network of peers to keep you from feeling bad about yourself and some friends to joke with when times are tough. Mazrui considers herself lucky to be working for Cingular Wireless. "There is a celebration of diversity from the top down and the bottom up. Cingular sets the standard on inclusion." Further, she says, Cingular is the leader in accessible wireless telecommunications. Getting Out the Vote on the Cheap By Karen Tamley, Program Director, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago One evening this past February, I telephoned a man who had recently moved out of a nursing home, with assistance from Access Living. I explained that I was calling for Access Living's Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Project and asked if he was registered to vote. "Registered to vote ... hmmm, I don't think so. I don't know much about that," he responded sheepishly. I explained that voting is a way to show our elected officials the need to listen to us and that it is one way to change the policies that affect the lives of people with disabilities – such as being forced to live in a nursing home. "Well, now that you put it that way," he said, with a hint of excitement, "I think I would like you to tell me how to get registered." One major reason that people with disabilities do not vote in large numbers (aside from polling place barriers) is that we are not asked to vote. Access Living's GOTV project uses individual human contact to emphasize the importance of voting and its link to political power. Last summer, I was daunted by the prospect of undertaking an ambitious, long- term voting project without dedicated staff, grant funding, or previous experience. However, with support and guidance from both AAPD and Kelly Anthony at the Missouri Disability Vote Project, Access Living has begun an intensified GOTV campaign, not with financial resources, but with a handful of committed individuals, creativity and common sense. Our local Chicago effort began with a small group of staff members from all levels of the organization who were willing to make personal commitments to drive a voter registration and turnout campaign within Chicago's disability community. With Illinois' March 16 primary as our deadline, our small group met regularly to develop strategies to get as many people with disabilities as possible registered to vote. Our group created a simple flyer that included three important points: Why – the reason to vote; How – to register; and When – the registration deadline. Every staff member was asked to disseminate this flyer at trainings, peer support groups, rallies, community meetings, etc. Our receptionist began asking all visitors if they were registered to vote. If not, we helped them register. Registration information could be found in our waiting area, on our web site, in our newsletter, and on outgoing voice mail messages. We even convinced a local TV station to do a story on our GOTV effort. Most importantly, we recruited ten volunteers to work the phones for three consecutive evenings before the registration deadline. Despite our concern about being mistaken for telemarketers, a majority of consumers were appreciative of our message. While many responded emphatically that they were registered and vote in every election, other calls strongly reinforced the need to make personal contact. One consumer we telephoned said that he was not allowed to vote due to his disability. Others responded that getting to the polls was impossible due to inaccessible housing or lack of transportation. Several family members insisted that their relative was "too disabled to vote." We repeated our phone campaign after the voter registration deadline, urging folks to go to the polls for the primary election. In just more than two months, these simple outreach efforts enabled us to reach an estimated 3,000 Chicagoans with disabilities with a voter registration and turnout message. Our only direct cost was dinner for our volunteers and copying costs of the flyers (distribution of the flyers was included in our regular mailings). While our reach and impact could have been greater with more money, we are maximizing our impact by collaborating with other disability organizations. In January the Illinois Disability Vote Project was launched – a statewide effort that includes 15 cross-disability organizations as well as all of the 24 CILs in Illinois. Pooled resources are supporting the development of uniform voting outreach materials, a GOTV "cookbook" and a "list enhancement" service – allowing us to perform targeted registration and turnout activities among our consumer bases. Through our efforts, we have learned that any GOTV effort must ingrain the importance of voting into the culture and routine activities of an organization. While the upcoming election may be a motivating factor to start-up a GOTV project, the work cannot and must not end in November. It needs to be viewed and treated as a long-term commitment by all of us in this nation to build the political power of people with disabilities. Read the Get Out The Vote insert in this issue of AAPDNews and begin a GOTV effort in your area. If you would like to initiate a nonpartisan grassroots Get Out the Vote project for people with disabilities, contact Angela Katsakis at aapdvote@earthlink.net or (800) 840-8844 x25 (V/TTY). Get Out the Vote State Contact Information AL Judy Roy Birmingham Independent Living Center W 205-251-2223 x102 E bhamilc@bellsouth.net FL Barry Shlinsky Florida Advocacy Center W 813-233-2920 E barrys@advocacycenter.org IN Julia Vaughan Governor's Planning Council for People with Disabilities W 317-234-2226 E countusin@gpcpd.org IL Karen Tamley W 312-253-7000 E ktamley@accessliving.org MA Bill Henning Boston Center of Ind. Living W 617-338-6665 E bhenning@bostoncil.org ME Marcia Cooper Disability Rights Center P&A W 207-841-6489 E mcooper@drcme.org MN Margot Imdieke MN Council on Disability W 651-297-2920 E margot.imdieke@state.mn.us MO Kelly Anthony Paraquad, Inc. W 314-567-1558 x264 E kanthony@paraquad.org MS Mary Troupe MS Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities W 601-969-0601 E Mary@MScoalition.com NC Mark Ezell NC Disability Action Network W 919-733-4022 919-733-4022 E mark.ezzell@ncmail.net NH Clyde Terry Granite State Independent Living Center W 603-228-9680 E clyde.terry@gsil.org NJ Carole Tonks NJ Dev. Disability Council W 609-292-3453 E Carole.Tonks@njddc.org NY Brad Williams NY State Ind. Living Council W 518 427-1060 E nysilc@nysilc.org OH Susan Willis Axis Center W 800-231-2947 E axiscenter@aol.com OR Carole Patterson Lane Independent Living Center Alliance C 541-954-8373 E carolezoom@mac.com SD Shelly Pfaff SD Commission on Disabilities W 800-210-0143 E shellyp@sd-ccd.org TN Carole Westlake TN Disability Coalition W/C 615-585-5782 E carol_w@tndisability.org WI Howard Seifert WI Developmental Disability Council W 608-267-9897 E seifehf@dhfs.state.wi.us Election to the aAPD board of directors The Nominating Committee of AAPD presents the following nominees for its Board of Directors. Every member of AAPD is invited and encouraged to cast a ballot in this important election. Your ballot is enclosed in this newsletter. The AAPD Board of Directors is YOUR board, and it is your right as a member of AAPD to vote in this election. There are seven (7) board positions open. Please vote for up to seven (7) of the eleven (11) candidates and mail your pre- addressed ballot or fax (202) 457-0473 your ballot to AAPD so that it will be received no later than May 21, 2004. Thank you. Kathleen A. Behan Kathleen A. Behan is a litigation partner at Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C., where she is Co-Chairperson of the firm's Pro Bono Committee. Behan's practice includes criminal defense, constitutional law, and general business litigation. Her responsibilities have included representing innovative pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking national Medicare coverage for promising new therapies. In addition to her commercial work, Behan also has an active pro bono practice. She has extensive experience representing defendants in capital cases, and has litigated numerous civil rights cases in the federal courts. Her docket has included litigation against WMATA and the Department of Transportation concerning compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; litigation against Angola Prison in Louisiana on behalf of a class of mentally -ill inmates, litigation against the District of Columbia on behalf of the estate of a diabetic woman who died in police custody, and litigation against the State Department for failure to permit HIV-positive individuals to become Foreign Service Officers. Behan is motivated in part by her personal experience as a person living with lupus. Behan has been named as one of the nation's top 40 litigators under 40 and top 50 women litigators by the National Law Journal. Her work on behalf of a wrongfully convicted death row inmate, Roger Coleman, appeared on the cover of Time, and was profiled in May God Have Mercy, by John Tucker. Behan has lectured on constitutional issues at numerous law schools, including Harvard, Columbia, University of Virginia, and the American University Washington College of Law. Behan is a 1985 magna cum laude graduate of Yale College and received her law degree from Columbia Law School in 1989. Joyce A. Bender Joyce A. Bender is the CEO/President of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. (BCS). Based in Pittsburgh, PA, BCS is a national technology consulting firm specializing in creating competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the information technology, engineering, finance/accounting, and general business areas. Bender is the 2003 recipient of the Bush Administration's New Freedom Initiative Award, and the 1999 President's Award, received from President Clinton at the White House for her efforts in furthering the employment and empowerment of people with disabilities. In 1985, Bender survived a life-threatening accident caused by a misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Due to her personal experience living with both epilepsy and a hearing disability, she founded Bender Consulting Services, Inc. in 1995 and Bender Consulting Services of Canada, Inc. in 2001. Bender serves on the board of the national Epilepsy Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central PA, the Central Blood Bank, the Pittsburgh Disability Employment Project for Freedom, and Tech-Link. She has been featured in various periodicals including Reader's Digest, Investors Business Daily, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and the Chicago Tribune. Bender holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Geneva College, and hosts the radio show, Disability Matters on www.voiceamerica.com. James Billy Before assuming a position with the Federal Government, James Billy was the Executive Director at the Harlem Independent Living Center. He has served as advisory board member to The Rehabilitation Cultural Diversity Initiative; Region II (RCDI), and the World Institute on Disability (WID), a council member of the State Independent Living Council (SILC), a member at large to the National Council of Independent Living, a council member of the New York State Rehabilitation Council, and a council member of the Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing (DRACH). He is a member of Veratas Professional Advisory Board. He served a Mayoral appointment to New York City's Americans with Disabilities Act Community Task Force. He was a Special Education Teacher at the elementary school level, a clinician at The New York Institute of Child Development, a senior counselor at Odyssey House Residential Treatment Center for Substance Abuse, and a vocational rehabilitation counselor at Veratas Treatment Center. He holds a Masters in Education from Hofstra University in Rehabilitation Counseling. The Honorable Ralph F. Boyd, Jr. Ralph F. Boyd, Jr. is the new Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Previously he served as the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. In that role, he oversaw the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Civil Rights Division is one of the core litigating divisions of the Department of Justice, and also serves as the primary institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, and national origin. While Assistant Attorney General, Boyd served as a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the United States Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, which establishes guidelines and standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Architectural Barriers Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. Boyd is a frequent speaker on human and civil rights, terrorism, and criminal law issues. He also has served on a variety of U.S. delegations. In December 2002, he traveled to the People's Republic of China as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United States-China Human Rights Dialogue. In July 2001, he presented the United States' case under a United Nations Treaty before the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva, Switzerland, and also has represented the United States before the United Nations in New York. In September 2003, he represented the United States before the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, Austria as a member of the U.S. delegation to the OSCE's conference on racism, xenophobia and discrimination. Boyd also has served on numerous boards, councils and committees involving diversity issues, continuing legal education, state and federal judiciaries, and the provision of legal services to the poor. Wendy Elliott-Vandivier Wendy Elliott-Vandivier has been a leader in the disability civil rights community for more than 25 years. She has a diverse background, which combines experience in government civil rights enforcement, managing human resources in private industry, and community advocacy. In her professional work, she has successfully managed employee relations, EEO, Affirmative Action and Diversity issues for several large businesses, including: Advanta, Fleet, Wordsworth Human Services, and Roy F. Weston, Inc. She also worked for SmithKline Beecham as Equal Opportunity Affairs Administrator and CIGNA Corporation as Senior EEO Advisor. Before joining the private sector, Elliott-Vandivier worked for nine years for the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, where she managed the agency's Regional Technical Assistance Staff. She played a lead role in the implementation of federal civil rights statutes in a six-state region. A wheelchair user herself, her strong commitment to enhancing opportunities for people with disabilities extends beyond her professional experience. She is currently Chair of the Philadelphia Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities, where she advises the Mayor with respect to existing and proposed policies, programs, and services for people with disabilities. Commission projects include voter access, funding college scholarships for students with disabilities, transportation, housing accessibility, and other issues. She is the co-founder of Making Options for Motherhood (MOM) Center at Thomas Jefferson University, which provides prenatal, birthing and other services to parents with disabilities. She also serves as Board Member of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board. Susan W. Hetrick Susan W. Hetrick is Advocacy Director for the Ability Center of Greater Toledo where she is responsible for systems and public policy advocacy regarding disability issues. Prior to that, she was a graduate assistant in the Division of Intervention Services at Bowling Green State University. She has also served as a parent advocate at the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, a parent mentor with the Sylvania, Ohio City School District, a regional field coordinator with the Arc of Ohio Leadership Institute, and Vice President, Image Source Inc., Toledo, Ohio. Hetrick has played a major leadership role in such community organizations as the Arc of Lucas County, Ohio, the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Toledo, and Women in Communication. Hetrick has been presented with many awards for her achievements in disability advocacy; most recently, she was awarded an AAPD Justice for All Award and a five-state region National Council on Independent Living Advocacy Award. Hetrick holds a Masters in Education in Early Childhood Special Education from Bowling Green University. The Honorable Judith E. Heumann In June of 2002, Judith E. Heumann was appointed as the World Bank's first Adviser on Disability and Development. In this position, Heumann, an internationally recognized expert on disability and diversity issues, leads the World Bank's disability work and highlights the importance to include disability in the Bank discussions with client countries, its country-based analytical work, and support for improving policies, programs, and projects that allow disabled people around the world to live and work in the economic and social mainstream of their communities. From 1993 to 2001, Heumann served in the Clinton Administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the Department of Education. Heumann was responsible for the implementation of legislation at the national level for programs in special education, disability research, vocational rehabilitation and independent living, serving more than eight million youth and adults with disabilities. For more than 30 years, Heumann has been involved on the international front, in Europe, Asia and Latin America. She represented Education Secretary Richard Riley at the 1995 International Congress on Disability in Mexico City. She was a delegate to the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. And she has been active with Disabled People International, Rehabilitation International and numerous Independent Living Centers throughout the world. She co-founded the World Institute on Disability, and she served as the Assistant National Secretary, U.S. Council on International Rehabilitation, now the U.S. International Council on Disability. Heumann has served on numerous local, national and international boards of directors and has received numerous awards for her work. She graduated from Long Island University in 1969 and received her Masters in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975. She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Long Island University in Brooklyn, and an Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Illinois, Champaign. Vail B. Horton Vail B. Horton is a young and passionate entrepreneur. At only 26 years old he is already making an impact coast-to-coast through his company and his involvement in the medical community. Born without legs and improper bone growth in his arms, Horton epitomizes what it means to overcome adversity. Horton's persistence and tenacity turned into a company, a provider of world- class products focused on safety, mobility, and comfort. Designed with the end- user in mind (rather than the reimbursement available), Keen's products bring much needed innovation to current medical equipment, and enhance self-esteem with their style. Horton has been recognized city and statewide, having already been awarded by the Portland Business Journal as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" executives in the City, and by being placed on the Governor's Honor Roll for Employers of People with Disabilities by the Oregon Disabilities Commission. He received national recognition on the floor of the U.S. Senate, when Senator Gordon Smith named him Oregon's Healthcare Hero. Horton has also remained active in the community and currently serves on the Board of the Providence Child Center for Medically Fragile Children, and the Willamette Columbia YMCA. He also founded and serves as Chair of the Board for Incight, a not-for-profit organization that serves as a resource for education and employment to people with disabilities as well as the aging population. Through motivational speaking at community groups and conferences, Horton educates and encourages individuals. His goal is to see the disability community "move to a position of independence, allowing them to give back to society." Ted Kennedy, Jr. Ted Kennedy, Jr., is the President of the Marwood Group, a healthcare business development and financial services firm with offices in New York and Washington D.C. Kennedy represents and advises many of the leading healthcare companies in the world, assisting clients in regulatory and reimbursement efforts, and in identifying and executing strategic business partnerships. Prior to founding the Marwood Group, Kennedy practiced health and disability law at the Connecticut- based law firm of Wiggin & Dana, and served as the Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at the Connecticut Hospital Association. As a cancer survivor and amputee, Kennedy has also been an active leader in the civil rights movement for persons with disabilities. Milele Landrum "The greatest act is love; the greatest comfort is kindness; the greatest gift is self- knowledge."This has been Milele Landrum's personal creed for several years. Most of her life has been a winding road of peaks and valleys. She never quite fit in. Landrum worked hard, tried even harder but somehow always managed to be misunderstood, rejected, and isolated. Eventually she created a motto, "men, jobs and buses – there's another one coming". In reality this was a smoke screen, a defense mechanism. This coping device was a way to live with her hidden disabilities, attention deficit disorder and a learning disability. At 40, Landrum was diagnosed and got the help she had needed all her life. She learned to compensate for her limitations and found supporters that understood LD/ADHD. Landrum has served four years on the National Board of Directors of the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA); currently co-chairs the Membership/Cultural Diversity Committee and works on the Adult Issues Committee. Her volunteer work has also included being State President of Oregon LDA, women's prison ministry mentor and teacher and Coordinator at Open Door Transition House, and the Philadelphia Community Baptist Church in Portland, OR. Landrum graduated from California State University, Fresno with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science and Community Health Option and will complete her Master's in Teaching in January. Landrum has a new motto for life – "helping others acquire self-knowledge is my cause/purpose." Fred S. Weiner Fred S. Weiner currently serves as Special Assistant to the President for Planning at Gallaudet University, the only institution of higher education focused primarily on Deaf and hard of hearing students. He is responsible for overseeing the University's strategic planning process, directing the Office of Planning and serving as Gallaudet's representative on Capitol Hill. Prior to beginning work at Gallaudet in 1999, Weiner had nearly 20 years of diverse work experiences. His professional background includes working in a Deaf school, the Federal government, a not-for-profit national disability advocacy organization, U.S. Congress, and the corporate world. His more significant accomplishments include being one of the "Ducks" involved in sparking the Gallaudet Deaf President Now (DPN) protest, being recognized as the leader of the lobbying effort that led to the establishment of the first federally-mandated relay service, becoming the first Deaf relay center manager for a private corporation and being selected as a Brookings Institution Congressional Fellow. A graduate of Gallaudet University, he has a Masters of Science from New York University in Management and Systems. Weiner is the only member of AAPD's Board of Directors who is Deaf. Please vote for up to seven (7) of the eleven (11) candidates and mail your pre-addressed ballot or fax (202) 457-0473 your ballot to AAPD so that it will be received no later than May 21, 2004. All ballots must be received no later than May 21, 2004 The newly elected members of AAPD's Board of Directors will be announced in the Summer issue of AAPDNews and posted at www.aapd-dc.org after the annual meeting of the Board of Directors in June. AAPD and The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars Offer New Employment Initiative AAPD and The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars have joined together to offer a new initiative to help increase employment for students with disabilities through an academic internship program. The internships will be an extension of The Washington Center's work with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy to help students develop leadership skills and gain valuable work experience in public service through internships in the federal, judicial, and legislative branches of the government. Solid academic training from highly qualified instructors complements the internships. Fifty competitive scholarship awards of $7,430 each are available. This award will be applied to the full program cost of $8,430. This money can be combined with state scholarship awards available through The Washington Center. Applicants must: • Be enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university. • Be at least a second semester sophomore at the time of the internship. • Have at least a 2.75 grade point average. • Show proof that they will receive academic credit for the internship. • Self-identify as a person with a disability. Application Deadline: June 14, 2004 For more information, visit www.twc.edu/diversityin government.htm or contact JT Taransky at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY), or e-mail aapdjt@aol.com. Accessible applications are at www.aapd- dc.org/Internships/washintern.htm. Leadership Gala Celebrating Leadership More Than 500 Individuals Attend Third Annual AAPD Leadership Gala By Kelly Mack, Freelance Writer More than 500 people representing government, corporations, and advocacy organizations joined together at the third annual AAPD Leadership Gala to celebrate the accomplishments and aspirations of five disability leaders as well as the achievements of the entire disability community. Bruce James, Public Printer of the United States, kicked off the celebration at an opening reception by noting the federal government's record of employing people with disabilities and "creating opportunities for people from all walks of life." The Honorable Tony Coelho took over after that as master of ceremonies for the evening. He began by recognizing three recent war veterans who were able to leave Walter Reed Hospital long enough to join in the festivities at the Gala. All three were injured in the line of duty and now join with other war veterans who are new to the disability community. They are John Allen, Scott Barkalow, and Ryan Kelly (see photo on page 14). Bill McDermott, Chief Executive Officer and President of SAP America, the event's Lead Sponsor, introduced keynote speaker U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Don Evans. Secretary Evans and his wife Susie, a member of the event's steering committee, are parents of a daughter with a disability. In his remarks, Evans said, "As parents, it is the primary responsibility to help children reach their full potential. Our daughter was sent here to rescue me, to save me from my many disabilities, and put life in perspective for me. She helps me understand what is important in life, which is serving other people and lifting other people up. Your presence here tonight sings a song about your care and concern for other people." The first award presentation of the evening was the Henry B. Betts award, presented to Dr. Susan Daniels by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and AAPD. Daniels, a polio survivor, has worked vigorously and effectively to improve the lives of people with disabilities in the United States and internationally. She is an established and well-respected leader in academia, government, and advocacy circles. The first annual Linda Chavez-Thompson award was the next presentation and was bestowed on its namesake in recognition of her work within the labor community to support workers with disabilities and their families. Chavez- Thompson, the first person of color to serve in a higher office of the AFL-CIO, is a parent of two children with disabilities. John Kemp, AAPD Immediate Past Chair, introduced the Paul G. Hearne/ AAPD Leadership Awards established in 1999 to honor his long-time friend and AAPD co-founder, Paul G. Hearne. Kemp said, "Paul Hearne was a tireless advocate, visionary leader who achieved success as a lawyer, nonprofit executive, foundation president, agency director, and mentor of countless people with disabilities." To date, more than 37 awards have been presented. The three 2003 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership awards were presented by members of Congress. After each recipient was introduced, a brief film highlighted his/her accomplishments. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), the daughter of a person who is Deaf, introduced award recipient Kevin Long, who established Global Deaf Connection, a program that trains and teaches sign language, bringing educational opportunities and empowerment to Deaf Kenyans and others. Long is recognized for his "nothing is impossible" attitude. Congressman Major Owens (D-NY) introduced the next recipient, Alison Ashley Hillman, a psychiatric survivor who helps abused mental health patients across the globe by applying her legal skills to change how people with mental disabilities are treated. She works to contradict the dominant negative messages and stigma she experienced herself. Hillman said, "From everything I experienced in the hospital there was nothing that said you could be a productive member of society; nothing that said you can recover." Hillman is a 2002 graduate of American University's Washington College of Law. Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced the final award winner, Cheri Blauwet, a student at Stanford Medical School, founder of the International Institute for Disability Advocacy, an athlete, an advocate, a coach, and a mentor. Blauwet works to change negative beliefs by mentoring people with disabilities and educating fellow students and physicians that disability is not always something that needs to be cured. While receiving the award, Blauwet said, "I don't think a lot of people with disabilities realize their own potential. Life is up to each of us, it might deal you tougher situations than other people, but you can make it what you want it to be." Mel Campbell, President of Independence Technology, a division of Johnson& Johnson, gave the closing remarks and congratulated the award winners — "your stories and your work are truly inspiring." He added he felt excited to return to work to continue empowering people with disabilities. As Platinum Sponsor of the event, he said he feels it is AAPD sponsoring them and inspiring the work. "We're in this thing together. We're in this to truly create freedom for people with disabilities." Andrew J. Imparato, AAPD President & CEO, thanked the Gala Steering Committee, co-chaired by Cheryl Sensenbrenner, Susie Evans, Deni Mineta, and Tony Coelho, for planning the event. Imparato also extended gratitude to all Gala sponsors and event attendees. For more information about the award recipients, visit our web site at www.aapd-dc.org. 2004 AAPD Leadership Gala Sponsors AAPD wishes to recognize and thank the sponsors of the 2004 AAPD Leadership Gala, without whom the event could not have happened: Lead Sponsor/$75,000 SAP Platinum Sponsor/$50,000 Independence Technology Gold Sponsors/$25,000 American Airlines Pfizer Silver Sponsors/$10,000 AT&T Altria Aventis Pharmaceuticals Bridgestone/Firestone Bristol-Myers Squibb Continental Airlines (in-kind donation of tickets) Darden Restaurants Hewlett-Packard National Association of Broadcasters National Structured Settlements Trade Association NISH Recording Industry Assoc. of America SBC Communications Verizon Viacom Bronze Sponsors/$5,000 AARP America Online Inc. BellSouth DaimlerChrysler Macromedia Microsoft Oracle Corporation Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco) QLT Sprint United Spinal Association The Walt Disney Company Benefactors/$2,500 Cingular Wireless Digital Federal Credit Union Eli Lilly Lockheed Martin National Easter Seals Society News Corp. Ltd. Novartis Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville The Honorable and Mrs. F. James Sensenbrenner TracFone Wisconsin Energy Supporters/$1,000 Ability Center of Greater Toledo AFL-CIO AdvaMed America's Athletes with Disabilities BKSH & Associates Bender Consulting The CENTECH GROUP Ms. Yoshiko Dart Epilepsy Foundation Gallaudet University Genentech The Honorable Judith E. Heumann IFPTE, AFL-CIO (International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers) Issue Dynamics Inc. Marwood Group Motorola (in-kind gift of $1,500/radios for Gala staff) Paralyzed Veterans of America Richard T. Ellis SunTrust United Airlines (in-kind donation of tickets) United Cerebral Palsy Friends/$500 AeroVironment Ms. Kathleen Behan Blistex Millennium Pharmaceuticals National Organization for Women National Rehabilitation Hospital The Washington Center Washington Partners Keep Your Justice for All (JFA) Subscription Up to Date JFA is the Fastest Way to Get All of the Most Up-to-Date News on Disability Issues If you are interested in getting the most up-to-date disability news, join the Justice for All list serve. JFA is updated on a timely basis to make sure its subscribers have all of the latest news developments as they are developing. If your are a subscriber to JFA, please be sure to download your e-mail regularly. This will ensure that your subscription remains active. JFA will automatically remove you from the list if email is bounced back because your account is over quota or for any other reason. If you do not receive JFA e-mails for a week you probably have been dropped from JFA. You can re-subscribe, however, by following the instructions at www.aapd-dc.org or e-mailing the JFA Moderator at jfa@jfanow.org (write SUBSCRIBE in the subject heading). If you are not a subscriber to JFA, please join our listserv! You can find out more about JFA at www.aapd-dc.org/ JFA/JFAabout.html and can visit the Archives for past postings. To subscribe to JFA, please follow the instructions at www.aapd- dc.org or e-mail the JFA Moderator at jfa@jfanow.org (write SUBSCRIBE in the subject heading). Dr. Jonathan Young, a Yale law school student who served as Disability Outreach Director for the Clinton White House, moderates JFA. For AAPD Membership Inquiries: Toll-Free Telephone (866) 241-3200 (V/TTY) Written AAPD Milford Office 258 Main Street, Suite 203 Milford, MA 01757 Visit our web site at: www.aapd-dc.org