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The PAUL G. HEARNE/AAPD LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Information


THE AWARDS PROGRAM

Up to three people with disabilities who are emerging as leaders in their respective fields will each receive $10,000 to help them continue their progress as leader. They will also have an opportunity to meet and network with national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC in early 2004. U.S. residents with any type of disability are eligible to apply.

View the biographies of the 2002 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award Recipients.

SELECTION CRITERIA

An "emerging leader" is defined as someone who has demonstrated leadership qualities in his/her personal and/or professional life, and who is just starting to be recognized at a local, regional or national level. Winners of The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards must demonstrate all of the following:

AAPD encourages emerging leaders with disabilities of any age to apply. Previous awardees represent a diverse group of people with disabilities aged 11 to 56. Their leadership activities include: the creation of a newsletter written by and distributed to mental health consumers and designed to counter the negative images the media portrays of persons with mental illness; the continuation of efforts to ensure the passage of important legislation for deaf people and people with other disabilities; the coordination of the first ever Disability Mentoring Day in Houston, Texas; the creation of "Women Without Barriers," a mentoring program for high school-aged girls with disabilities; the founding of Landmine Survivors Network, the only international organization created by and for landmine survivors to assist mine victims and their families worldwide to recover, heal and reclaim their lives; and, the creation and growth of an organization which places a strong emphasis on motivating women with disabilities to live life developing who they are and what they want to become.

AAPD HONORS A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

Paul G. Hearne was a tireless advocate and visionary leader who achieved success as a lawyer, nonprofit executive, foundation president, federal agency director, and mentor to countless people with disabilities. A passionate advocate for increased employment of people with disabilities, Paul opened doors for thousands through his leadership of Just One Break, an employment agency for people with disabilities in New York City, and The Dole Foundation for Employment of People with Disabilities in Washington, DC.

In addition to sharing his expertise and working as an advocate, Paul also positively affected anyone with whom he came in contact. He used his wonderful sense of humor and positive outlook on life to "win people over" in any situation. Until he died in 1998, Paul was consumed with two burning passions: to create a national association to give people with disabilities more consumer power and a stronger public voice and to cultivate potential leaders to carry on the disability movement. Paul achieved his first goal during his lifetime with the creation of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), now recognized as the largest and fastest growing force for consumer empowerment. The Directors of the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation established The Paul G. Hearne Leadership Awards in 1999 to honor their friend and fellow Board member and to realize Paul's second goal by helping to find and support emerging leaders with disabilities.

In 2000, the administration of the awards program was turned over to AAPD. The majority of funding for the 2002 awards was provided by the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation, the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, The Bodman Foundation, The Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation, and the Honorable Robert J. Dole. The program was also supported by dozens of AAPD's business community partners, including SAP, Independence Technology, AOL Time Warner, American Airlines and Pfizer.

2003 PAUL G. HEARNE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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