For Gala Information and Ticket Purchasing: Please contact AAPD c/o Hayes & Associates
Voice: 703-556-0863
TTY: 703-556-0448
(the deadline for ticket purchases is Feb. 15, 2007)
Leadership Co-Chairs: Mrs. James F. Sensenbrenner (Cheryl)
Mrs. Ben Nelson (Diane)
Mrs. Todd Tiahrt (Vicki)
Mrs. James Jones (Diane)
Scenario: Reception 5:45 p.m.
Dinner 7:00 p.m.
What: Bringing together leaders from government, business and the non-profit sectors, in recognition of the important work of AAPD and the 2007 award recipients, the 2007 AAPD Leadership Gala will be a celebration of achievement, leadership and progress toward AAPD's vision of political and economic empowerment for all people with disabilities in the U.S.
The 2007 AAPD Leadership Gala will celebrate the progress made for people with disabilities and the leaders who have made it possible. Recent AAPD Leadership Gala keynote speakers have included: Senator Bob Dole, White House Chief of Staff Andy Card, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, as well as Emcees Judy Woodruff and The Honorable Tony Coelho.
Who: Attendees will include Washington dignitaries, community and business leaders, and disabilities rights leaders.
Why: The AAPD Leadership Gala serves as a forum for recognizing, empowering, and supporting both emerging and established leaders in the disability community, as well as for inspiring and mobilizing all attendees to increase their advocacy in support of realizing the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Paul G. Hearne Award - non-restricted $10,000 cash awards are given to emerging leaders in the disability community.
Henry B. Betts Award - one non-restricted $50,000 cash award is given to an established disability community leader whose lifetime work has improved the quality of life of people with disabilities nationally and abroad.
Linda Chavez-Thompson Award - an award designated for an individual for his/her leadership towards inclusion of people with disabilities and their families within the labor movement.
Founded in 1995, AAPD is now the largest national nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States, working toward the economic self-sufficiency and political empowerment for the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD helps to unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the ADA.
For additional information, please contact: Mariana Nork (202) 457-0046 (V/TTY), , or Barb Witten (703) 714-2373, bwitten@hayespr.com.
