Episodes

Joyce welcomes Susan M. Dooha, J.D., national disability rights leader and executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) to the show. CIDNY is a well-respected disability civil rights organization in New York City and nationally. It is an organization run by and for people with disabilities. CIDNY empowers people with disabilities with the skills and advocacy they need to achieve goals that will improve their lives, develop their knowledge and self-advocacy ...

Exciting news! On March 16th, Joyce will have diplomats and other guests from the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia on the radio show to discuss their commitment to progress in the area of employment of people with disabilities. U.S. Embassy delegate Cheryl Harris, who is a leader committed to people with disabilities will be a guest on the show. The other guests joining Cheryl are Manel Bargaou, a teacher of English and the first teacher of English to use Tunisian sign language and Amine Dridi, a special...

Joyce welcomes Diane Coleman, the president and founder of Not Dead Yet. This organization, is a national disability rights group, that gives a voice opposing assisted suicide and euthanasia. Diane will discuss the mission of this organization in depth, as well as her leadership and policies in place now. She is a well-known writer and speaker on assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Joyce welcomes Andres Gallegos, newly appointed chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD) to the show. President Biden appointed Mr. Gallegos on January 20, 2021. The NCD is an independent, nonpartisan federal agency that advises the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy. Mr. Gallegos will discuss his vision for the Council during his tenure.

In recognition of February as Black History Month, Joyce welcomes, Robert A. James, the new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Highmark Health to the show. Mr. James will explain the commitment of diversity and inclusion at Highmark Health. Mr. James is known nationally for including all marginalized groups including people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Greg Weinstein, Jennifer Mazza-Cagliuso, Jennifer Trich Kremer, and Alina Bengert-Lombardi to the show. They are organizers of the World Information Architecture (IA) Day Pittsburgh 2021. The nonprofit World IA Day provides the foundation for learning about information architecture, a discipline devoted to the understanding of how information is structured and understood. World IA Day is the one day a year the community gets together for a global conference, curated and organized ...

Joyce welcomes Jo Clark, chair of the board of the Homeless Children Education Fund (HCEF) and vice president Value based care at Highmark Health to the show. Ms. Clark will discuss the organization’s commitment to support the HCEF in Pittsburgh. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established in 1999 to support the educational needs of children experiencing homelessness in Allegheny County. Over the years, HCEF's role in the community has developed and expanded to meet these needs. HCEF re...

Joyce welcomes Larry Kleinman, executive vice president, chief human resources officer at Highmark Health to the show. Mr. Kleinman will share his perspective on the success of Highmark Health’s 2020 30/30 initiative to hire 30 people last year in honor of 2020 being the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Kleinman played a key role in the 30/30 hiring initiative. Also discussed will be Highmark Health’s ongoing commitment to hire people with disabilities ...

Joyce welcomes Holly O’Donnell, president and CEO, and Harvey Rosenthal, member of the board of trustees for the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. The Center has advocates for the civil rights, full inclusion and equality of adults and children with mental disabilities and has been pivotal in expanding the civil rights movement to include fighting discrimination against, and segregation of, people with mental disabilities. Ms. O’Donnell and Mr. Rosenthal will discuss the servi...

Joyce welcomes Marcie Roth, the new executive director and CEO of World Institute on Disability (WID) to the show. Ms. Roth will talk about the plans for WID in 2021 and her background in the disability rights community. The World Institute on Disability (WID) was established in 1983 as one of the first global disability rights organizations founded and lead by people with disabilities. WID works to advance the rights of over one billion people with disabilities worldwide.

Joyce welcomes Morgan K. O’Brien, chairman of the board of Watt Fuel Cell Corporation since 2018, to the show. WATT Fuel Cell Corporation is a manufacturer and developer of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell stacks and systems that operate on common, readily available fuels such as propane and natural gas. WATT's proprietary patented additive manufacturing process (AMP) has allowed them to produce commercially viable SOFC products for small scale and remote power applications. Mr. O’Brien will discuss the co...

Joyce is so excited to start 2021 with a champion of competitive employment for Americans with disabilities. David Holmberg, president and CEO of Highmark Health will be her guest. Mr. Holmberg launched an initiative in 2020 to hire 30 people with disabilities from Bender Consulting Services to honor the 30th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, called the Highmark 30/30. Even during the pandemic, Highmark was able to achieve the goal becoming a national example. During the show, David will ta...

Joyce welcomes back two disability leaders, Maria Town, president and CEO of American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living to the show. The guests will discuss issues, accomplishments, and trends in the community to keep Joyce's listeners apprised of what is happening on a national basis in the area of disability. They will reflect on the past COVID-19 year of 2020 and what to look forward to in 2021.

Joyce welcomes back, Charlie LaVallee, CEO of Variety the Children’s Charity to the show. Variety – the Children’s Charity is a non-profit organization that strives to enable children with disabilities to live life to the fullest with a focus on mobility, communication, and social interaction / inclusion throughout 71 counties in PA and WV. They will discuss the programs and services of this non-profit organization, and the importance of giving to this cause during the holiday season.

Joyce welcomes Judith Heumann, internationally recognized leader in the disability rights independent living movement, back to the show. Judy has worked with a wide-range of activist organizations (including the Berkeley Center for Independent Living and the American Association of People with Disabilities), NGOs, and governments since the 1970s and has contributed greatly to the development of human rights legislation and policy benefiting disabled people. Judy will discuss her new book, Being ...

Joyce welcomes Andy Imparato, executive director of Disability Rights CA ( DRC) to the show. Andy is a highly respected disability rights advocate known nationally and internationally. He served as the CEO of AAPD and CEO of AUCD and worked closely with Senator Harkin. Disability Rights of California is a federally funded legal services agency that serves Californians with all disabilities across the age spectrum. Andy will further explain the mission of the organization and issues that people w...

Joyce welcomes Samantha Evans, certification manager, for the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP); Christopher Lee, managing director, IAAP; and Jay Wyant, member of IAAP Global Leadership Council to the show. IAAP’s mission is to define, promote and improve the accessibility profession globally through certification, education and networking in order to enable the creation of accessible products, content and services. The guests will discuss the importance of IAAP’s ...

Joyce welcomes Peggy Beem Jelley is the president & CEO of the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. to the show. With November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Ms. Beem Jelley will talk about the programs and services of the organization to bring greater awareness to epilepsy and how to live with the condition.

Joyce welcomes Mick Malec, president, Highmark Health Solutions and Enterprise Technology Officer, Highmark Health to the show. Mr. Malec will discuss his commitment as well as the organization’s commitment to the employment of people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Shawn Harris, U.S. veteran employment specialist with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) to the show. The WWP is a charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001. It operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Mr. Harris will discuss applying 10+ years of recruiting and recruiter management experience to provide resume writing, interview preparation, and c...

Joyce welcomes back Peri Jude Radecic, CEO of Disability Rights PA. The organization protects and advocates for the rights of people with disabilities so that they may live the lives they choose, free from abuse, neglect, discrimination, and segregation. Voters will have the chance to call in and share any problems they may have faced while voting in the 2020 election.

Joyce welcomes the Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the American with Disabilities Act, and Ted Jackson, a disability and LGBTQ+ advocate who currently serves as the DNC’s senior advisor for Accessibility and Disability Engagement. They will be discussing the importance of the disability vote in 2020, and voter accessibility.

Joyce welcomes Wells Fargo’s Regina Heyward, senior vice president and head of supplier diversity and Kathy Martinez, senior vice president, head of disability and accessibility strategy to the show. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,200 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 31 countri...

Joyce welcomes Priscilla Koranteng, vice president global talent and chief diversity officer at Kellogg. Ms. Koranteng will discuss her role in the organization, as well as its commitment to employ people with disabilities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Also discussed will be the changes that have taken place at the company due to COVID-19.