Episodes

Joyce welcomes Cindy Hundorfean, president and CEO of Allegheny Health Network (AHN) to the show. Ms. Hundorfean will discuss her role as president and CEO of this health organization, as well as its commitment to continue to employ people with disabilities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Also discussed will be the changes that have taken place in the practice of healthcare and business at AHN due to COVID-19.

Joyce welcomes back Dr. Sharrelle Barber, ScD, MPH to the show. Dr. Barber is the national advisor and coordinator for the Poor People’s Campaign COVID-19 Health Justice Advisory Committee, comprised of a group of public health experts from Harvard (FXB Center for Health and Human Rights), UCLA (Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, and Health), and other academic institutions across the country. She serves on this advisory committee with her father, Rev. Dr. William Barber. Discussed ...

Joyce welcomes Makito Kamiya, CEO and founder of Associa, which provides social skills training at Associa Social University for people with cognitive disabilities, so they are more readily employable and Takanori Sai, Assistant to the Chairperson, DPI International to the show. Mr. Sai has overseen Japan’s dealing with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), anti-discrimination law and disability inclusion in the workplace and education. Aside from his current job, he ...

Joyce welcomes Madonna Crosthwaite Long, CEO Eco Elite Group/founder of 360 ACCESS and Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) to the show. Both guests will discuss how important it is to encourage voting participation for the upcoming election for those individuals in the disability community.

Joyce welcomes Chris Ann Phillips, military affairs liaison and Mike Clark, business analytics consultant, for the Advanced Data & Analytics team in Internal Audit, for PNC Bank to the show. Both guests will be discussing the support that PNC gives to the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. and its Community Mutt Strutt fundraiser. Community partners and foundations join to fund the training of medical service dogs for veterans struggling with PTSD Traumatic Brain Injury, and other combat...

Joyce welcomes Judy Heumann, author and disability rights leader to the show. Judy is an American disability rights activist. She is recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community. Her memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” published by Beacon Press and audio recorded by Ali Stroker, available on IndieBound, Barnes&Noble, and Amazon. Heumann is a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities. Through her work at the World ...

Joyce welcomes Sara Oliver-Carter, Duquesne Light Company’s (DLC) first chief diversity officer to the show. Ms. Oliver-Carter is responsible for creating and advancing DLC’s diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategy and associated initiatives. She will discuss how the company is addressing the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and the needs of its workforce with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Danielle Filip MBA, NIC-Advanced, vice of operations, Sign Language Interpreting Professionals (SLIP) and Emmai Alaquiva, Emmy-winning writer, producer and director to the show. . Danielle and Emmai will discuss “Unspeakable” a one-minute video public service announcement charged with bringing awareness to the voices of the deaf community and their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Danielle (who served as co-producer and script consultant on the project) and Emmai will ...

Joyce welcomes Michele Erwin, president and founder of All Wheels Up, Inc. and Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) to the show. All Wheels Up, Inc. is currently the only organization in the world crash testing wheelchair tie downs and wheelchairs for commercial flight. Ms. Erwin will discuss the organization’s progress in this area and Mr. Buckland will share NCIL’s mission and support of the need for accessible air travel.

Joyce welcomes Elaine Katz, senior vice president of Grants & Communications at Kessler Foundation to the show. Kessler Foundation is a nonprofit organization in the field of disability, and a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes - including employment - for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Ms. Katz will discuss the foundation's work in disability employment an...

Joyce welcomes The Honorable, Tony Coelho to the show. The former congressman from CA is an author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He will reflect on the significance of the 30th Anniversary of this landmark legislation and share with us the history behind making it the law of the land.

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the ADA and the 25th Anniversary of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. this year, Joyce welcomes Mary Brougher, executive vice-president of operations; Jim Homme, information technology professional and digital accessibility consultant; and Gerald Homme, recruitment specialist and Bender Lead-On Team chair, with Bender Consulting Services, Inc. to the show. The guests will discuss the significance of both anniversaries and what each mean to th...

Joyce welcomes Chai R. Feldblum a partner and director of workplace culture consulting at Morgan Lewis, helping companies and organizations create safe, respectful, diverse and inclusive workplaces. Chai served as a commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from 2010 to 2019. Given this diverse background, and the upcoming 30th anniversary of the ADA, she will share her thoughts on the importance of the signing of this landmark legislation into law by President George H....

Joyce welcomes back Maria Town, the president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council of Independent Living (NCIL) to the show. As our nation prepares to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this year, which was signed into law by President H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, both guests will reflect on the impact of this landmark legislation on the lives ...

Joyce welcomes Janni.Lehrer-Stein, disability rights leader and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee Disability Council to the show. Ms. Lehrer-Stein will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on people who are blind and other disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Suzanne C. Smeltzer, professor and director of the Office of Nursing Research and Evaluation at Villanova University to the show. Dr. Smetzer is a nationally recognize health care expert, nurse and author. She will discuss her views on the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Sharrelle Barber, ScD, MPH to the show. Dr. Barber is the national advisor and coordinator for the Poor People’s Campaign COVID-19 Health Justice Advisory Committee, comprised of a group of public health experts from Harvard (FXB Center for Health and Human Rights), UCLA (Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, and Health), and other academic institutions across the country. During the pandemic, she has provided expert commentary on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 ...

Joyce welcomes Marcie Roth, executive director and CEO of the World Institute on Disability (WID) to the show. WID’s global mission is to continually advance the rights and opportunities of over one billion people with disabilities. Since 1983, WID remains committed to advancing promising disability inclusion policy and practices globally. Ms. Roth will further explain this mission and discuss how the organization is addressing the needs of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joyce welcomes Cliff Jurkiewicz, vice president of Strategy at Phenom and Parker Bettis, product manager, specializing in accessibility at. Phenom to the show. Phenom is a global HR technology company with a purpose to help a billion people find the right job. This is accomplished through an AI-based SaaS platform called Talent Experience Management (TXM). Each guest will provide an in-depth explanation of the Phenom TXM platform, the importance of career site accessibility, and the recent launc...

Joyce welcomes Liz Weinstraub, senior advocacy specialist for The Association of University Centers on Disabilities ( AUCD), located in Silver Spring, MD. The AUCD is a national, nonprofit organization that promotes and supports the national network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice through research, education, leadership, and services for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities. Ms. Weinstraub will be discussing CO...

Joyce welcomes Peggy Beem-Jelley, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA to the show. She will discuss what people living with epilepsy should be aware of as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Cynthia Maro, Cranberry Holistic Pet Care in Cranberry, PA to the show. The veterinary clinic provides an integrative approach to pet care, utilizing conventional surgery, dentistry and medical veterinary services, cutting edge diagnostics, like CT scans and complementary acupuncture, herbology, animal chiropractic, massage, craniosacral, STEM Cell/PRP, prolotherapy, water treadmill and rehabilitative care. Dr. Maro discusses the effect of COVID-19 on pets. .

Joyce welcomes Karen Tamley, president and CEO of Access Living to the show. Access Living serves the city of Chicago Its staff work alongside people with many disabilities including intellectual, psychiatric, physical and sensory disabilities. All programs and services revolve around one central belief - that people with disabilities have the right to live the lives they choose for themselves, in an accessible, integrated world. Ms. Tamley will discuss those programs and services and how the or...

Joyce welcomes Howard A. Rosenblum, CEO of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). In this capacity, he oversees the operations of the NAD to carry out its mission of preserving, protecting and promoting the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people in the United States. He also serves as the legal director overseeing the staff lawyers as they engage in policy advocacy and litigation work within the NAD Law and Advocacy Center. Mr. Rosenblum will continue the disc...