Episodes

Joyce welcomes Jennifer Cobb, Director, Diversity Products at Cox Communications to the show. Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone, and home security and automation services over its own nationwide IP network. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video, and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and digital media...

Joyce welcomes Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). NCIL is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), individuals with disabilities, and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of ...

Joyce welcomes Kurt Kondrich, father of a beautiful daughter, Chloe, who was born with Down syndrome. Kurt became aware of the 90+ percent abortion rate for children diagnosed with Down syndrome before birth. He embarked on a mission to be a loud voice for children like Chloe and make sure people see abilities and what a precious gift these individuals are. He will discuss how he speaks frequently to policymakers, community groups, students, and church leaders about the silent prenatal eugenic m...

Joyce welcomes David L. Casey. vice president, Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer at CVS Health to the show. CVS Health is a national leader in pharmacy innovation. A Fortune 7 company with net revenues of over $140 billion and approximately 240,000 employees throughout the United States, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. Mr. Casey will discuss CVS Health’s commitment to hire people with disabilities as part of its diverse workforce.

Joyce welcomes Regina Heyward, senior vice president and head of Supplier Diversity at Wells Fargo & Company and board member of U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) This financial institution is a diversified, community-based financial services company that was founded in in 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco. Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations. Ms. Heyward will discuss this company’s ...

Joyce welcomes Jill Houghton, president and CEO of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN). The USBLN embraces the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor force and marketplace; assists in career preparation for, and employment of, people with disabilities; improves customer experiences for people with disabilities; and promotes the certification and growth of disability-owned business enterprises. Ms. Houghton will discuss the USBLN Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP...

Joyce welcomes Jeffrey Hawting, president of LC Industries to the show. Mr. Hawting will discuss the mission of LC Industries to provide meaningful employment for people who are blind. As one of the nation’s largest employers of individuals who are blind, the focus of LC Industries is to offer opportunities, skills, and training to people living with blindness and vision disabilities to help them cultivate a job into a rewarding career. Since 1936, the core of LC Industries has been manufacturin...

Joyce welcomes Michael Gamel-McCormick, disability policy director, Special Committee on Aging for Senator Bob Casey, Ranking Member and Kelly Buckland, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) to the show. Both men will offer their perspective on the U.S. House of Representatives recent passage of HR-620. The House bill is poised to gut title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act by removing any incentive for businesses, organizations, and anyone who provides...

Joyce welcomes Andy Houghton, co-founder of iDisabilityTM along with members of the iDisability™ production team for a closer look at this enterprise-wide eLearning Solution. Launched at the 2016 US Business Leadership National Conference, iDisability™ educates organizations and ensures employees have the foundations required to: effectively communicate with, interview, hire, accommodate, and engage people with disabilities in the workforce; build and implement an effective and measurable strate...

Joyce welcomes Barbara Merrill, CEO of ANCOR, which is the American Network of Community Options and Resources headquartered in Alexandria, VA. Ms. Merrill will discuss the ANCOR Foundation and its mission. ANCOR is conducting a three-year national public awareness campaign to convey the value and importance of community services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, highlight the support networks that enable them to succeed, and shine a positive light on the successes of ...

Joyce welcomes Emmy award-winning video journalist, Stacia Kalinoski, to the show. Stacia, whose career has taken her to local news stations in Nebraska, Oregon, and Michigan, will discuss how being diagnosed with epilepsy after a seizure in 2014 led her to produce Brainstorm, a documentary about her journey with epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes vice president of Multi-Cultural Markets and Alliances for Marriott International, Apoorva Ghandi to the show. Mr Ghandi will discuss his role with the organization and why he is so committed to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities by hiring them. He will also touch on why he believes the unemployment rate among people with disabilities is high. In addition, he will discuss the work of Marriott International with the United States Business Leadership Network ...

Joyce welcomes Joe Strechay, director of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (BBVS). Mr. Strechay will discuss his duties with this non-profit organization, and its mission.

Joyce welcomes Jenny Lay-Flurrie, chief accessibility officer at Microsoft, leading efforts to drive great products, services, and websites that empower people and organizations to achieve more. Ms. Lay-Flurrie will discuss how her team is at the forefront of creating positive experiences that apply technology to make a difference in the world and the lives of individuals—from how we hire and support people with disabilities in employment to innovative technology that aims to revolutionize what ...

Joyce welcomes Kevin Lynch, CEO and president of the Quell Foundation. Mr. Lynch will discuss, the mission of the organization. The Quell Foundation strives to reduce the number of suicides, overdoses and incarcerations of people with mental health disabilities. The organization works to accomplish its goals by encouraging people to share their stories, increasing access to mental health services, providing a pipeline of future mental health care professionals with scholarships, and training fir...

Joyce welcomes Joan D’ Alessandro, founder of Christopher’s Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to feeding the caregivers of children admitted to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Christopher’s Kitchen is committed to helping families and caregivers take care of themselves, so they can better comfort those around them.

Joyce welcomes back to the show, legendary morning radio host and story-teller, Jack Bogut. During the holiday season, Mr. Bogut will share more heart-warming stories of his experiences in broadcasting first with KDKA Radio and its Children’s Hospital Campaign, then his work with the Make-A-Wish Campaign in Pittsburgh while working with Wish 99.7-FM WSHH.

Joyce welcomes Pastor Scott Stevens, Lead Pastor at North Way Christian Community Church in Wexford, PA. Pastor Stevens will discuss the missions of his church as well as his work on the board of the Pittsburgh Kids Foundation, an organization in the Pittsburgh area dedicated to training and developing youth pastors throughout the region as well as partnering with orphanages in Haiti. His heart for global missions has taken him to Honduras, Haiti, and China to observe orphan care ministry around...

During this season of giving, Joyce welcomes Jeff Fields, site manager for World Vision’s Global Distribution Center in Sewickley, PA. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tracking the causes of poverty and injustice. Mr. Fields will discuss the programs of the organization, and how important it is for people to give and get involved, not only during the holidays, but y...

Joyce welcomes Bob Smith, chairman of the national board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation. To close out of National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Mr. Smith will discuss the programs and services of this organization and what is being done nationally to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes Charlie LaValle, president and CEO of Variety the Children’s Charity, and board member, Todd Edmonds. The guests will discuss the programs and services of the organization. They will be discussing their “My Bike” and the “My Voice” programs. The “My Bike” program provides accessible bikes for children with disabilities and the “My Voice” program provides augmentative communication devices for children who live with disabilities impacting speech.

Continuing with the recognition of November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Joyce welcomes The Honorable, Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the show. As a person living with epilepsy, Mr. Coelho will discuss his experiences and how he has overcome the stigma often associated with epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes motivational speaker, Michael Kalberer a Long Islander with cerebral palsy. In addition, he lives with Leber congenital amaurosis (a retinal degenerative disease which slowly causes loss of usable sight). Michael earned his BA in Psychology and Speech Communications from Hofstra University along with his Master's degree in Social Work from Adelphi University. Michael will discuss his passion to empower all individuals and embraces every opportunity to educate, inform and interact ...