Episodes

Joyce welcomes Brenda Gilmore, a wheelchair user, who is the executive director of Prince George’s County Tennis and Education Foundation Inc. (PGTEF). PGTEF is a registered USTA community tennis association that provides opportunities for young people to excel academically, athletically and socially through tennis. Ms. Gilmore will discuss in depth, the mission of this non-profit organization which develops and delivers programs to enrich the lives of under-served county youth in Prince George’...

Joyce welcomes Kenneth Smith, president of Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA, to the show. Dr. Smith will discuss Geneva’s diverse educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, and its longstanding commitment to meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Joyce will talk about the spirit of giving during the holiday season.

Joyce welcomes Steve Quant, director of Broadcast and Acquisition for World Vision. 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. Quant 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 year-round as well.

Joyce welcomes former Yellowstone National Park Ranger, fly-fishing guide, writer, and speaker, Michael Leach to the show. Michael will discuss living with his disability, his love for the outdoors and his passion for the Greater Yellowstone Region with people from all over the world.

Joyce welcomes Jerry Richey, chair of the board and Judy Painter, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania to the show. They will discuss the Epilepsy Foundation of Western/Central PA’s programs, as well as issues effecting people with living with epilepsy.

As we continue with National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Joyce welcomes Sara Elizabeth Clark. Sarah will discuss her life with epilepsy and how she has developed her philosophy: “I will not let my epilepsy define me. It’s what I have, not who I am.” Sara will describe her advocacy for epilepsy awareness with her site http://itsnotwhoiam.com and her work in Washington, DC to increase public awareness.

Joyce welcomes Warren Lammert, co-founder and chairman of the Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP). ETP is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate new therapies for people living with epilepsy and seizures, and the parent organization of epilepsy.com. Among the topics discussed will be its second annual “Shark Tank” Competition. ETP is inviting entries that represent the most innovative new ideas in epilepsy treatment and care. The winner of the 2013 Shark Tank Competition will receiv...

Joyce welcomes Phil Gattone, the new CEO of the national Epilepsy Foundation. As November is National Epilepsy Month, Mr. Gattone will discuss the foundation’s efforts to promote public awareness of the condition and end the stigma that is often associated with it.

“Featured on this week’s show is Valerie Jarrett, a democratic strategist and one of the close friends of Barack and Michelle Obama. Valerie will share her perspective on why this election is important for the future and specifically for Americans with disabilities.”

Joyce welcomes Deborah Russell from Diversity and Inclusion at Walgreens , Inc. Deb will discuss her lifelong commitment to increasing the employment of people with disabilities by leading Walgreens and other Fortune 500 companies in developing their efforts to increase inclusion in the workforce. She helped transform Walgreens’ vision to include people with disabilities into a sustainable and scalable model for a 250,000 person workforce and a model that is replicable within other corporations....

Joyce’s honored guest will be Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) of the United States Senate. As we approach July 26th, the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Senator Harkin will discuss his work to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the work that still needs to be done to provide employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Rory Cooper, distinguished professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, and FISA and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) chair to the show. Dr.

Joyce welcomes Dana Fink, Programs Manager for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). She works to support and develop a wide portfolio of programs, including AAPD's Summer Internship Program and Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). Dana will discuss plans for DMD, which is Wednesday, October 17, 2012. DMD, held the third Wednesday in October, promotes career development through hands-on programs, job shadowing, and ongoing mentoring. This experience has helped thousands of past...

Joyce welcomes George Dennehy, a graduate of Patrick Henry High School, in Ashland, Virginia. George is pursuing a full-time career as a singer and guitar player. This is even more unique as he was born without arms. He will discuss his personal challenge to overcome this disability and live his dream to perform and play music for the public.

Joyce welcomes Charlie Lavailee, the new chief executive officer of Variety the Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh. Variety Pittsburgh is proud to be the founding chapter for Variety International, which has grown to a network of over 50 chapters worldwide. Its mission is to help children with disabilities realize the freedom of accessibility, allowing them to develop continuous and sustained social interaction, friendship, and inclusion. Mr. Lavailee will discuss his goals for the organization si...

Joyce welcomes Marci Katona, district administrator, for the Pittsburgh Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR). She will discuss OVR’s role in increasing the employment of people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Mark Perriello, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation's largest cross-disability membership organization. AAPD promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. Mark will discuss the goals of this organization, for the 2012-2013 year and beyond.

Joyce welcomes Melanie Harrington, first CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit economic development organization spearheading initiatives to attract, retain, and elevate a diverse workforce in the Pittsburgh region including people with disabilities.

Joyce’s honored guest will be Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) of the United States Senate. As we approach July 26th, the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Senator Harkin will discuss his work to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the work that still needs to be done to provide employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes to the show Vince Morvillo, keynote speaker, trainer, and highly successful business consultant and entrepreneur. He is also the first blind person in history to win the prestigious National Ensign Sailing championship. Mr. Morvillo embodies a lifelong belief that what is… is not all there is… nor all that can be.

Eric Vaughn, director of the National Structured Settlements Trade Association (NSSTA), and Dan Goodmann, two other members of its board of directors, will discuss the association’s services to provide strong financial security to victims of physical injuries and their families. Using a tailored stream of payments, a structured settlement provides a long-term payment stream that is completely exempt from state and federal income taxes.

Joyce welcomes Mark Perriello, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation's largest cross-disability membership organization. AAPD promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. Mark will discuss the goals of this organization, for the 2012-2013 year and beyond.