Episodes

Joyce welcomes Laina Fusarelli, Advisor, Decision & Risk Analyst, Nova Chemicals, and Jenny Homme, a Lead Business Process Engineer at enGen, a technology subsidiary of Highmark Health and Chair of the Abilities Business Resource Group to Disability Matters, along with Scott Hammerstrom, Manager of Programs and Partnerships, with the Bender Leadership Academy. As we approach October, Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the celebration of Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), on Wednesday, Octob...

Joyce welcomes Gary Dick, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at enGen, and Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology, at Bender Consulting Services, Inc. to the show. They will be discussing The Careers 2B™ Program. The Careers2B™ Program was established in 2007 and serves as a national workforce development model to address the lack of professional work experience barrier to competitive employment for people with disabilities and improve employment outcomes for talented profession...

Joyce welcomes Mark Fleischer, Executive Producer for the Civic Light Opera (CLO) of Pittsburgh to the show. Mark will share his passion for the theater and an update on what has been happening at the CLO. Mark will also discuss the exciting new partnership between the CLO and Bender Leadership Academy to support young people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Mick Malec, CEO of enGen and Enterprise Technology and Operations Officer for Highmark Health, back to the show. enGen’s dynamic ecosystem of smart automation and technology supports streamlines complex operations for health plans and their provider partners. Founded in 2014 as HM Health Solutions (HMHS), enGen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Highmark Health. enGen has more than 3,500 employees and works with health care plans serving more than 10 million members nationwide. Mr. M...

Leanne Thomas, Chief of Staff and Account Director at Bender Consulting Services, and Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology, join Joyce Bender this week on Disability Matters to discuss the necessary reasons to hire people with disabilities as a business investment right now. Changes in the business and government world today demonstrates the monetary gains and investment opportunities for corporations and their ESG.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to the show. Tony discusses his experiences living with epilepsy and work to pass the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act throughout his career in the U.S. House of Representatives and as an on-going advocate for the disability community. He shares his pride in the achievement of getting both passed and his continued passion for helping people with disabilities live productive lives.

As part of ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Senator Tom Harkin to the show. Senator Harkin will reflect on the significance of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Harkin will also share his thoughts on the work that still needs done to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to the show. Tony discusses his experiences living with epilepsy and work to pass the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act throughout his career in the U.S. House of Representatives and as an on-going advocate for the disability community. He shares his pride in the achievement of getting both passed and his continued passion for helping people with disabilities live productive lives.

Joyce welcomes I. King Jordan, past President of Gallaudet University to the show. President Jordan made history in 1988 when he became the first deaf President of Gallaudet University. He will discuss his long tenure in this position and the groundbreaking way he achieved it. He will also discuss what the ADA means to all people with disabilities, including individuals who are deaf.

As part of ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Senator Tom Harkin to the show. Senator Harkin will reflect on the significance of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Harkin will also share his thoughts on the work that still needs done to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities.

As we kick off ADA Month, Joyce welcomes Maria Town, President, and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to the show. The AAPD is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the over 61 million Americans with disabilities by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and politi...

Joyce welcomes Kathy W. Humphrey, PhD, Carlow University's President, to the show. Dr. Humphrey will share the future she has in mind for the university under her leadership.

Joyce welcomes co-founder of iDisability™, Andrew (Andy) Houghton, along with Sherry Lapaglia, project manager and content developer. Launched at the 2016 Disability:IN 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 strategic approach to disability inclusion across the enterprise;...

In recognition of Pride Month, Joyce welcomes to the show, Katherine Pèrez, Jason Mida, and Asher Jordan. All members of the Bender Leadership Academy’s #NotAshamed Campaign, which kicks off this month. The #NotAshamed Campaign is part of the Mary Brougher Mental Health Initiative. #NotAshamed celebrates the lived experiences of those living with mental health disabilities and intersectionality of mental health across all diverse groups, while working to address and end stigma. As many know, Ben...

Joyce welcomes back Dr. Sharrelle Barber, ScD, MPH to the show. Dr. Barber currently serves as the Director of The Ubuntu Center on Racism, Global Movements, and Population Health Equity at Drexel University. Launched on November 11, 2021, the Ubuntu Center's mission is to unite diverse partners to generate and translate evidence, accelerate antiracism solutions, and transform the health of communities locally, nationally, and globally. Dr. Barber will discuss this mission in depth and its impac...

Joyce welcomes Sarah Helm, Senior Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Discover Financial Services to the show. Ms. Helm will be sharing Discover’s commitment to a diverse workforce that includes people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Bender’s HighTest Team to the show. Paula “PJ” Ballog, Jim Homme, and Gerald Homme will explain the mission of the team and their expertise in providing digital accessibility solutions. Guests will discuss the increasing importance of digital accessibility from compliance with regulations such as Section 508 and World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to impact from a consumer perspective. The team will also add perspective about digital accessibility...

Joyce welcomes Kenya Loudd, a joint doctoral student at Yale University in the departments of History of Science and Medicine and African American Studies, to the show. During the show, she will discuss her research, which is centered around the nexus of race, disability, education, and institutionalization where she explores, on a large scale, the historical Black experience with disability. As we prepare to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the passage of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,...

Joyce welcomes Jill Houghton, President, and CEO of Disability:IN to the show. Disability:IN is the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. It’s network of over 400 corporations expands opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises. Also, it’s central office and 25 affiliates serve as the collective voice to effect change for people with disabilities in business. Among the topics Ms. Houghton will discuss, are the plans for the 2022 Disability:IN C...

Joyce welcomes Peri Jude Radecic, CEO of Disability Rights Pennsylvania. Disability Rights Pennsylvania is an independent, nonprofit corporation authorized by the U.S. Congress and designated by the Governor of Pennsylvania as the Protection and Advocacy System in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Their mission is to advance, protect, and advocate for the human, civil, and legal rights of Pennsylvanians with disabilities. Ms. Radecic will discuss Disability Rights PA and civil rights for people ...

Joyce welcomes Philip DeVliegher, Cami Turcotte, and Kathleen Castore to the show. They are members of the Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE) Team at Disability:IN, the leading non-profit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. Disability:IN represents a network of over 400 corporations and expands opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises. Their central office and 25 affiliates serve as the collective voice to effect change for people with disabilities...

Joyce welcomes Helena Berger, Chair of the FDR Legacy Committee’s Board of Directors and its Executive Director, Mary E. Dolan to the show. The FDR Memorial Legacy Committee serves to preserve the memory of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s catalytic involvement in issues of equality and freedom – especially for people with disabilities. The guests will be sharing plans for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the FDR Memorial this May in Washington, DC.

Joyce is honored to have as her guest, Andy Imparato, Executive Director, of Disability Rights California (DRC). DRC is the federally funded legal services agency that serves Californians with all disabilities across the age spectrum. Among the topics Mr. Imparato will discuss during the show, are the services offered by this agency, and how he has improved the outreach of those services since becoming Executive Director in February 2020.

Joyce is honored to have as her guest, Steve Irwin, lifelong public servant, and current democratic candidate for US Congress for PA. He will discuss his commitment to people with disabilities and employment at the state level.