Disability Matters

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, former U.S. Congressman and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, back to the show. As celebrations around the Americans with Disabilities Act anniversary and Disability Pride month commence, it is important to recognize key advocates who led efforts to make the ADA the law of the land. Tony Coelho drafted the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act of 2007, restoring the original intent of the law. The ADA Amendments Act clarified and codified the protections of the ADA passed by Congress in 1990. During the show Mr. Coeho will share the history of passing these landmark pieces of legislation and what more needs to be done to ensure the promise of these laws is realized. Bender Consulting Services, Inc.Bender Leadership Academy

With special guest Jonathan Lovitz

Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology and Jill Zomp, Talent Acquisition Coordinator with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., to the show. Joyce, Jill, and Gerald will be discussing the upcoming webinar sponsored by Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Transferable Skills for New Career Paths in Today’s Changing Job Search Environment. The webinar will be held on Monday, June 30, 2025. BIO OF GERALD HOMME BIO OF JILL ZOMP JOYCE A. BENDER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS www.benderconsult.comhttps://benderleadership.org/

Joyce welcomes back to the show Scott Hammerstrom, Manager of Programs and Partnerships, Lisa Krause, Secretary and Board Member and Evan Frazier, Board Member of the Bender Leadership Academy. Among the topics discussed will be the mission of the Bender Leadership Academy and plans for the 4th Annual Mary Brougher Memorial Golf Outing at River Forest Country Club in Freeport, PA on Saturday, August 16, 2025, to benefit the Mary Brougher Mental Health Initiative.

Joyce welcomes Rosemarie Rosetti, Ph.D., a globally recognized expert on disability engagement, accessibility, and accessible meeting design. Joining her will be Artura Taylor, President and CEO of TGC Scientific and Cami Turcotte Sr. Director, Supplier Inclusion at Disability:IN. The guests will highlight the mission of the organization and the benefits of being members. Lastly, they will discuss plans for the Disability:IN Global Conference and Expo is July 14th - July 17th in Orlando, FL.

April is Autism Awareness Month. To commemorate this, Joyce welcomes Nicole Clark Co-Founder and CEO of Adult and Pediatric Institute for Health and Wellness. She is also an expert on Autism Awareness insights. Ms. Clark will share her duties at the Institute and discuss the latest advancements in treating those on the Autism spectrum.

Joyce welcomes Ellen Duffield, President and CEO of Highmark Wholecare, to the show. Highmark Wholecare is a managed care organization caring for the whole person - physically, mentally, and socially. It is committed to connecting its members with the right resources to meet their whole health needs. Among the topics Ms. Duffield will cover with listeners include: her story of how she became the President and CEO of Highmark Wholecare, who is eligible to become a member of Highmark Wholecare, and the personal reason she supports the commitment that Highmark Wholecare places on hiring people with disabilities in its workforce.

Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology and Jill Zomp, Talent Acquisition Coordinator with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., to the show. Joyce, Jill, and Gerald will be discussing the recent webinar sponsored by Bender Consulting Services, Inc. The webinar, Master Resume Building & Networking in a Changing Job Market, was held virtually on Monday, March 10, 2025. The webinar provided insight into resume preparation for people making a career change. Topics covered in the webinar included how to identify and highlight transferable skills that make a person stand out from other applicants, how to build a resume that captures the attention of hiring managers in any industry, and other topics related to the art of looking for employment in a new environment.

Joyce welcomes Scott Hammerstrom, Manager of Programs and Partnerships, and Bonnie Rubin, Senior Program Specialist with the Bender Leadership Academy, to the show. This non-profit organization empowers students with disabilities to address bullying, pursue education, and achieve their career goals. During the show, the guests will share how to support this worthwhile organization and highlight the missions of the Ready to Lead and Junior Student Leaders program. Joining them will be Alex Walmsley, a graduate of Bender Leadership Academy, and high school senior, CJ Reicks currently engaged in its Virtual Student Leaders program. They will share their experiences at the Bender Leadership Academy. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights www.benderconsult.com.https://benderleadership.org/.

Joyce welcomes industrial designer and entrepreneur, Alexander Geht, to the show. He will explain why he has dedicated his career to pioneering adaptive seating solutions for children with disabilities. He is dedicated to developing innovative, accessible, and transformative solutions through digital manufacturing.

Due to a program change, appearing on Disability Matters today is Hannah Smith, a passionate children's book author and dedicated advocate for the celiac and food allergy communities. Through her inspiring journey and heartfelt stories, Ms. Smith empowers children to embrace their unique identities and teaches the importance of inclusion and compassion. She will share her own diagnosis of celiac and how a gluten-free diet led her to manage her condition. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. and Board Chair and Founder of Bender Leadership Academy, a non-profit organization focused on addressing the transition to work for youth and young adults with disabilities. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center. Recipient of the 2024 Visionary Award from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, DC. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID).

Joyce welcomes Debra Germany the Executive Director of Divine Intervention Ministries (DMI). DMI provides currently and formerly incarcerated adults and at-risk youth with coordinated resources that will connect them to supportive services and job training opportunities focusing on restoring and realizing their maximum potential spiritually, physically, and economically. Ms. Germany will share the programs and services available to support this mission and vision of the organization. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. and Board Chair and Founder of Bender Leadership Academy, a non-profit organization focused on addressing the transition to work for youth and young adults with disabilities. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center. Recipient of the 2024 Visionary Award from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law in Washington, DC. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID).