Disability Matters

Joyce and callers reflect on the life and disability rights work of the late Judy Heumann.

Joyce welcomes Lachi, an award-winning internationally touring creative artist and personality, back to the show. Lachi is founder and President of the U.N. recognized Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD-RAMPD.org). RAMPD's mission is to amplify disability culture, promote equitable inclusion and advocate for accessibility in the music industry. RAMPD connects the music, entertainment, and event industries to a fast-growing global network of established music professionals with disabilities. Joining Lachi will be James Ian, singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, poet, and writer. In addition to sharing their personal stories about their passion for the music industry, Lachi and James will share how they feel RAMPD has helped them in their respective careers.

Joyce welcomes The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law’s Jill Bazelon, Member of the Board of Trustees, Holly O’Donnell, President & CEO and Eve Hill one of the nation’s leading disability rights attorneys, with Brown, Goldstein & Levy to the show. They will discuss plans for their 2023 Bazelon Center Awards Gala Thursday, October 12, 2023, in Washington, DC.

Joyce welcomes Colleen Mascia, Category Strategy Manager in Pfizer’s Global Procurement Group managing the engagement of creative advertising agencies, with a specific focus on Public Relations, and Christine Aurigemma, Senior Manager of Diversity Sourcing in Pfizer’s HR organization championing Inclusion and Disability and Neurodiversity Advocacy. The guests will be discussing the Disability: IN Mentor/Mentee relationship and partnering for equity for people with disabilities in the workforce.

Joyce welcomes to the show, Rebecca Willford, the new CEO of Disability Rights Advocates. Rebecca is a seasoned, nationally recognized disability community leader and attorney with extensive experience litigating class action lawsuits on behalf of people with disabilities. She has achieved multiple precedents on matters of first impression, advancing the rights of people with disabilities throughout the country. During the show, she will discuss her advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes John Walsh, a highly successful business leader and real advocate for employing people with disabilities, back to the show. He has hired people with disabilities from Bender Consulting Services, Inc. for years. During the show, he will explain the importance of leadership in the employment of people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Bruce Meyer, Executive Vice President and Western PA Market President for Highmark Health to the show. Dr. Meyer is an experienced senior healthcare and education executive who is passionate about building high-reliability healthcare organizations through integrating coverage and care to deliver a more personalized, simpler, and proactive engaged health experience for individuals and clinicians. A proven initiator and strategic thinker with strong emotional intelligence with a focus on performance excellence while dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity. He will discuss this business philosophy and why hiring people with disabilities helps the organization meet these objectives.

Joyce welcomes Mick Malec, CEO, enGen and Enterprise Technology and Operations Officer, 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. Malec will discuss enGen’s continued commitment to hire people with disabilities as part of a diverse workforce.

Joyce is honored to have back as her guest Christine Griffin, a strong disability rights advocate and current Bender Consulting Services’ Senior Search Specialist Consultant on the show. During the show, she will be discussing her long career which includes her past work as Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management during the Obama Administration. She will also discuss her protection and advocacy work, and her current work with Bender Consulting Services and the Bender Leadership Academy.

Joyce welcomes Ellen Duffield, President and CEO of Highmark Wholecare, to the show. Highmark Wholecare is a health insurance provider caring for the whole person - physically, mentally, and financially. It is committed to connecting its members with the right resources to meet health needs. Ms. Duffield will share with the listeners her story of how she became President and CEO of Highmark Wholecare, and the personal reason she supports the commitment that Highmark Wholecare places on hiring people with disabilities in its workforce.

During Disability Pride Month, Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme to the show. The two discuss disability employment equity, the importance of unity, and disability pride. They also discuss the various products and services that Bender Consulting Services offers people with disabilities and how these services lend themselves to helping people with disabilities have a greater sense of pride in their disability.

Joyce is pleased to welcome Theo Braddy, the new Executive Director of the National Council of Independent Living (NCIL) in Washington, DC. Mr. Braddy will discuss the direction he plans to take the organization under his capable leadership.

As we celebrate America’s birthday, Joyce takes time to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Judy Heumann a major American disability rights leader and activist. Originally aired: December 15, 2020, Joyce welcomes Judith Heumann, internationally recognized leader in the disability rights independent living movement, to the show. Judy worked with a wide range of activist organizations (including the Berkeley Center for Independent Living and the American Association of People with Disabilities), NGOs, and governments since the 1970s and has contributed greatly to the development of human rights legislation and policy benefiting disabled people. Judy discusses her new book, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, which was published in February 2020.

Joyce welcomes Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National, to the show. PFLAG is the nation's largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. Mr. Bond will share his career-long commitment to the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community and share the mission of PFLAG National.

Joyce is honored to have as her guests, Steve Locke, Executive Director of the Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council (MISILC), and Jan Lampman, Committee Chair, on the show. The guests will discuss the mission of MISILC, an organization of people with disabilities advocating for inclusion, equity, and accessibility in all communities.

Joyce welcomes Jonathan Lovitz to the show to discuss his role as a nationally recognized small business and public policy advocate, DEI leader, and most recently a special advisor to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. He will discuss his recent appointment by President Biden to a leadership role within the US Department of Commerce.

In recognition of Pride Month, Joyce welcomes back to the show, Jason Mida. Jason serves as President & CEO at Mida Associates. As President & CEO, Jason collaborates closely with all clients to provide oversight for each engagement to ensure their daily success. During the show he will share his story of his youth and what encouraged him to get involved in the LGBTQ+ community as an advocate. In addition, he will share what encouraged him to become an entrepreneur and the mission of Mida Associates LLC.

Joyce welcomes recording artist and disability rights advocate, Lachi to the show. Lachi will share her story about growing up as a person who is blind. She will share what inspired her to enter the music entertainment industry and what gave her the confidence to do so. Additionally, Lachi will share her work with the Grammy’s and offer advice to people with disabilities on how to overcome being ashamed of a disability and instead embrace it and pursue their dreams.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Rachel Kallem Whitman to the show. Dr. Whitman is an educator, advocate, and memoirist who has been living with bipolar since 2000. As a disability studies professor, she teaches courses on unpacking ableism and challenging sanism. Her speeches, interviews, and writings have garnered acclaim locally in her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, across the United States, and internationally. Rachel’s memoir, Instability in Six Colors, paints a vivid picture of what it is like living with a chronic mental health disability, trauma, and a complicated relationship with sanity, suicide, and self-love. Rachel will be discussing her career, her struggle with bipolar, and her passion to help others who also live with mental health disabilities.

Joyce is thrilled to have as her guest, country music superstar, Ty Herndon, to the show. Mr. Herndon will discuss his career in the country music industry and living with bipolar disorder, which was diagnosed at the age of 59. He will share why he supports the Bender Leadership Academy’s #NotAshamed campaign and discuss his 10-episode podcast, Soundboard, featuring conversations with artists discussing their struggles and wins along their mental fitness journeys.