Podcast
Disability Matters
Hosted by Joyce Bender · EN
Competitive employment and empowerment for people with disabilities is the emphasis of this show. Broadcast live and captioned in real-time for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, we discuss how people with disabilities can secure career opportunities, and how employers, organizations and individuals can support employment and empowerment of people with disabilities.
27episodes
Episodes
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Ty Herndon: Country Music Superstar Discusses Memoir
6d ago00:55:02Tap to summarize"Writing What Mattered Most has been one of the most vulnerable and rewarding experiences of my life. This book is my truth—the highs, the heartbreaks, the lessons, and the love that have shaped me as a man, an artist, and a survivor." Joyce welcomes back country music superstar, Ty Herndon, to the show. Mr. Herndon will discuss his new memoir, What Mattered Most. He will share his struggles with addiction and mental health, becoming the first openly gay male country superstar in a traditionally conservative industry, and the resilience it took to endure more than three decades in the music industry. Mr. Herndon emerged out of those darkest hours with a renewed sense of purpose with his most personal song, God or the Gun. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Jeff Wissel: Internationally Recognized Accessibility Leader Helps Making Accessibility the Standard for All Businesses
2w ago00:58:14Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Internationally Recognized Accessibility Leader, Jeff Wissel, to the show. Mr. Wissel will discuss career highlights, including being the first ever Chief Accessibility Officer for Disability:IN and spearheading the groundbreaking Procure Access Initiative, which drives systemic change by making accessibility non-negotiable in procurement practices. He is a trailblazing strategist and inclusion champion who partners with Fortune 500 companies to embed accessibility and disability inclusion into the DNA of their business strategies. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Sara Innamorato/Caylin Snyder: Allegheny County's Commitment to Meet the Needs of Residents Living with Disabilities
3w ago00:51:55Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Sara Innamorato, County Executive for Allegheny County and Caylin Snyder, Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator for Allegheny County to the show. The guests will share the Administration's commitment to making sure the county meets the needs of its residents with disabilities. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Gerald Homme/Jill Zomp: Wide Range of Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities Available
4w ago00:57:22Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Gerald Homme, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology and Jill Zomp, Manager of Talent Acquisition with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., back to the show. A wide range of employment opportunities available at Bender Consulting Services for qualified people with disabilities will be discussed. Opportunities range from early career to leadership roles in healthcare, engineering, artificial intelligence, IT, and skilled trades, among others. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Kent Chevalier: Chaplain for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Keynote Speaker Discusses Passion to Encourage the Community
May 2600:56:57Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Kent Chevalier, keynote speaker and author of Do It Afraid to the show. Among the topics discussed will be the countless motivational speeches he has provided to organizations and companies as well as his role as Chaplain for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →John D. Kemp: Disability Rights Leader Discusses Mission of Lakeshore Foundation and Years of Dedication to Disability Rights
May 1900:57:07Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes John D. Kemp, President and CEO of The Lakeshore Foundation to the show. The Lakeshore Foundation has become an internationally renowned organization, serving over 4,000 unique individuals annually through physical activity, sport, recreation, advocacy, policy, and research. It serves as an Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, strengthening the ongoing commitment to the development of para sports. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Harvey Davis discusses his experience and perspectives on hiring and working with people with disabilities over his 40 year career.
May 1200:49:11Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Harvey Davis, Currently Director of Strategic Development for Service and Critical Support for MC Dean and Retired Senior Executive from the NSA. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Deborah Williamson: Vice President, IWSI Discusses Mission of Organization and Role
May 500:55:32Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Deborah Williamson, Vice President, Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation (IWSI) America. IWSI is a workforce development organization that collaborates with enterprising businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. The organization provides technical assistance and program design to assist these entities in growing pipelines of talent and meeting dynamic workforce needs. Ms. Williamson will discuss the mission of the organization in depth and share her role. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Tracy Saula: Senior Vice President/Chief Product and Experience Officer for Highmark Health Shares Role with the Health Organization and Commitment to All Consumers
Apr 2800:56:32Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Tracy Saula, Senior Vice President and Chief Product and Experience Officer of Highmark Health, a $32 billion blended health organization. This includes one of America's largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network, to the show. Ms. Saula will share details of her role with Highmark and her commitment to helping make the healthcare industry more manageable for all of Highmark's members, including those with disabilities. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. Named a 2024 Woman of Influence by The Pittsburgh Business Times and 2024 Henry Viscardi Achievement Award Recipient from the Viscardi Center.
Transcribe →Ari Ne'eman: American Disability Rights Activist /Professor at Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard University Discusses Vast Career
Apr 2100:56:27Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Ari Ne'eman an American disability rights activist. Ari is currently serving as an assistant professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is well-known researcher who co-founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in 2006. On December 16, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that Ari would be appointed to the National Council on Disability. He chaired the Council's Policy & Program Evaluation Committee. He was the first autistic person to serve on the Council. In 2015, Ari left the National Council on Disability at the end of second term. He will share all this and more during the show. 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. Founding partner of iDisability, an eLearning solution. 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.
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