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.
34episodes
Episodes
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Karen Hanlon: President and COO of Highmark Health Shares Background and Insight into Current Health Care Trends
Jan 1300:56:43Tap to summarizeHighmark month continues with Karen Hanlon, President and Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Hanlon will share her background and her role in the organization. She will also share her insights into current health care trends. 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.
Transcribe →David Holmberg: Highmark Grows Commitment to Hire People with Disabilities in 2026
Jan 600:56:34Tap to summarizeJoyce is starting 2026 with the returning champion of competitive employment for Americans with disabilities, David Holmberg, President, and CEO of Highmark Health and Chairman of the Board, Highmark, Inc. Mr. Holmberg launched an initiative in 2020 to hire 30 people with disabilities from Bender Consulting Services to honor the 30th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, called the Highmark 30/30. He and all of Highmark have continued this practice every year since and 2026 is no exception. During the show, he will talk about the initiative and how it happened. Additionally, Mr. Holmberg will discuss how the company plans to continue its unprecedented record of hiring people with disabilities in 2026. Highmark is a $19 billion-dollar integrated health care delivery organization with headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. 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.
Transcribe →2025, Maria Town, Jennifer Mathis, Christine Griffin
Dec 3000:56:48Tap to summarizeDisability Matters Joyce welcomes Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and Christine Griffin, DisabilityAdvocate and former employee of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Personnel Management to the show. Each guest will share their perspective on the status of the disability rights movement as we close out 2025. 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.
Transcribe →Dave Myers
Jan 25, 2011Tap to summarizeJoyce welcomes Dave Myers, director, global product marketing, sleep therapy for Philips Respironics and another representative from the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Heart Association. When he was 34 years old, Dave experienced some significant angina and was diagnosed with coronary artery disease; he had a stent placed in his left anterior descending coronary artery which was 99% blocked. Dave will share his story and stress the importance of supporting the efforts of the American Heart Association to prevent coronary artery disease. Also discussed with be the 2011 Heart Walk and Heart Ball, two fundraising events, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Heart Association.
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