ON OCTOBER 14, THE WHITE HOUSE HONORED ”CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE;” PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING EXTRAORDINARY WORK TO CREATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, THE CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE PROGRAM WAS CREATED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WHITE HOUSE TO FEATURE INDIVIDUALS DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS TO EMPOWER AND INSPIRE MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

 

THE EVENT ALSO FEATURED U.S. SECRETARY OF LABOR THOMAS PEREZ, DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL CECELIA MUÑOZ, CHAIR OF THE U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION JENNY YANG, AND OTHER SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.

 

THE HONOREES INCLUDE:

 

DAVID BARTAGE, PLANT FINANCE MANAGER FOR PROCTER & GAMBLE’S (P&G’S) TAMPAX FACILITY IN AUBURN, ME. BARTAGE HELPED DEVELOP ACCESSIBLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE AUBURN PLANT’S FLEXI CENTER, WHERE 40% OF EMPLOYEES ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

 

JOHN FICCA, FOUNDER (WITH THE HELP OF HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION) AND DIRECTOR OF HANDS ON EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, WHICH ASSISTS ADULTS WITH LEARNING AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES TO LEAD MORE PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL LIVES.

 

DAN HROMAS, A SELF-EMPLOYED FARMER WITH HIS OWN ORGANIC EGG BUSINESS. A DISABLED MILITARY VETERAN, HAVING LAST SERVED IN IRAQ IN 2007, HE STARTED HIS FARM, PRAIRIE PRIDE POULTRY, IN 2013.

 

JENNY LAY-FLURRIE, SENIOR DIRECTOR AT MICROSOFT LEADING THE TRUSTED EXPERIENCES TEAM (TEXT), WHICH FOCUSES ON ACCESSIBILITY, PRIVACY, AND ONLINE SAFETY. SHE ISALSO CHAIR OFDISABILITY@MICROSOFT, AN EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP FOCUSED ON “ENABLING PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL REGARDLESS OF ABILITY OR DISABILITY.”

 

ANGELA MACKEY IS A HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST AT THE WALGREENS DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN PENDERGRASS, GA. BORN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, SHE HAS DEDICATED HER CAREER TO ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SHE HAD.

 

ALEXANDRA MCARTHUR, SENIOR ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT WITH THE TAPROOT FOUNDATION’S ADVISORY SERVICES TEAM, HELPS CORPORATIONS DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT HIGH QUALITY PRO-BONO PROGRAMS TO MEET PRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS.

 

OSWALD “OZ” MONDEJAR IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MISSION AND ADVOCACY FOR PARTNERS CONTINUING CARE. HE HELPED DEVELOP WORKING PARTNERS, A FIRST OF ITS KIND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SPAULDING REHABILITATION NETWORK AND THE MASSACHUSETTS REHABILITATION COMMISSION, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DESIGN POLICIES THAT BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

 

JOHN ROBINSON, MANAGING PARTNER AND CEO OF OUR ABILITY, A COMPANY OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. HE HAS MADE IT HIS LIFE’S WORK TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

 

SPEAKING AT THE EVENT, YANG REMARKED, “THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TALENTS, BUT THEY CAN’T GET A JOB OR ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREER. TO CHANGE THIS, WE NEED TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE TO BECOME AS PASSIONATE ABOUT EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS ARE THE CHAMPIONS WE RECOGNIZE TODAY.”

 

THE CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE EVENT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE WORK OF THE CURB CUTS TO THE MIDDLE CLASS INITIATIVE, AN INTER-AGENCY EFFORT DESIGNED TO COORDINATE AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO INCREASE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE EEOC PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIATIVE.