Tuesday, October 8, 2024
10:00 – 11:00 am
Registration Link
Join our panel of Disability Partners and Experts (bios attached) as we discuss best practices in creating accessible and inclusive work environments for employees with disabilities. We will discuss through the lens of this year’s NDEAM Theme “Access to Good Jobs For All.”
- Moderator/Facilitator: Lauren Rodriguez, Psy.D., SUNY Director of Resources for Students with Disabilities
- Sharon Denson, Executive Director, Disability IN: Ct
- Marianne Gilmore, Workforce Development Specialist, The Carroll Center for the Blind
- Lesly St. Louis, Director of Employment & DEI Programs, United Spinal Organization
Panelists’ Bios:
Dr. Lauren P. Rodriguez is the Director of Resources for Students with Disabilities in the Office of University Life at SUNY System Administration, providing overall leadership to support students with disabilities across the SUNY System and guiding the 64 campuses in adopting best practices in the mitigation of barriers to access for disabled students in all institutional programs, services, and activities. She also assists in developing programs and policies to support equity for students with disabilities. Dr. Rodriguez is the Director of the SUNY Universal Design for Learning Project and Co-leads the SUNY System-wide Electronic Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Committee. Lauren completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University at Buffalo and earned a Psy.D. in School Psychology from Alfred University. She is a school psychologist and licensed psychologist in New York.
Sharon Denson, M.Ed., J.D., a thought leader and subject matter expert in the field of diversity and inclusion, is the Executive Director of the Disability:IN Connecticut. Disability:IN Connecticut is an organization of employers dedicated to bringing diversity full circle by including people with disabilities in the workplace and supply chain. Under Sharon’s leadership, Disability:IN Connecticut, was recognized as Disability:IN 2019 Affiliate of the Year. Sharon is also the President of Aldot Training. She is known nationally for her highly reviewed trainings which educate businesses on both the legal and practical considerations regarding the benefits of growing a business by tapping into a diverse talent pool. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law. Ms. Denson has been appointed by the Governor of Connecticut to serve on the Board of the State Independent Living Council, the State Rehabilitation Council, the Board of Independence Unlimited (an Independent Living Center serving Greater Hartford) and by the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services to serve on the CT Council for People with Disabilities in addition to serving as Board Chair of the West Hartford Commission for People with Disabilities. Presently, she serves as an appointee of the Governor, on the PCA Workforce Council.
Marianne Gilmore has been the Workforce Development Specialist at The Carroll Center for the Blind since 2009. She is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling (VRC), then receiving her Master’s in Science in VRC from Boston University, and pursuing further graduate studies in Non-Profit Leadership through Northeastern University. She is highly successful in matching consumers with jobs within their areas of interest that allow them to achieve their highest levels of independence and success. Marianne has been recognized by the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s “Work Without Limits” (WWL) organization for her innovative efforts to advance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities through her networking and outreach. In 2020, Marianne created a successful remote job seeking skills class for teens at The Carroll Center. And, perhaps most significantly, despite the challenges of COVID over the past two years, Marianne has successfully placed a record number of clients with low and no vision into jobs during 2020 and 2021. Marianne also presented the lecture “Successful Employment Outcomes for People with Down Syndrome”, at the 10th International Meeting of Child and Adolescent Health, in 2020 in an online platform to a Brazilian medical audience.
Lesly St. Louis, Director of Employment and DEI at the United Spinal, born with a congenital malformation called Spina Bifida, which is a defect of the spinal cord and diagnosed with the most severe form called myelomeningocele. Lesly has a diverse background in human resources, program management, and vocational rehabilitation, with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Having continuously encountered barriers from employers, the common challenges individuals with disabilities must overcome are not their disabilities but the stigma surrounding them. His goal is to create employment opportunities that will increase confidence within these individuals and inspire them to conquer more challenges and achieve higher levels of success. He holds a master’s degree from Long Island University, C.W. Post, and regularly participates in adaptive sports. Through his involvement in adaptive sports, and in his professional life, he strives to advocate for individuals with disabilities and restore dignity through productivity.