Disability Matters

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.

Nanette (Nan) DeTurk: Career and Commitment to Finding Talented People with Disabilities in Healthcare Field 11/18/2025

ENCORE: Louis Olander: Disability:IN Supports Veterans with Disabilities 11/11/2025

Landis Wiedner: Leading Voice in Advancement of Epilepsy Research Discusses Latest Treatments for Those Living with Epilepsy 11/04/2025

Molly Burke: Multi-Hyphenate Creative Advocate for Others with Disabilities 10/28/2025

Melissa Anderson: Highmark Health’s Long-Standing Commitment to Its Partnership with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., to Hire People with Disabilities in Its Workforce 10/21/2025

Emily Burkhart/Scott Hammerstrom/Laina Fusarelli: Strong Alliance Among Dollar Bank, Nova Chemical and Bender Leadership Academy 10/14/2025

Joy Matoney: Discusses Stellar Career with Highmark, Inc. and the Commitment to Hire People with Disabilities in the Workforce 10/07/2025

Congressman, Steny Hoyer/Former Congressman, Tony Coelho: The 35th Anniversary of the Signing of the ADA; The Progress That Has Been Made and What Has Not Been Fulfilled 09/30/2025

Mark Fleischer/Brady Patsy: History of Pittsburgh CLO, Partnership with Bender Leadership Academy, and Upcoming 2025 Production of A Christmas Carol 09/23/2025

Scott Hammerstrom/Gerald Homme: Overview of Success of 2025’s Mary Brougher Memorial Golf Outing and Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities 09/16/2025

Tim Hindes: Business Professional and Advocate for People with Disabilities 09/09/2025

Jeanette Towles: Seasoned and Dedicated Medical Writer, AI Expert and Speaker Shares Mission of Disability Owned Business Enterprise 09/02/2025

Jeanette Towles: Seasoned and Dedicated Medical Writer, AI Expert and Speaker Shares Mission of Disability Owned Business Enterprise Joyce welcomes Jeanette Towles, Founder and CEO of Synterex, a Disability Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE). Synterex is the home of AgileWriter.ai™, an AI-enabled authoring platform that prioritizes accessibility and gets your important information to the intended audience, be it plain language or technical content. Ms. Towles will share her background as a seasoned and dedicated medical writer with extensive medical/regulatory writing experience, as well as experience building and leading medical writing teams. She will also share her background as an entrepreneur, clinical scientist, responsible sourcing advocate, AI expert, and speaker. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of and Board Chair and Founder of , 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. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID). /episode/index/show/1ee0dd03-f7fd-4d27-9b16-149ae9ef6650/id/38064105

Tom Doran: Helping Health Customers and Members Obtain Health Services 08/26/2025

Christine Griffin: Her Long Career in Disability Advocacy 08/19/2025

Craig Leen: Shares Commitment to Advocacy for Those with Disabilities in Both Public and Private Sectors 08/12/2025

Marcia Oglan: Fostering A Workforce That Showcases Talents of All Employees 08/05/2025

Veronica Villalobos, Vice President of the Institute for Strategic Social and Workforce Programs for Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network 07/29/2025

Veronica Villalobos, Vice President of the Institute for Strategic Social and Workforce Programs for Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network Joyce closes Disability Pride Month, with Veronica Villalobos, Vice President of the Institute for Strategic Social and Workforce Programs for Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network. She strives to ensure the workforce enables belonging and health access is achieved among members, patients, and communities in PA, western NY, DE, and WV. Among the topics discussed, Veronica will share how Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network foster a workforce that has Americans with disabilities, her work with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). In addition, she will discuss her past work with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of and Board Chair and Founder of , 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. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID). /episode/index/show/1ee0dd03-f7fd-4d27-9b16-149ae9ef6650/id/37586760

Senator Tom Harkin: Reflects on Significance of 35th Anniversary of Signing of the ADA and What Commitment Remains to Advance the Lives of Americans with Disabilities 07/22/2025

Senator Tom Harkin: Reflects on Significance of 35th Anniversary of Signing of the ADA and What Commitment Remains to Advance the Lives of Americans with Disabilities As part of Disability Pride Month, Joyce welcomes former Senator Tom Harkin back to the show. Senator Harkin will reflect on the significance of the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Harkin will share his thoughts on the work that still needs done to advance the lives of Americans with disabilities. Also, he will discuss the work of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement which exists to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze changes on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of and Board Chair and Founder of , 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. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID). /episode/index/show/1ee0dd03-f7fd-4d27-9b16-149ae9ef6650/id/37487090

Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health 07/15/2025

Doro Koch, Daughter of President George H.W. Bush, Shares Insight into What Signing the ADA into Law Meant to Father 07/08/2025

The Honorable Tony Coelho Shares History of the Civil Rights Legislation the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 07/01/2025

The Honorable Tony Coelho Shares History of the Civil Rights Legislation the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, former U.S. Congressman and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, back to the show. As celebrations around the Americans with Disabilities Act anniversary and Disability Pride month commence, it is important to recognize key advocates who led efforts to make the ADA the law of the land. Tony Coelho drafted the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act of 2007, restoring the original intent of the law. The ADA Amendments Act clarified and codified the protections of the ADA passed by Congress in 1990. During the show Mr. Coeho will share the history of passing these landmark pieces of legislation and what more needs to be done to ensure the promise of these laws is realized. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights Serves as CEO of and Board Chair and Founder of , 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. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID). /episode/index/show/1ee0dd03-f7fd-4d27-9b16-149ae9ef6650/id/37241185

Jonathan Lovitz: Discusses his Work with the HRC and the NGLCC 06/24/2025

Evan Low: Discusses his Work with the LGBTQ + Victory Fund and Victory Institute 06/17/2025

Kate Musler: 2025 Pittsburgh Business Times Woman of Influence Shares Passion for Work in the Health Insurance Industry at Highmark 06/10/2025

Homme/Zomp: Bender Consulting Services Sponsors Webinar on Transferable Skills for New Career Paths in Today’s Changing Job Search Environment 06/03/2025

Homme/Zomp: Bender Consulting Services Sponsors Webinar on Transferable Skills for New Career Paths in Today’s Changing Job Search Environment Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme, Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology and Jill Zomp, Talent Acquisition Coordinator with Bender Consulting Services, Inc., to the show. Joyce, Jill, and Gerald will be discussing the upcoming webinar sponsored by Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Transferable Skills for New Career Paths in Today’s Changing Job Search Environment. The webinar will be held on Monday, June 30, 2025. BIO OF GERALD HOMME Manager of Talent Acquisition and Technology for Bender Consulting Services, Inc. Has over 15 years of experience in supporting disability employment programming. Supports internal technology at Bender and projects in Digital Accessibility in a project management capacity. Product manager of Bender’s Careers2B program, Workplace Mentoring, and the Bender Virtual Career for persons with disabilities. Supports the Bender Leadership Academy as a volunteer and is integral in supporting PA REV UP Coalition and head of the Bender Lead On Team, a grassroots social media team focused on ending bullying and supporting self-advocacy. Current member of the NTID Employer Advisory group and has previously served on the advisory board for IUP’s career services. As a person with Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, and mental health disabilities, is an advocate for employment equity for people with disabilities. BIO OF JILL ZOMP Human Resources professional with over 10 years of experience in the area of disability engagement in the workforce. Seasoned resume building expert with over 8 years of experience helping individuals successfully navigate their career transitions. With extensive training in federal resume and CV building, as well as expertise in crafting tailored resumes for the private sector, has worked with candidates representing a wide range of industries to position them as standout candidates in their job search. Serves as Talent Acquisition Coordinator for the entire Bender Consulting Services organization, experienced in working with both customers in the Federal and Private Sectors, as well as candidates with disabilities to ensure precise placements in a myriad of career areas. Team Lead for many initiatives including Community Partnership Building, Resume Preparation, and Event Coordination. Regional Coordinator of PA and DE for the Disability Mentoring Day Program, a national program assisting High School students with disabilities travel to organizations and explore the world of work, through Bender Leadership Academy. Disability rights advocacy experience in promoting reasonable accommodation in the school, higher education, and work environments. JOYCE A. BENDER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Serves as CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. - . 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. . 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. Lives with epilepsy and hard of hearing. Advocates for competitive employment for people with disabilities. Serves as vice-chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and former chair of the board. Represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Tunisia. Serves as chair of Epilepsy Association of Western and Central PA. Received the 2003 New Freedom Initiative Award from the Bush Administration. Recognized with the 1999 President’s Award from President Clinton. Board member of Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, and World Institute on Disability (WID). /episode/index/show/1ee0dd03-f7fd-4d27-9b16-149ae9ef6650/id/36833500

Louis Olander: Disability:IN Supports Veterans with Disabilities 05/27/2025

Hammerstrom, Krause, Frazier: The Bender Leadership Academy plans for 2025’s 4th Annual Mary Brougher Memorial Golf Outing 05/20/2025

Vesper Moore, Board Member, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law 05/13/2025

Hammerstrom/Davis: The Bender Leadership Academy Prepares for Disability Mentoring Day 2025 05/06/2025

PA State Representative Dan Miller: Discusses Legislative Accomplishments on Behalf of Those with Disabilities and Upcoming 2025 Disability Mental Health Summit 04/29/2025

Disability Matters

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