Disability Matters

Due to a program change, appearing on Disability Matters today is Hannah Smith, a passionate children's book author and dedicated advocate for the celiac and food allergy communities. Through her inspiring journey and heartfelt stories, Ms. Smith empowers children to embrace their unique identities and teaches the importance of inclusion and compassion. She will share her own diagnosis of celiac and how a gluten-free diet led her to manage her condition. 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. 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).

Joyce welcomes Debra Germany the Executive Director of Divine Intervention Ministries (DMI). DMI provides currently and formerly incarcerated adults and at-risk youth with coordinated resources that will connect them to supportive services and job training opportunities focusing on restoring and realizing their maximum potential spiritually, physically, and economically. Ms. Germany will share the programs and services available to support this mission and vision of the organization. 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. 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).

Tomorrow on Disability Matters, Joyce welcomes Barãta A. Bey, President, African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania to the show. He will share its mission and explain the ways that the organization helps African American businesses prosper in the region. Barãta A Bey is a seasoned Community Development Officer with over 12 years of experience in DEI, community engagement, and finance within the banking industry. Skilled in developing innovative lending strategies and small business programs, Barãta has led impactful initiatives such as a Small Business Ecosystem in Washington County, PA, and a Workforce Development Ecosystem in Beaver County, PA. Notably, they played a key role in FirstMerit Bank’s response to the Flint water crisis, securing a $150K commitment for affected residents. With expertise in financial literacy, home lending, and access to capital programs, Barãta actively advances CRA and DEI strategies. They hold an MBA in Finance from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Lean Six Sigma Certification. Joyce A. Bender is the Founder and CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. as well as Board Chair and Founder of The Bender Leadership Academy. Joyce is an international leader in the area of disability employment. She speaks across the United States and internationally representing the State Department on informational exchanges related to disability employment best practices. She has represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan and Tunisia. Joyce is the current Vice Chair and Past Chair of the Board of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), is on the Board of Trustees for the Bazelon Center, and a current member of Disability Rights Pennsylvania and the Epilepsy Association of Western/Central Pennsylvania.

Joyce welcomes Evan Frazier and John Walsh to kick off Black History Month.

Larry Kleinman: Highmark Health Hires People with Disabilities Joyce welcomes Larry Kleinman, Executive Vice-President, and Chief Human Resources Officer for Highmark Health, to the show. Mr. Kleinman will share the organization’s commitment to continue partnering with Bender Consulting Services, Inc. to hire people with disabilities as a valuable part of their diverse workforce. Bio of Larry Kleinman: Responsible for all aspects of human resources across Highmark Health, including compensation, organization effectiveness, benefits, talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion, and talent management.Possesses extensive experience developing and implementing large-scale workforce and organizational change strategies connecting the knowledge, experience, resources, and ideas needed to simultaneously drive revenue and improve employee engagement.Prior to joining Highmark Health in 2015, worked for Covenant Health, serving as Executive Vice-President of Human Resources. Career experience has also included SAP, Providence Health and Services, and Campbell’s Soup.Currently serving on the Board of Vibrant Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to attracting and retaining diverse talent to the city of Pittsburgh.Completed the Harvard Executive Program, holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from the New School for Social Research, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Ithica College. 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).

Joyce welcomes Karen Hanlon, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Highmark Health. Ms. Hanlon will share her background and her role in the organization. She will also share her insights on how AI will influence healthcare and what impact the shortage in healthcare labor may have in the future. Karen Hanlon Bio: A key leader, strategist and visionary for Highmark Health, helping to guide the organization’s mission to create remarkable health experiences that frees people to be their best. Responsible for overseeing the strategy and long-term operations of Highmark Health and Highmark Inc., as the organization focuses on bringing transformational care to its customers and disrupting traditional health care models, products, and services. Also oversees the operations of Allegheny Health Network, Highmark Wholecare, the Highmark Health-Penn State Health partnership and enGen. Began career in public accounting at KPMG Peat Marwick prior to joining Highmark Inc. in 1997, where she held several positions within the finance division before becoming the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Highmark Health in 2014, and the Chief Operating Officer of Highmark Health in 2018. As Chief Financial Officer, played a significant role in strengthening the overall financial performance of the enterprise, resulting in Highmark Health’s achievement of consecutive record net revenues in 2017 and 2018. Guided the financial turnaround of Allegheny Health Network, this health delivery system has expanded to include 14 hospitals in Western Pennsylvania, as well as 6 multi-specialty medical malls. In recognition of achievements, was named to Modern Healthcare’s 2024 Women Leaders in Healthcare list, the 2023 Power 100 list of the region’s most influential business leaders, a 2023 Pittsburgh Business Times (PBT) C-Suite award winner and 2018 PBT CFO of the Year. Was also recognized as a 2019 recipient of The Grove City College Alumni Association Jack Kennedy Memorial. Strong advocate of supplier diversity and women in the workforce, serving as an executive sponsor for these important initiatives at Highmark Health. Believes in implementing best practices, innovation and community partnerships that encourage businesses to provide consistent opportunities for minority-owned and operated businesses in the supply chain. Current professional affiliations include Board of Directors, Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Board of Directors, Federated Hermes, Inc. Distribution Committee Member, and The McCune Foundation, among others. Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights: Serves as CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. - www.benderconsult.com. 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). Upcoming guest: January 28, 2025 Joyce welcomes Larry Kleinman, Executive Vice-President and Chief Human Resources...

Joyce welcomes Deborah Rice-Johnson, CEO of Diversified Businesses and Chief Growth Officer for Highmark Inc., to Disability Matters. As Joyce focuses January on the key figures within Highmark that drive its commitment to hire people with disabilities, Ms. Rice-Johnson will highlight her duties organization-wide that assist the commitment to hiring people with disabilities. Bio of Deborah Rice-Johnson: Joyce A. Bender Career Highlights: · Serves as CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. - www.benderconsult.com. Upcoming guest: Joyce welcomes Karen Hanlon, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Highmark Health. Ms. Hanlon will share her background, explain what Highmark Health does and her role in the organization and how it has grown since she started. In addition, as the first female COO of Highmark Health she will share what she does to encourage other women in the organization to attain leadership roles. Lastly, she will share her insights on how AI will influence healthcare and what impact the shortage in healthcare labor may have in the future.

Joyce is excited to start 2025 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 2025 is no exception. During the show, Mr. Holmberg will talk about the initiative and how it happened. Additionally, he will discuss how the company plans to continue its unprecedented record of hiring people with disabilities in 2025.

Joyce welcomes Maria Town, President and CEO, of American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD); Megan Schuller, Legal Director at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; and Peri Jude Radecic, CEO of Disability Rights Pennsylvania to the show. They will discuss the accomplishments each organization has made in the last year and their goals for 2025.

As a special gift to listeners this holiday season here is a rebroadcast from December 15, 2020. Joyce welcomed the late Judith Heumann, internationally recognized leader in the disability rights independent living movement, to the show. Ms. Heumann worked with a wide range of activist organizations (including the Berkeley Center for Independent Living and the American Association of People with Disabilities), NGOs, and governments since the 1970s and contributed greatly to the development of human rights legislation and policy benefiting disabled people. In the show, she discussed her memoir, “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” which was published in February 2020. Judith (Judy) E. Heumann - Judy Heumann was an internationally recognized leader in the disability rights community. She authored her memoir, with Kristen Joiner, “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” published by Beacon Press and audio recorded by Ali Stroker, who is the first wheelchair actor to perform on Broadway. Judy was featured on the Trevor Noah show. Judy is featured in “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” a 2020 American award-winning documentary film, directed by James LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham, produced by the Obama Higher Ground Production. Ms. Huemann has been featured in numerous documentaries on the history of the disability rights movement, including “Lives Worth Living” and the “Power of 504.” She delivered a TED talk in the fall of 2016, “Our Fight for Disability Rights and Why We’re Not Done Yet.” Her story was also told on Comedy Central’s Drunk History in early 2018, in which she was portrayed by Ali Stroker. As Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation (2017-2019), she wrote “Road Map for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media.” She also served on several non-profit boards, including the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Humanity and Inclusion, as well as the Human Rights Watch board.

Joyce welcomes Prayer Pastor Mary Mercer, Executive Pastor of Ministry, Shannon Libengood, and Digital Director, Amanda Beggs, from North Way Christian Community Church in Wexford, PA to the show. The guests will highlight the programs that this community of faith offers this holiday season and year-round.

Joyce welcomes fellow 2024 Pittsburgh Athena Award nominee, Cathy Battle, to the show. Ms. Battle is the Executive Director of the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank, which serves communities in Western Pennsylvania. Ms. Battle will share what it means to her to be the recipient of the 2024 Pittsburgh Athena Award, the unique story of how the diaper bank became a reality, and how it impacts the lives of families in need in our community.

Joyce welcomes Marcie Roth, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the World Institute on Disability (WID). Each year December 3rd is recognized to promote an understanding of disability issues and to generate support for the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. WID helps assure that products and services are more accessible. It also promotes equity policies, provides consulting services, offers training and tools. WID also supports emergency, disaster, and climate efforts. Ms. Roth will be discussing their mission and International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

Joyce welcomes Nikki Lancaster Alphonse, Sr. Director Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Northrop Grumman Corporation. Ms. Alphonse will discuss her work with Northrop Grumman and the company’s commitment to a diverse workforce including people with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Kerry McQuone, Board Member of the Epilepsy Association of Western/Central PA (EAWCP) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at GrayMatter, an industrial technology and consulting company with offices throughout the United States. Ms. McQuone will discuss her work at GrayMatter and her work with EAWCP.

As we continue to recognize November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Joyce welcomes Dr. James Valeriano, Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Allegheny Health Network (AHN) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Valeriano is a sought-after speaker and expert on neurological issues and epilepsy. During the show he will discuss his career and the latest advances in the treatment of epilepsy.

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, Joyce welcomes Peggy Beem-Jelley, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Association of Western/Central PA (EAWCP), to the show. They will be discussing the latest accomplishments of the EAWCP, as well as the plans for the Mardi Gras Gala in March 2025.

Joyce welcomes Taryn Mackenzie Williams, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, to the show. In this position, Ms. Mackenzie advises the Secretary of Labor on how the Department’s policies and programs impact the employment of people with disabilities and leads the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). ODEP works with employers and all levels of government to promote evidence-based policy that improves employment opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities. She will share her unique role with listeners.

Joyce welcomes Mick Malec, CEO, enGen and Enterprise Technology and Operations Officer, Highmark Health, back to the show. enGen’s dynamic ecosystem of smart automation and technology supports streamline complex operations for health plans and their provider partners. Founded in 2014 as HM Health Solutions (HMHS), enGen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Highmark Health. enGen has more than 3,500 employees and works with health care plans serving more than 10 million members nationwide. Mr. Malec will discuss enGen’s continued commitment to hire people with disabilities as part of a diverse workforce.

Joyce welcomes Connie Feda, Proprietor and Co-founder of Cookie Cookie Ice Cream in Kennedy Township, PA. Discussed on the show will be the partnership between Cookie Cookie Ice Cream and Bender Leadership Academy to enhance the lives of young adults with disabilities. Ms. Freda will share the unique hiring program for young people with disabilities to prepare them for the world of work and her support of the various programs of the Bender Leadership Academy.