Watch recordings, with subtitles, of the opening ceremony and workshops by using the links in the below schedule.
The goal of this event was to acknowledge the rights that people with disabilities are entitled to, highlight the extreme value that disabled New Yorkers bring to the workforce and also assist in matching prospective qualified candidates with employers who believe that a diverse workforce is an empowered, quality workforce.
Schedule of Events:
8:00 – 10:00 am
Vendor Fair Set-Up
Concourse Hallway
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Vendor Fair
Concourse Hallway
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Disability History Exhibit
In War Room in the Capitol for all of October
Concourse Hallway & War Room
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Opening Ceremony
Meeting Room 6
Watch Opening Ceremony Recording
Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill
Commissioner Kerri Neifeld (OPWDD)
Commissioner Ann Sullivan (OMH)
Commissioner Timothy Hogues (OCS)
Commissioner Sheila Poole (OCFS/CFB)
Chris White, Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development
Deputy Commissioner Ceylane Meyers-Ruff (SED/ACCES-VR)
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
BREAK
performance by FLAME, the Band
Concourse Hallway
1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Workshop 1
The ABLE Program in New York State
Presenter:
Grisel Davis, Senior Program Officer, NYS Able Program
Meeting Room 2 & 3
Watch Workshop 1 Recording
1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Workshop 2
An Overview of OPWDD’s Proposed 5.07 Plan – 2023-2027
Presenters:
Lynne Thibdeau, OPWDD State of the State Project Manager
Alexis Harrington, Associate Commissioner, Program Implementation and Service Access
Allison McCarthy, Director, Office of Strategic Initiatives
Dr. Jessica Pidgeon, Director of Strategic Planning, Office of Strategic Initiatives
Meeting Room 6
Watch Workshop 2 Recording
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Workshop 3
New York State’s Civil Service 55 B & C Programs
Presenters:
LaShanna King, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist 3
Nichole Harden, Disability & Inclusion Specialist 2
Meeting Room 2 & 3
Watch Workshop 3 Recording
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Workshop 4
Work Incentives for People with Disabilities
Presenter:
Lisa Brown, MS, CRC , WIP, NYESS Program Specialist
Meeting Room 6
Watch Workshop 4 Recording
Hosted by:
The New York State Office of the Chief Disability Officer
The New York State Department of Labor (DOL)
The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH)
The New York State Department of Civil Service (OCS)
The New York State Education Department (SED/ACCES-VR)
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS/CFB)
ASL Version
American Sign Language version of the Disability Rights & Employment Awareness Month Symposium webpage.