Disability Matters with Joyce Bender focuses on the employment and empowerment of people with disabilities. Episodes feature prominent disability leaders such as Congressman Tony Coelho, Governor Dick Thornburgh, Andy Imparato and senior executives from the private sector.

Listen right here, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, or tune in on VoiceAmerica Channel every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST. The toll free caller/listener number is 1-866-472-5788. Tell your friends!

Disability Matters is one of the first international talk radio shows/podcasts with real-time captioning. Click here for real-time captioning during the show!

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Upcoming Disability Matters Podcast Episode

Connie Feda: Proprietor Partners with Bender Leadership Academy

October 8, 2024 / 2 pm – 3 pm ET

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 the Cookie Cookie Ice Cream and Bender Leadership Academy to enhance the lives of young adults with disabilities by hiring young people with disabilities and supporting the various programs of the Bender Leadership Academy to get youth with disabilities ready for the workforce.

Recent Disability Matters Podcast Episodes

Jill Houghton/Tony Coelho: State of Disability Employment

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

To kick-off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Joyce welcomes Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN, and The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act to the show. Disability:IN is a global, non-profit, non-partisan business to business network empowering businesses to achieve disability equality and inclusion. The guests will highlight the progress we have made in disability employment and the historic collaboration between Bender Consulting Services, the first certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE), and Disability:IN.



Janni Lehrer-Stein/Ondréa Burton: Disability Rights Advocates

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes disability advocates Janni Lehrer-Stein and Ondréa Burton to the show. The topic discussed will be “The disability community realizing the power of the vote.”



Encore Nedra Dickson: International/National Business Leader-Advocate

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes Nedra Dickson, international/national business leader and disability advocate to the show. Ms. Dickson is Managing Director, Global Supplier Inclusion and Sustainability Programs across 20 countries at Accenture. Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all these services. Ms. Dickson will discuss innovative employment methods for people with disabilities and her advocacy work to on behalf of all African Americans and unemployed.



Encore Karen Hanlon: Highmark Health’s Commitment to Diverse Workforce

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce is proud to have back Highmark Health’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Karen Hanlon. She will explain her commitment to hiring people with disabilities as a diverse part of their workforce.



Mark Johnson: Disability Rights Leader and Advocate

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes Mark Johnson back to the show. Mark is a life-long disability advocate and a founder of American Disabled for Accessible Public Transportation and American Disabled Attendant Program (ADAPT). Mark will share his commitment to advocacy for Americans with disabilities even in retirement. He will share his past work with the Shepherd Center and his current involvement with the Disability Rights Museum Group.



John Register: Motivational Speaker/Paralympic Silver Medalist

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes John Register, award-winning inspirational/motivational speaker, author, and two-time Paralympic Silver Medalist, back to the show. From Paris at the 2024 Paralympic Games, John will share his passion for public speaking to inspire people to overcome adversity and be successful despite obstacles that they face.



Encore Calgon Carbon’s Commitment to Bender Leadership Academy

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes Steve Nolder, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Global Communications, and Kaylene Ritchie, Talent Management & Diversity Supervisor, at Calgon Carbon Corporation to the show. The guests will share how Calgon Carbon Corporation of Pittsburgh supports the efforts of the Bender Leadership Academy’s Mary Brougher Mental Health Initiative.



Edwin Black: Author Committed to Exposing Corruption/Injustice

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes Edwin Black the award-winning, New York Times bestselling international investigative author of 215 editions in 20 languages in 190 countries back to the show. His books including IBM and the Holocaust, War Against the Weak, The Farhud, Financing the Flames, to name a few. During the show, he will discuss his vast number of investigative books, and his career-long commitment to expose corruption and injustice to all, including those with disabilities.



Hannah Smith: Author/Advocate for Food Allergy Communities

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes 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 tell how it led her to a gluten-free diet to manage her condition.



O’Donnell/Schuller: Bazelon Center Latest Accomplishments/Mission

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Joyce welcomes Holly O’Donnell, CEO, and Megan Schuller, Legal Director, at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law to the show. They will discuss the mission and accomplishments that the Bazelon Center has made for those living with mental health disabilities.



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You can find archived episodes of Disability Matters with Joyce Bender going back to 2005 on our VoiceAmerica Channel.

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