Joyce Bender, Founder and CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc., will be recognized and honored alongside her peers at the 2024 Women for Influence Awards today, May 15th, in Pittsburgh, PA. This event honors the most influential businesswomen in the region who are changing their industries and impacting their communities along the way. Since founding Bender Consulting Services, Inc. in 1995, Joyce has been at the forefront of working toward social justice and equality on behalf of millions of Americans with disabilities, starting in her beloved hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.
Upon learning of her inclusion as an awardee at the Women of Influence Awards, Joyce said “It’s truly an honor to be recognized among these amazing women from all walks of life who simply make this world a better place by being who they are. Their leadership, compassion, and dedication to community strengthens our country as we work toward inclusion across the intersections of social justice and equality. My own work at Bender Consulting Services is more than my profession; it’s my passion. I look forward to working with leaders at the local, state, and national level as we continue fighting for a country that respects and includes all Americans with disabilities.”
Bender Consulting Services works with corporate and organizational partners across the country to address unemployment in the disability community by matching employers to this talented workforce that is ready to unleash their potential in both the public and private sector. With deep and vast connections in the community and beyond, Bender Consulting Services has become a national voice and advocate for addressing what remains the biggest obstacle to living the American Dream for people with disabilities, unemployment. In 2023, Joyce and former Congressman and Author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Tony Coelho, launched the Bender-Coelho Disability Consortium, which aims to fill open positions in the corporate space with applicants with disabilities. The consortium is aiming to fill 100 positions in 2024.
In addition to her leadership at Bender Consulting Services, Joyce is the founder of the Bender Leadership Academy, a non-profit organization based in Pittsburgh that works to increase long-term competitive employment for youth with disabilities. As a national advocate, Joyce has served on numerous non-profit boards, including at the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) where she currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board and the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pennsylvania where she serves as Chair of the Board.
If you have any questions about Bender or its services, please contact Sherry Lapaglia at slapaglia@benderconsult.com.