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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

IL-NET Presents… A National Webinar & Teleconference: Technology Options During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Q&A Session for CILs and SILCs

NEW DATE: April 30, 2020; 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern

This training has been postponed until April 30. You do not need to re-register if you’ve already signed up for the webinar. Registration will remain open until 12:00 Noon Eastern / 11:00 a.m. Central on the new date of the webinar, April 30, 2020.

Register online

The IL-NET National Training & Technical Assistance Center is offering a new panel presentation in our series on maintaining strong Center for Independent Living (CIL) and Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 21, our panelists will share technology options that CILs and SILCs can use to work remotely, connect with consumers, and maintain operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll discuss technology you might consider using, factors to consider when selecting and using technology, and the accessibility information gathered on various technology platforms.

You won’t want to miss this important webinar. Sign-up today!

Registration Fee: This event is free-of-charge.

Target Audience: Staff and board of Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils.

Your Presenters

The panel will be moderated by Richard Petty, IL-NET Director, and Tim Fuchs, NCIL Operations Director.

Dawn Bentley is Director of Youth & Transition Services at The Ability Center in Toledo, Ohio. Dawn’s story with The Ability Center began in the 80s, as a peer camper at Camp Cricket. In 2000, Dawn was hired as a camp counselor at Camp Cricket, alongside her brother. After a few years with the camp, she became the Camp Director. After graduating from Miami of Ohio with a Bachelor’s in Education, she was hired as a special education teacher in the public schools. She taught for both Toledo Public and Washington Local school districts before becoming the Youth and Transition Services Director at The Ability Center in 2008. At this time, Dawn also received her Master’s degree while also coaching basketball and teaching dance. In 2010, she was offered an opportunity to work for the Monroe County Intermediate School District (MCISD) to serve as the Principal and Special Education Supervisor for their Educational and Transition Centers. After some time away from the area, Dawn and her family returned to Toledo in 2014 where she returned to The Ability Center.

Kimberly Tissot is the Executive Director of Able SC where she guides the staff in applying the philosophy of Independent Living to real situations. Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in human development from Wheelock College and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. In 2017, Kimberly led the efforts in the passing of progressive legislation in South Carolina, “Persons with Disabilities Right to Parent Act” and in 2018, the SC Employment First Initiative Study Committee. Kimberly mentors other Centers for Independent Living across the nation due to her marked success in the field. She also serves as an Executive Director mentor to other South Carolina nonprofit organizations via the state’s nonprofit association.

In addition to Kimberly’s role at Able SC, she has successfully held multiple state-appointed responsibilities, serves on the board of directors of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL); co-chairs the NCIL ADA and Civil Rights Subcommittee, and co-chairs the NCIL Parenting Rights Task Force. Kimberly was also the mastermind behind several statewide initiatives that have led to major systems change in South Carolina. Those efforts include: SC’s first statewide youth transition conference, Advocacy Day for Access and Independence, SC Disability Employment Coalition, SC Disability Partners in Disasters to name a few.

The IL-NET National Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) Center for Independent Living is operated by ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization). The IL-NET T&TA Center provides training and technical assistance to centers for independent living and statewide independent living councils. ILRU arranges some training activities through the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), peer-to-peer mentoring and youth program support through the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), and online courses and document development through Utah State University Center for Persons with Disabilities.

The IL-NET is supported by grant numbers 90ILTA0001 and 90ISTA0001 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy.

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