Kathleen Martinez, serving the Department of Labor and President Barack Obama as the third Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), will provide the opening remarks at NCIL’s Employment Preconference, which will kick off this year’s Annual Conference on Independent Living.
Ms. Martinez is the perfect person to commence the NCIL Conference in a meaningful way for advocates in Washington ready to make a difference.
She was appointed Executive Director of the World Institute on Disability (WID), based in Oakland, California, in 2005. In 2002, she was appointed by President Bush as one of 15 members of the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency advising the President and Congress on disability policy. Blind since birth, Ms. Martinez comes to ODEP with a background as an internationally recognized disability rights leader specializing in employment, asset building, independent living, international development, diversity, and gender issues.
NCIL’s Pre-Conference, Youth Perspectives on Employment Policy and Practice: The Challenge for NCIL’s Next Generation, consists of a detailed public policy presentation on the current state of unemployment, followed by dynamic presentations on the challenges and success factors in the transition and employment process. The Pre-Conference gives participants opportunity for timely dialog, and reactions to current Social Security disability policy reform options and directions, as well as an opportunity to learn about innovative “pockets of excellence” in the field of employment support services today.
We need you in Washington this summer. The future of Independent Living is at stake; we need to get employment right for people with disabilities, and cannot afford to miss this opportunity. We need our members to make the commitment to participate in the NCIL Conference, and sincerely encourage you to take a look at the Conference details and find a way to be here this year. There are valuable workshops and resources that Conference participants will bring home to their Centers, in addition to the meaningful contribution to the nation they will leave behind in Washington.
Last Chance: Pre-Registration for NCIL’s 2013 Annual Conference on Independent Living Closes This Friday!
All pre-registrations must be received by Friday, July 12 at 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time. Individuals may still register onsite, but onsite registration rates are higher. Register today and save!
To register, use our printable registration form or the NCIL online store, which gives you the ability to register up to three attendees with one transaction and accepts Discover, American Express, Visa, and MasterCard.
You must register and pay for the Conference before reserving rooms at the Grand Hyatt. Additional accessible hotel rooms are also available at the Marriott Metro Center and the Embassy Suites, both just 1 block from the Grand Hyatt. Additional details are available on our conference webpage.
This year’s Annual Conference on Independent Living is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent history, and we can’t wait to see you there!
