IMPACTability’s Disability Advocacy & Career Summit 

By Susie Schainost and Pam Judd ​

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, IMPACTability’s October 18th Disability Advocacy & Career Summit celebrated the Passion, the People, and the Power of Disability Advocacy. We sought to confront employment disparities and strategize opportunities for college students with disabilities. Our highly anticipated in-person and virtual event featured a thoughtful keynote address by Edmund Asiedu, two distinguished panels of expert speakers, and networking sessions where participants could exchange meaningful ideas and policy recommendations.  ​

Through personal insights and resources, our Summit addressed practical concerns of students with disabilities entering the workforce, such as transitioning into the workplace, initiating post-hire Human Resources conversations, and getting involved in Disability Employee Resource Groups.  
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Joining the Summit virtually were former students of IMPACTability’s CareerReady! program and participants from across the United States, France and Germany. Their active engagement added immense value to the event’s success!

IMPACTability’s board and all-volunteer community thank our 2024 Summit supporters, attendees, and host site BNY. 
 We appreciate the empowering messages of our guest presenters: 

• Edmund Asiedu, Keynote Speaker 
• Daphne Gilles, Co-Chair, CUNY Council on Student Disability Issues 
• Leonard Blades, Carmen Chocolati, and Angeles Vargas, CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities 
• Dr. Sabine Charles, Moderator 
  
  

We treasure the expert advice from our Disability Employment Panelists: 

• Donelle G. Brown, NYC DCAS 
• Sarah Chow, FDIC 
• Janine Ting Jansen, NYC SHRM 
• Sakeena Trice, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest 

We esteem the lived experiences of our Disability Advocacy Panelists: 

• Christine Brykowytch, BNY Co-Chair, HEART 
• Maureen Cuddy, S&P Global, REACH 
• Monica Flint, FDIC 
• Letisha Gary, BNY Co-Chair, HEART 
• Cheryl Morgan, Glassdoor, ADEPT 

 We are grateful for the access provided by our Spanish, French and ASL interpreters. 

Thank You Summit 2024 Bronze Sponsors and Grantor S & P Global REACH! 

What’s Next? 
While our 2024 Summit is over, IMPACTability is excited to launch a virtual Mastermind Class in January 2025, during National Mentoring Month. Sessions will offer a deep conversational dive into disability advocacy challenges and solutions. Visit  www.impactabilityusa.org to learn more. 
To become a 2025 Summit Sponsor, visit LINK or scan the QR code below.