Episodes

Joyce welcomes former NFL player and current ESPN broadcaster, Merril Hoge to her show. Adding author to his list of credentials, Mr. Hoge will discuss his book, Find A Way: Three Words That Changed My Life. This book chronicles his story of how he overcame non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and provides inspiration on how to navigate difficult times

Back by popular demand, we will be rebroadcasting the November 23, 2010 edition of Disability Matters with Joyce Bender on December 14, 2010. Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Discussed on the show, will be his personal experience, as a person living with epilepsy. He will reflect on the changes that have taken place in the lives of people with disabilities, including those w...

Joyce welcomes Betsy Valnes, executive director of the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN). The NYLN is a youth-led organization that works to build power among people with disabilities between the ages of 16-28 years. The organization works to support young people in their role as the next generation of leadership in the disability rights movement.

Joyce welcomes Ken Lowenberg, Senior Director of Communications, national Epilepsy Foundation. He will be discussing his efforts to lead the Foundation’s collaboration with the actor Greg Grunberg to create TalkAboutIt.org – a website bringing together Hollywood celebrities, epilepsy advocates, and the general public to help improve the national conversation about epilepsy. Mr. Lowenberg will also discuss the recent Foundation collaboration with producer JJ Abrams, who dedicated the New York Cit...

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities. Discussed on the show will be his personal experience as a person living with epilepsy. He will reflect on the changes that have taken place in the lives of people with disabilities, including those with epilepsy, since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990.

Joyce welcomes chair-elect of the national Epilepsy Foundation, Dr. Brien Smith, from Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Smith will discuss the importance of National Epilepsy Month, the problems that occur for people living with epilepsy when name brand medications are switched to generic brands, and the latest medical research that is being done in the field to help those living with epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes Ryan Dillon, who is living with epilepsy, and a member of the Epilepsy Foundation’s national board. After moving to our nation’s capitol to serve as a congressional aide, Ryan finally brought his seizures into the light, by embracing epilepsy and using his experiences to empower others and help raise awareness. As a result of a 5 minute seizure in July 2008, Ryan chose to speak out on the subject, in hopes of raising awareness. Ryan encourages those with epilepsy to tell their sto...

Joyce welcomes Kristin Schkade, Chair of the Epilepsy Foundation’s National Youth Council, which is comprised of 10 young adults, ages 18 to 24 who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the epilepsy community. Ms. Schkade will discuss her experience on the council and her work as manager of the Epilepsy Foundation’s Texas youth camps.

Joyce welcomes Crosby Cromwell, senior manager of Corporate Affairs at Wal-Mart. She will discuss the company’s commitment to hiring people with disabilities as part of their workforce.

Joyce welcomes Carol Glazer, president of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), Roger DeRose, president of Kessler Foundation, and Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, a service of Harris Interactive. Discussed on the show, will be an in-depth look at the missions of both organizations. The NOD promotes employment and the full participation of America’s 54 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life; while the mission of Kessler Foundation is to improve quality of l...

Joyce welcomes Carol Glazer, president of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), Roger DeRose, president of Kessler Foundation, and Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, a service of Harris Interactive. Discussed on the show, will be an in-depth look at the missions of both organizations. The NOD promotes employment and the full participation of America’s 54 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life; while the mission of Kessler Foundation is to improve quality of l...

Joyce welcomes Andy Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Mary Davis, vice president, IT Infrastructure Solutions for CSC. They will discuss the upcoming conference on employment of people with disabilities on November 8, 2010 sponsored by CSC and the events of Disability Mentoring Day, October 20, 2010.

Joyce welcomes Brenda High, author of Bullycide In America, and founder of Bully Police USA, a watch-dog organization - advocating for bullied children and reporting on state anti-bullying laws. She will discuss in depth, the origin of the creation of her book, this organization and of www.jaredstory.com. Brenda’s son Jared committed Bullycide as a result of being beaten up and bullied at school. In addition she will discuss ways that the problem of Bullycide is being addressed across the countr...

Joyce welcomes Kevin Epling, co-director of Bully Police USA, a watch-dog organization - advocating for bullied children and reporting on state anti-bullying laws. He is also legislative liaison for Bully Police Michigan, a speaker, and consultant on bullying laws and issues. Mr. Epling knows first-hand about the effects that Bullycide has on families, as his own son, Matthew, committed suicide in the summer of 2002, 40 days after a hazing incident at his high school. This incident has charged K...

Joyce welcomes Gerald Homme, chairman of the Bender Lead On Team and three other members of this youth-run advocacy group, Nathanial (Nate) Bowden, Laura Thien, and Staci Forrest. They will discuss in depth, the mission of the Bender Lead On Team. Through respect, determination, and unity this team will aid our youth in the advocacy of individuals with disabilities, particularly in the field of employment, anti-bullying, and college support. The group is led by, comprised of, and run by people w...

Joyce welcomes Julie McCawley, a 17 year-old high school senior from Westminster, Colorado. At 11 months old Julie suffered from Stevens - Johnson Syndrome (SJS), an adverse reaction to medication from Phenobarbital to control pediatric epilepsy. She will discuss her volunteer efforts developing a website and support group for children that have suffered from Stevens - Johnson Syndrome. She is also an advocate against bullying.

Joyce’s honored guest is Pat Shiu, Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at the Department of Labor. She will discuss her duties since she was appointed by President Obama and her plans to help increase the employment of people with disabilities while at the OFCCP.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Samir Bangalore to the show. Affiliated with Sunrise Hospital Medical Center, in Las Vegas, NV, Dr. Bangalore is a specialist in Neurology including experience with epilepsy. In addition, he has won numerous awards including the Patients' Choice Award. He will discuss his expertise with epilepsy, and the importance of increasing the awareness of epilepsy to help individuals who are living with it.

Joyce welcomes Evan Frazier, senior vice president of Community Affairs for Highmark Inc. Discussed on the show will be Highmark’s commitment to hiring people with disabilities, community diversity, and its stance on bullying of young people, including those with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes members of the band “In Remembrance”. The band performed at the 2010 National Epilepsy Walk in Washington, D.C. as Nick Harris, the band’s original drummer is living with epilepsy. Through music, the band seeks to remind its audience that fallen soldiers are our country’s heroes and should never be forgotten. This is a message inspired by the death of Capt. Brian S. Letendre (the older brother of lead singer Nick Letendre), who lost his life in Operation Iraqi Freedom on May 3, 20...

Joyce welcomes Audrey Russo, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Discussed on the show will be the mission of this organization, as well as the ways in which the group gets involved in the business community to foster and encourage the hiring of people with disabilities.

Joyce’s honored guest is Kathy Martinez, United States Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the Department of Labor. She will discuss the work that is being done within ODEP and the Obama Administration to ensure that the Americans with Disabilities Act is being enforced within the federal government in the area of employment since it became law on July 26, 1990.

Joyce welcomes The Honorable Tony Coelho, former congressman, and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He will discuss the long journey he went through to gather support for the passage of this ground breaking piece of legislation. In addition, he will reflect on what it means to him to have the ADA in place, working for Americans with disabilities 20 years later.

Joyce welcomes former Governor of Pennsylvania and Attorney General of the United States, Dick Thornburgh and his wife Ginny Thornburgh to the show. The Thornburghs will share their impressions of the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary.