Episodes

Joyce welcomes Jeanette Chelius, Executive Director of the Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania. Discussed on the show will be the goals that this affiliate has achieved and set for itself. In addition, Ms. Chelius will share her perspective on issues faced by people with epilepsy in her community – from employment to medication. Finally, she will share her commitment to helping the National Epilepsy Foundation meet its goals.

Joyce welcomes Andy Imparato, president and CEO, of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). He will be discussing the mission and goals of the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizing the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially.

Joyce welcomes Tony Coelho, newly elected board chairman of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the major sponsor of the ADA Amendments Act, signed by President Bush on September 25, 2008, and in effect as of January 1, 2009. Among topics discussed will be his work to pass this piece of legislation, the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, on July 26, 1990, and his New York Law School Lec...

Joyce welcomes back Kelly Buckland, Executive Director of the National Council of Independent Living (NCIL), from his earlier July 7, 2009, visit on the show. The discussion will center around a celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and what the ADA means to the independent living centers across the United States.

Joyce’s honored guest will be Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) of the United States Senate. Senator Harkin will discuss his distinguished career in public service, and his commitment to helping people with disabilities live independent lives through his work in the U.S. Senate.

Joyce welcomes Joel Snyder, founder, president, and CEO of Audio Description Associates. He is currently serving as the Director of the American Council of the Blind’s (ACB) new Audio Description Project, designed to boost awareness of description in all formats throughout the United States and establish ACB as a leading producer of broadcast media description. He will discuss his work in depth.

Joyce welcomes Kathy West, Executive Director of the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County. Ms. West will discuss the mission and programs of this affiliate.

Joyce welcomes Joseph LaMountain, Director of Grassroots Advocacy for the National Epilepsy Foundation, and two students from the Kids Speak Up Campaign, Jonathan McCalla, and Allison Baker. They will discuss the campaign, which brings together kids with epilepsy with U.S. congressmen. The group urges members of Congress to help secure a better future for children with seizures by supporting federally funded medical research, programs that improve access to appropriate care, and public health ed...

Joyce welcomes Lee Grossman, president of the Autism Society of America (ASA), who will discuss in depth the mission of this organization that was founded in 1965. The ASA's goal is to increase public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by people with autism as well as their families.

Joyce welcomes Jane Orringer, Carolyn Crates, and Chris Cugini, high school students with disabilities from Fox Chapel High School in Pittsburgh, PA, who were part of 2008-2009 Bender Student Leadership Academy. This program is taught by Joyce Bender, in partnership with Bayer Corporation. Discussed on the show will be this unique program, which prepares students with disabilities for the world of work.

Joyce welcomes Scott Cooper, Founder of the It’s Our Story project at, dmi-us.blogspot.com. Scott will discuss the creation of this blog and project. Scott is on a one year journey of America adding new voices and images to the DMI archives that currently house over 785 video portraits and 4,000 images. After 18 months of interviews and another 18 months of organizing, 548 voices are ready to be transcribed, encoded, and engineered into an accessible website that truly will free the voices of Am...

In memoriam of the late Lewis Kull, member of the Board of Directors of ABRET, Joyce will replay the March 18, 2008 show of “Disability Matters with Joyce Bender” with him and Janice Walbert, Executive Director.

Joyce welcomes the President and Disability Strategist, for disabilityworks, Inc., Jonathan J. Kaufman. As a person with Cerebral Palsy, Mr. Kaufman will discuss the mission of his consulting firm, which helps corporations, government agencies and educational institutions develop strategies and initiatives that add value to those institutions and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. In addition, he will discuss his other advocacy work in support of advancing independence for...

Joyce welcomes Debbie Goss, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation of Chicago, who will discuss the mission of this organization and explain what they are doing to end the stigma associated with epilepsy.

Joyce welcomes actor and disability advocate, Robert David Hall of CBS “CSI: Criminal Scene Investigation whose other credits include recurring roles in The Practice and L.A. Law and guest-starring roles in The West Wing, and on CBS, Touched by an Angel, Brooklyn South and Promised Land. Mr. Hall will be discussing the April 30, 2009, episode, which will revolve around his character, “Albert Robbins”. He will also be discussing living with a disability and his advocacy work on behalf of other ac...

Joyce welcomes Greg Grunberg, Hollywood actor, and star of HEROES, ALIAS and FELICITY, who will discuss TalkAbout It.org. Mr. Grunberg created this website, and public awareness campaign in collaboration with the Epilepsy Foundation, which unites Hollywood celebrities and top health care experts to end the misperceptions and misunderstanding about epilepsy and seizure disorders. Mr. Grunberg, whose eldest son has epilepsy, has dedicated his time, energy, and passion to working toward ending the ...

Joe Valenzano, president and CEO of Exceptional Parent Global Communications (EPGC), Inc., discusses his advocacy work through the magazine to help parents of children with disabilities.

Joyce welcomes Lou Orslene, Co-Director of the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and Anne Hirsh, Co-Director of JAN. They will be discuss the purpose of this organization, which is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

Darius Weems and Producer/Director, Logan Smalley, discuss the documentary Darius Goes West. The documentary revolves around Darius, a teenager with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, who, because of his disease, had never left his hometown of Athens, Georgia. Therefore, in the summer of 2005, with the help of eleven young friends, Darius sets off on a road trip across the United States, testing wheelchair accessibility, with the ultimate goal of reaching Los Angeles in the hopes of funding Darius’ wh...

Joyce welcomes Dr. Ann Kulze, nationally recognized expert and motivational speaker in the areas of nutrition, healthy lifestyles and disease prevention and Suzanne W. “Suzy” Broadhurst, active Western Pennsylvania public service volunteer to the show. They will be discussing women’s heart health and the Go Red for Women Conference.

Joyce welcomes Jonathan Young, Senior Counsel for FoxKiser and advocate for people with disabilities to the show. He will discuss a number of topics including his past work in the executive office of the President as the associate director, office of public liaison, during the Clinton Administration; his influence over the creation of National Disability Mentoring Day each October; and his impressions on the impact the Obama Administration will have on the employment of people with disabilities ...

Joyce welcomes Dr. Ann Kulze, nationally recognized expert and motivational speaker in the areas of nutrition, healthy lifestyles and disease prevention and Suzanne W. “Suzy” Broadhurst, active Western Pennsylvania public service volunteer to the show. They will be discussing women’s heart health and the Go Red for Women Conference.

Joyce welcomes Dr. Richard Horne who currently serves as the Director for the Division of Policy Planning and Research at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Among the topics discussed on the show, will be how he became involved in the disability area; the mission of ODEP; and the most recent unemployment numbers for people with disabilities released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Joyce welcomes Denise Pease, a member of the Executive Board of the National Epilepsy Foundation. Discussed on the show will be living with Epilepsy and the foundation’s role in helping African Americans with epilepsy.