Shenandoah Valley Disability Employment Awareness Committee (SVDEAC) seeks nominations
The Shenandoah Valley Disability Employment Awareness Committee (SVDEAC) is soliciting Nominations to recognize National Disability Awareness month for:
- Employer
- Employee
- Mentor
- Training Site
- Assistive Technology
- Pete Giesen Humanitarian
THE DUE DATE FOR NOMINATIONS IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010
Nomination forms can be printed from our website www.svdeac.net. To request hardcopies please call Debby Austin at 540-332-7715 or Michelle Swecker at 540-332-7750.
Submit Nominations to Debby.Austin@dbvi.virginia.gov OR mail to Michelle Swecker – VA Workforce Center, 1076 Jefferson Hwy, Staunton, VA 24401 OR fax to Michelle at # 540-332-7764.
The Kick-Off event is Friday, October 1st at the Home Depot in Waynesboro.
The Silent Auction will be held in the WWRC lobby in Fishersville 9 am Sept. 22 til noon Sept. 24.
For further information contact Patty Roberts at 540-332-7945 or patty.roberts@wwrc.virginia.gov.
If not present you will be contacted if you win. Cash or checks payable to: Council of Organizations. Items need to be picked up by Sept. 28th from Patty Roberts. All proceeds benefit SVDEAC’s goal to promote employers and individuals who are making a difference for individuals with disabilities in our local community. Thanks for your continued support in employing, training, mentoring, supporting employees with disabilities.
- Thanks to Debby Austin, SVDEAC chair.
Weekend Educational Interpreter Training Program (Danville)
Filed under: Interpreting/Sign Language Workshop, Special Announcements
The WEIT (Weekend Educational Interpreter Training) Program will start a new year in September, at Danville Community College. It’s a great program where students learn a whole lot and enjoy themselves. So, interpreters in education who need training and sincerely care about the Deaf students in schools, please contact Carl Amos (Camos@dcc.vccs.edu) and complete an application.
Captel Updates
Captel recently released the new Captel 800 model which is very similar to the new Captel 800i phone released last year. The 800 model replaces the 200 model that VDDHH currently uses and will be using the newer model later on this year.
Two noticeable differences between the older and newer models is the layout and display screen. It is similar to upgrading a black and white tv to a color tv. The display screen is considerably bigger and easier to read as you now have the option to change the font size, color and background color to suit your preference. The 800 model does not hook up to the Internet like the 800i model does and is ideal for homes without Internet access.
Both models are available for $99 through Captel/WCI. The newer models do not have a USB port to connect to a computer. If you can not use the newer models due to vision issues, Captel and VDDHH will continue to distribute the USB model if needed.
Visit http://www.captel.com for more information.
Captel 800i Order Form (For those with Internet access.)
Captel 800 Order Form (For those without Internet access.)
- Thanks to Julie Buckham, CRDRC.
Ronald Lanier Reappointed to Director of VDDHH
Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of Governor Bob McDonnell
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2010
Contact: Stacey Johnson
Phone: (804) 225-4260
E-mail: Stacey.Johnson@Governor.Virginia.Gov
Governor McDonnell Announces Additional Appointments to Administration
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced additional appointments to his administration under the Health and Human Resources, Natural Resources and Public Safety secretariats.
Bios for today’s appointments can be found below. Further announcements regarding additional appointments in the McDonnell Administration will continue to be made in the months ahead.
Health and Human Resources
Ronald Lanier, Director, Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Ron Lanier is currently serving as Director of the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH). He was appointed to this position by Governor George Allen in April 1997, and has served continuously under subsequent Governors, including the present Administration. He is a former Adjunct Faculty member of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) and Virginia Union University where he taught American Sign Language. Prior to his current position, he was Manager of the Technology Assistance Program at VDDHH, Job Placement Counselor for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Department of Rehabilitative Services, and a Social Worker with the City of Richmond Department of Social Services. Ron received his B.S. in Social Welfare from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He also pursued courses in Sign Language and Deaf Culture at VCU and JSRCC, in addition to graduate courses in Rehabilitation Counseling at VCU.
Ron serves on the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, and is a past Member of the Virginia Assistive Technology Council. He also serves on the Challenge Discovery Projects’ Board of Directors and represents the Office of Health and Human Resources on the Advisory Board for the NewWell Fund. He has served as a Member of the Court-Appointed Special Advocates and the Central Virginia Lions Hearing Aid Bank advisory boards. He is a member of the Virginia Association of the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America and Black Deaf Advocates. He is co-founder (1980) of the Richmond/Hampton Organization of the Deaf. He is former Chair of the Trustee Ministry of Cedar Street Baptist Church of God, where he also served two terms (4 years) as President of the Male Chorus and is former Secretary of the Men’s Ministry. He completed a term as a parent representative on the National Mission Advisory Panel for the Clerc Center at Gallaudet University. He is a 2001 graduate of VEI, a 2005 graduate of the Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR), and is former Vice-President of Membership of a local club of Toastmasters International. In 2006, he was selected to serve a two-year term on the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council (NDCD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is currently serving on the Advisory Board for the Partnership for People with Disabilities (PPD).
Ron is a native of Roanoke where, at age 7, he became hard of hearing as a result of an automobile accident. He is married and has one son, who is deaf, and two grandchildren, one of whom is also deaf. He also mentored deaf youth in his community.
Raymond Hopkins, Commissioner, Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired
Raymond “Ray” Hopkins is presently the Commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. He was initially appointed to this position effective July 1, 2008. Prior to joining the Commonwealth’s government, Hopkins was involved in administration and delivery of rehabilitation services at the national and state levels.
Hopkins was employed by the US Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, from 2004 through 2008 where he oversaw the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program, an entrepreneurial program serving persons who are blind. Prior to that Hopkins was the Administrator of the Division of Visual Services, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.
Hopkins, a native Oklahoman, holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation of the Blind from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Hopkins has served in leadership roles with several professional organizations including the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) and the Blind Entrepreneurs Alliance. Additionally, he has been honored by various disability groups and service organizations.
Hopkins and his wife, Lavinia, live in Henrico County, Virginia and are the parents of three adult children.
James Rothrock, Commissioner, Department of Rehabilitative Services
James A. Rothrock, a native of Martinsville, Virginia, has been involved with disability advocacy and programming for more than 40 years. Since 2002, he has served as the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS), an agency where he also has served as a counselor, training coordinator, and deputy commissioner. In 1965, he began his relationship with DRS when he became a client after a sledding accident which resulted in a Spinal Cord Injury.
Prior to his current position, Rothrock represented a wide array of disability programs at the state level and was responsible for legislation and budgetary actions which expanded the menu of services to Virginians with disabilities. He has been an adjunct faculty member at VCU and continues to serve there in a variety of advisory roles.
Rothrock has served on numerous community boards for private non-profit organizations in the Richmond area (Housing Opportunities Made Equal, A Grace Place, and CultureWorks). He is a graduate of St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina, and obtained his Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1978. A resident of Henrico County, Rothrock lives with his wife, Jane.
Polly Franks Sweeney, Special Advisor to the Governor on Disability Issues for the Workforce
Polly Frank’s life experience with disabilities, combined with her experience as an advocate, will help her advise the Governor on disability issues and the workforce. Polly has served as an advocate for victims of violent crime, particularly childhood sexual abuse since 1995. Her commitment to this cause stems from her experience as the mother of two children who were victimized by a former neighbor and family friend who turned out to be a convicted serial predator from another state. During his crime spree between 1982 to1998, this predator was linked to a minimum of 286 incidents of sexual crimes. Although she is in a wheelchair, Polly became a licensed private investigator for the sole purpose of bringing this predator to justice. He is now in prison for life without parole.
Since that time, she has testified before Congress and lobbied on Capitol Hill for tougher sex offender laws, such as the nationwide Amber Alert bill and the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act.
In 2006, Polly created the Franks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting America’s children from sexual predators. She is a also a founding board member of the National Coalition of Victims in Action. Polly is a graduate of Bluefield College. She and her husband Patrick are the very proud parents of three grown daughters, a menagerie of animals (their four-legged children) and a host of “honorary” sons and daughters.
Natural Resources
Frances Boswell, Confidential Assistant for Administration to the Director, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Frances Boswell has served at the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for 36 years. She is the License Accounting Supervisor responsible for the collection of $20 million in hunting and fishing license fee revenue representing 40% of the agency’s annual revenue. In 2006, she implemented the agency’s E-LARS electronic license accounting records system for print-on-demand hunting and fishing licenses. She attended J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. She resides with her husband in Short Pump in western Henrico County.
Public Safety
Erika Fischer, Director, Governor’s Office of Substance Abuse Prevention
Erika Fischer served under Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s administration as the Hampton Roads Community Outreach Coordinator. There she specialized in public safety community relations and coalition building, managing the Class Action program to expand and improve the prevention of gang violence and substance abuse throughout regional schools and communities. Additionally, she coordinated management of regional TRIAD efforts to educate and protect senior citizens, partnering with law enforcement, Council for Aging, and consumer protection agencies. Fischer graduated from Virginia Tech in 1998, earning a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science and history. She went on to earn her Masters of Arts degree in political management from George Washington University in 2003. Fischer resides in Norfolk.
Debra Gardner, Chief Deputy Director, Department of Criminal Justice Services
Debra Gardner has more than 27 years of public service experience. Twenty-three years of this service has been with the Commonwealth of Virginia at the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. Her career with the Commission on VASAP began in 1988 as the Alcohol Safety Action Program Supervisor. In 1992 she was appointed to the position of Deputy Executive Director, and as Executive Director of the Agency in 2003. She has also taught as an adjunct professor in graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Gardner received her Bachelors Degree in Sociology from North Carolina Central University and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. She resides in Chesterfield County with her daughter Katia.
ACTION ALERT!!! Help Make the Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act Stronger!
Filed under: ADA Accessibility and Advocacy, Special Announcements
ACTION ALERT!!!
CONTACT the SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. We want the Senate Subcommittee to make S. 3304 – the Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act – the strongest legislation possible.
DO IT TODAY! Send e-mails. Fax letters. Make phone calls.
VOLUME COUNTS! See sample messages below.
Send this Action Alert to everyone you know. Tell them to take action now! Have a phone/fax/e-mail party. Do it together! NOW!
Below you will find the following:
- SAMPLE e-mail or fax MESSAGE
- SAMPLE phone MESSAGE
- Subcommittee Senators Contact Information
Personalize your message with a story about why you want access. You can also change the sample message to fit your situation.
Keep the Senate Subcommittee phone lines busy with calls! Keep their e-mail boxes full! Keep their fax machines busy! Do it now!
Please send a note or a copy of your email to TDI at info@tdi-online.org and to the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) atinfo@coataccess.org. Tell us who you contacted.
Thank You for Taking Action!
_______________________________________________________
SAMPLE e-mail or fax MESSAGE
Subject: S. 3304 – Equal Access to 21st Century Communications
Dear Senator and Member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet:
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (July 2010) by making the “Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act” (S. 3304) the strongest legislation possible.
S. 3304 will enable people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind, blind, visually impaired, or speech impaired, including senior citizens and injured veterans, to do the following:
- have increased access to advanced communication products and services
- be better informed about accessible products and services
- be assured the FCC will respond to complaints about inaccessible advanced communications products and services
- use Lifeline and Link-Up subsidies to help pay for broadband services
- benefit from $10 million annual allocation of Universal Service Funds for specialized equipment for people who are deaf-blind
- use relay services to call anyone, including each other
- have relay services funded by Internet voice communication service providers
- communicate using digital real-time text (every letter typed is sent), which is especially important in emergencies
- have closed captions on TV programs distributed over the Internet
- have video descriptions (audio narrated descriptions of key visual elements) provided for TV programs
- access closed captions using any video device of any size
- have a closed caption button on remote controls
- find access features (closed captions and video descriptions) on the first menu that appears when on-screen menus are displayed
- have access to visual displays of TV program guides and menus
- have access to visual displays of emergency information
Access to advanced communication products and services is essential. Please make sure S. 3304 provides access to Internet voice communication products and services (such as Skype-type calls), video conferencing communication, SMS text messaging, e-mail, and instant messaging. Advanced communications companies must take action that is not a significant difficulty or expense (an “undue burden”) to make their products and services accessible.
Please show your support for updating the Communications Act so I am not left behind!
Sincerely,
[Your Name and Address]
_______________________________________________________
SAMPLE phone MESSAGE
My name is _____________________.
I am calling the Senator, a member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, about S. 3304 – the Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act.
S. 3304 will enable [people with disabilities / or / people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind, blind, visually impaired, or speech impaired], including senior citizens and injured veterans, to:
- have increased access to advanced communications products and services
- access closed captions on TV programs everywhere they are shown
- have key visual elements of TV programs described (video descriptions)
- have access to visual displays on TVs, including emergency information
Access to advanced communication products and services is essential. Please make sure S. 3304 provides access to Internet voice communication products and services, video conferencing communication, SMS text messaging, e-mail, and instant messaging. Advanced communications companies must take action (that is not an “undue burden”) to make their products and services accessible.
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ADA (July 2010) by making S. 3304 the strongest legislation possible.
Thank you.
_______________________________________________________
Subcommittee Senators Contact Information
Send one e-mail message to these Senators’ designated staff:
meagan_foster@begich.senate.gov; michael_vehr@lemieux.senate.gov;clint_odom@billnelson.senate.gov; michael_quiello@isakson.senate.gov;margaret_cummisky@appro.senate.gov; leslie_bolz@brownback.senate.gov;abbey_mayer@vitter.senate.gov; matthew_hussey@snowe.senate.gov;daniel_schill@klobuchar.senate.gov; hugh_carrol@wicker.senate.gov;david_toomey@mccaskill.senate.gov; patrick_lehman@johanns.senate.gov;david_quinalty@ensign.senate.gov; marc_paul@lautenberg.senate.gov;kevin_cummins@tomudall.senate.gov; jeff_murray@demint.senate.gov;brendon_plack@thune.senate.gov; jay_williamson@warner.senate.gov;michael_daum@cantwell.senate.gov
OR
Send messages by e-mail, fax, or phone to these Senators:
Senator Mark Begich (Alaska)
E-mail online form at http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator
E-mail staff at meagan_foster@begich.senate.gov
Fax: 202-224-2354
Phone: 202-224-3004
Senator George S. LeMieux (Florida)
E-mail form online at http://lemieux.senate.gov/public/?p=EmailSenatorLeMieux
E-mail staff at michael_vehr@lemieux.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-5171
Phone: 202-224-3041
Senator Bill Nelson (Florida)
E-mail form online at http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
E-mail staff at clint_odom@billnelson.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-2183
Phone: 202-224-5274
Senator Johnny Isakson (Georgia)
E-mail form online at http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm
E-mail staff at michael_quiello@isakson.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-0724
Phone: 202-224-3643
Senator Daniel K. Inouye (Hawaii)
E-mail form online at http://inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm
E-mail staff at margaret_cummisky@appro.senate.gov
Fax: 202-224-6747
Phone: 202-224-3934
Senator Sam Brownback (Kansas)
E-mail form online at http://brownback.senate.gov/public/contact/emailsam.cfm
E-mail staff at leslie_bolz@brownback.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-1265
Phone: 202-224-6521
Senator David Vitter (Louisiana)
E-mail form online at http://vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
E-mail staff at abbey_mayer@vitter.senate.gov
Fax: 202- 228-5061
Phone: 202-224-4623
Senator Olympia J. Snowe (Maine)
E-mail form online at http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe.Email
E-mail staff at matthew_hussey@snowe.senate.gov
Fax: 202-224-1946
Phone: 202-224-5344
Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
E-mail form online at http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm?contactForm=emailamy&submit=Go
E-mail staff at daniel_schill@klobuchar.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-2186
Phone: 202-224-3244
Senator Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi)
E-mail form online at http://wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EMailSenatorWicker
E-mail staff at hugh_carrol@wicker.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-0378
Phone: 202-224-6253
Senator Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
E-mail form online at http://mccaskill.senate.gov/?p=contact
E-mail staff at david_toomey@mccaskill.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-6326
Phone: 202-224-6154
Senator Mike Johanns (Nebraska)
E-mail form online at http://johanns.senate.gov/public/?p=EmailSenatorJohanns
E-mail staff at patrick_lehman@johanns.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-0436
Phone: 202-224-4224
Senator John Ensign (Nevada)
E-mail form online at http://ensign.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
E-mail staff at david_quinalty@ensign.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-2193
Phone: 202-224-6244
TTY: 202-228-3364
Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (New Jersey)
E-mail form online at http://lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/index1.cfm
E-mail staff at marc_paul@lautenberg.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-4054
Phone: 202-224-3224
TTY: 202-224-2087
Senator Tom Udall (New Mexico)
E-mail form online at http://tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact
E-mail staff at kevin_cummins@tomudall.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-3261
Phone: 202- 224-6621
Senator Jim DeMint (South Carolina)
E-mail form online at http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=CommentOnLegislationIssues
E-mail staff at jeff_murray@demint.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-5143
Phone: 202-224-6121
Senator John Thune (South Dakota)
E-mail form online at http://thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email
E-mail staff at brendon_plack@thune.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-5429
Phone: 202-224-2321
Senator Mark Warner (Virginia)
E-mail form online at http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact
E-mail staff at jay_williamson@warner.senate.gov
Fax: 202-224-6295
Phone: 202-224-2023
Senator Maria Cantwell (Washington)
E-mail form online at http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/
E-mail staff at michael_daum@cantwell.senate.gov
Fax: 202-228-0514
Phone: 202-224-3441
TTY: 202-224-8273
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