Presenters
Agenda8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Registration
9:00 – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.
Morning Keynote Address:
Joe Xavier Director, California Department of Rehabilitation
Joe Xavier, Director Department of Rehabilitation, has over 34 years of experience in business and public administration, as well as many years participating in advocacy and community organizations. As an immigrant, a blind consumer, a beneficiary of the DOR’s services, Joe has the experience and understands the challenges and opportunities available to individuals with disabilities, and the services required to maximize an individual’s full potential. Joe: believes in the talent and potential of individuals with disabilities; in investing in the future through creativity, ingenuity and innovation; ensuring decisions and actions are informed by interested individuals and groups; in pursuing excellence through continuous improvement; and preserving the public’s trust through compassionate and responsible provision of services.
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Break
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Morning Workshops: (Choose one of the following sessions.)
Track A – FEHA, ADA & EEO Compliance
Legal Trends In Employment Law
Details are pending; check frequently for updates.
Timothy L. Davis, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP
Timothy Davis is a partner in Burke, Williams & Sorensen’s Silicon Valley office and is Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Law practice group.
Mr. Davis has tried to verdict employment cases in both federal and state court and has conducted over 60 employment arbitrations. Mr. Davis routinely defends employers in litigation matters in actions involving state and federal law, such as Americans with Disability Act, Age Discrimination and Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and numerous others.
His practice also includes the representation of public employers before state, federal, and local administrative proceedings, including the Department of Labor, local civil service commissions, PERB, EEOC, and OSHA. His litigation practice, with substantial emphasis and experience in labor and employment, encompasses all aspects of litigation, including trial, all phases of trial preparation, arguing law and motion matters, taking depositions, preparing and responding to pleadings, drafting and responding to written discovery, and research.
Track B – Diversity & Inclusion: Cultural Intelligence
Disability Access and Services Across the Life Span
The Center for Independent Living ignited a movement that spread throughout the United States and other countries. Mr. James in collaboration with colleagues, Ron Halog and Ann Bui, will provide a historical perspective as they discuss trends for future demands and required services for those with disabilities
Ann Bui, Program Director, California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
Ann’s passion for resolving barriers to health and access to person-centered care led her to volunteer on several non-profit boards to develop policy and programs to better serve persons from disadvantaged communities, including persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers. Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration and Change Management from California State University East Bay. Ann enjoys discovering new local cafes, hiking trails, spending time with her partner and rescue kittens, and supporting as well as advocating for her brother with Autism and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Ron Halog, Executive Director, Community Resources for Independent Living
Ron began his tenure at Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) in August of 2015. Prior to becoming the executive director at CRIL, Ron served as the executive director of Ala Costa Center for over 10 years. As the Executive Director of Ala Costa Centers, Ron was able to expand the organization both in service delivery and financial security. Ron’s leadership has resulted in Ala Costa receiving recognition for quality services from Parents Press (3 years in a row) and winning the 2011 Bernie Graff Award from the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Council. In addition, Ron chaired the Providers Vendors Advisory Committee (PVAC) in 2014, served on the CFILC Executive Team since 2017, and serves on the Executive Team of the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Council since 2015 and will serve as the Council’s President for 2019-2020.
Stuart James, Executive Director, The Center for Independent Living
Stuart brings both for profit and non-profit experience to The Center for Independent Living (CIL). Twenty years in sports and marketing brought him to China, where he encountered the gaping lack of resources for people with disabilities. In response, he founded WheelsplusWings, which supports children with physical disabilities in Asia. Returning to the States, his greatest career desire was to repay the immense debt that he feels to the founders of the Independent Living Movement, who created such important opportunities for his own life. His mission is to bring CIL to the “next level” as an organization and restore the organization to its original leadership role. Stuart lives in Alameda, CA with his wife and twin daughters. An avid photographer, Stuart also enjoys hand cycling, cooking, and rooting for the NY Giants and NY Knicks.
Track C – Intersectionality: Best Practices
Panel Presentation: Best Practices for Recruiting, Hiring & Managing Individuals with Disabilities
Michelle Alford-Williams, DOR, Shelly Choy, & Trenire Pensy
MIchelle Alford-Williams
Shelly Choy
Trenire Pensy
12:00 – 12:50 p.m.
Lunch
12:50 – 1:50 p.m.
Afternoon Keynote Address:
Leroy Moore Founder, Krip-Hop Nation
Leroy Moore, since the 1990’s has written the column “Illin-N-Chillin” for POOR Magazine. Moore is one of the founding members of National Black Disability and is an activist around police brutality against people with disabilities. Leroy has started and helped start organizations like Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization to Sins Invalid to Krip-Hop Nation. His cultural work includes the documentary film, “Where Is Hope, Police Brutality Against People With Disabilities,” spoken-word CDs, poetry books and the children’s book, “Black Disabled Art History 101,” published by Xochitl Justice Press. His upcoming graphic novel, Krip-Hop Graphic Novel Issue 1: Brown Disabled Young Woman Super Hero Brings Disability Justice to Hip-Hop,” will be published by POOR Press in 2019. Moore has traveled internationally networking with other disabled activists and artists.
1:55 – 3:10 p.m.
Afternoon Workshops: Choose one of the following sessions:
Track A – FEHA, ADA & EEO Compliance
Excellence in Management: Managing Within Disability Laws & Leaves
This workshop will engage participants in an interactive game addressing your role in reducing your organization’s liability exposure, increase your knowledge of federal and state disability laws, and increase your ability to recognize triggers and when to act.
Rhonda Newman, Disability Programs Administrator, County of Alameda
In 2013, Rhonda began working in her current position, overseeing the County’s Disability Programs Division, where she has developed an effective and comprehensive centralized disability management program that ensures disabled employees’ rights and benefits, while maintaining and enhancing productivity and reducing county liability. The Disability Programs Division responsibilities include conducting countywide job searches for employees who cannot be accommodated in their own departments, and providing consultation and technical support to departments on disability management. The Disability Programs Division also reviews, revises and creates countywide disability program policies and procedures, provides countywide disability management training for managers/supervisors, and monitors the departments’ reasonable accommodation efforts to ensure compliance with state and federal disability laws. In August 2017, Rhonda received her certification in disability management from the Disability Management Employer’s Coalition.
Rosemarie Kwiatkowski, Deputy County Counsel, County of Alameda
Rosemarie Kwiatkowski has extensive employment law advice and state and federal court litigation experience. Ms. Kwiatkowski has been a Deputy County Counsel for the County of Alameda since 2002 and provides employment and labor law consultation and advice to executive management team members in multiple County agencies on a variety of issues including hiring, performance management, employee discipline, disability management, equal employment opportunity, wage and hour, family medical leave (FMLA/CFRA), workplace violence prevention, Public Safety Officers’ Procedural Bill of Rights, Firefighter’s Procedural Bill of Rights and labor relations.
Ms. Kwiatkowski also develops personnel policies, training curriculum and provides compliance advice and training on state and federal employment issues to management. Ms. Kwiatkowski also manages internal investigations by Human Resources professionals and outside investigators. Ms. Kwiatkowski has successfully represented public entities in federal and state court litigation, grievance arbitrations and administrative law proceedings.
Prior to her current position with the County, Ms. Kwiatkowski worked in a private law firm representing government entities in a variety of litigation matters through trial. While in private practice, Ms. Kwiatkowski also defended Fortune 500 companies and other businesses in a variety of state and federal court litigation including product liability, medical malpractice and employment law cases.
Ms. Kwiatkowski is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law and has been an active member of the California State Bar since 1992. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Public Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s College, Los Angeles.
Track B – Diversity & Inclusion: Cultural Intelligence
Advancing Opportunities & Enhancing Resources for Young Adults
This workshop will highlight two outstanding programs targeting youth and young adults with disabilities. They will present each program and how they can be adapted for implementation in other counties and sectors.
Elaine Lemi, Alameda County Human Resource Services Assistant Step Up Coordinator
Lori Kotsonas, East Bay Innovations, Director of Employment Services & Project SEARCH
Lori joined East Bay Innovations (EBI) in 2002, and has supported individuals with disabilities for more than two decades. Aware of the support her brother needed as he entered the workforce, she began her career at a day program with an employment focus. After that, she worked in a program offering pre-employment skills, and followed that with a position developing employment for individuals with disabilities, before becoming the Director of Employment Services at EBI.
An advocate for expanding employment options and for jobseekers with disabilities, Lori appreciates the opportunities she has at EBI to develop programs preparing individuals for employment in many sectors. In addition to placing individuals within the retail, janitorial, and grocery sectors historically available to individuals with disabilities, Lori has successfully developed partnerships and pipelines to employers with increasing hiring needs in public sector, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and hospitality jobs, etc. Replicating the Project SEARCH job training program at various sites in Alameda County; creating multiple internships in a variety of settings, including State agencies; overseeing EBI’s comprehensive job development, employment training, job placement, and on-the-job coaching services; and, providing training to educators and social service agency personnel about employment services; Lori is committed to seeing jobseekers with disabilities access and succeed in jobs with higher wages, greater benefits, and career advancement opportunities.
Track C – Intersectionality: Best Practices
Disability & Crisis Emergency Management
Details are pending, check frequently for updates.
Roxan Crawford
This presentation will expand on the topics introduced by our keynote speaker, Katherine Zigmont – with a focus on WID’s efforts toward climate justice at local, national and international levels. Climate change is a large-scale problem that will affect all aspects of society. Some groups, though, will be affected in drastic and unique ways, and people with disabilities are especially vulnerable as the Earth warms. This presentation will answer important questions for the disability community. What is global warming, what are its effects, and what will that mean for society at-large? How exactly will people with disabilities be impacted by the many consequences of climate change? What is climate justice and how can we harness that important concept for disability rights? And finally, how can we build collaborations and take actions to protect our lives and well-being?
3:10 – 3:20 p.m.
Break
3:20 – 4:35 p.m.
Late-Afternoon Workshops: Choose one of the following sessions:
Track A – FEHA, ADA & EEO Compliance
California Disability Law Refresher & Recent Case Trends
Drawing from her extensive experience, Ms. Martinez will address case law regarding the interactive process and reasonable accommodations and effective defense strategies in recent court cases.
Jennifer Martinez, Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP
Jennifer represents private and public employers in federal and state court litigation and before administrative agencies regarding discrimination (including race, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and disability), harassment, retaliation, breach of contract, wrongful termination, and numerous other types of employment law matters. Jennifer also handles complex wage and hour class action litigation (including off-the-clock claims meal and rest period violations, exempt misclassification, and contractor, and contractor misclassification) in both federal and state courts, as well as other representative and collective actions under the California Private Attorneys General Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Within the past year, Jennifer second chaired a state court jury trial, obtaining a complete defense verdict for her client on a claim of disability discrimination and failure to accommodate.
In addition to her litigation practice, Jennifer counsels employers on a wide variety of employment issues, such as hiring practices, employment policies, disability accommodations and leave administration, employee and contractor classification issues, employment contracts, enforceability of covenants not to compete, leaves of absence, terminations, and reductions in force. She specializes, in particular, in advising start-ups, early stage companies, and technology companies. In addition to general advice and counseling, Jennifer handles sensitive harassment and whistleblower investigations.
Track B – Diversity & Inclusion: Cultural Intelligence
Before We Get Into Black/Brown Disability Art/Hip-Hop U.S. & Internationally, We Must Know Krip-Hop Nation & Building Process To Get To Krip-Hop Politics”
Leroy F. Moore, Jr.
- Discuss what Krip-Hop Nation is and the building process to get to Krip-Hop politics
- Show Black/Brown Disability Art/Hip-Hop nationally and internationally
Track C – Intersectionality: Best Practices
Safety Net: Older Adults & Persons with Disability
In addition to receiving an overview of Alameda County’s Social Services Agency, there will be specific information regarding services and programs provided to seniors with disabilities. This workshop will highlight challenges and opportunities presented and anticipated in the near future.
Randy Morris, Alameda County Social Services Agency Department of Adult and Aging Services
Randy Morris is the Alameda County Social Services Agency Assistant Agency Director of the Adult & Aging services department. His department administers a number of programs predominantly serving Older Adults and persons with disability, including In Home Supportive Services, Area Agency on Aging, Adult Protective Services, Veteran Services, Public Guardian, Public Conservator, and Public Administrator. From 2011 through 2015 his department also administered the non-cash Medi-Cal program in the Agency, and had a lead responsibility for implementing the Medi-Cal expansion that took place during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014.
Prior to his appointment to his current position, Randy worked in the Child Welfare Department of the Agency from 1995 through 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and MSW, as well as LCSW.