National Association of Colleges and Employers
Thank you to our sponsors, Chevron, Symplicity, and Travelers! This event registration is free to all NACE members.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is an ideal time to honor people with disabilities, their contributions to the economy, and our commitment to equity for all people with all ability levels. The 2022 theme is timely and relevant to our membership: “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.”
NACE’s Disability Signature Series will unpack concepts and provide tools to assist career services, talent acquisition, partner organizations, and other attendees in better understanding the diversity within the disability community as it relates to equity in employment. The series is designed to inform employers' recruitment strategies for a diverse workforce and help career services identify opportunities to support students with disabilities.
Following this program, you will be able to:
Day 1 - October 13, 2022 | 1 pm - 2 pm | Kickoff/Keynote Event: Inclusive Workplace Culture and Benefits
NACE’s Disability Signature Series will kick off with an insightful talk from our featured author/speaker Michele Sullivan. It’s understood that inclusion has many layers. To accomplish true belonging and diversity, we must have a greater understanding of inclusion. Standing just 4 feet tall, Michele says height allows her to “see the big picture.” Consideration of little people in the workplace is a dimension of inclusion, and only the tip of the iceberg we will uncover during NACE’s Disability Signature Series in 2022.
Sponsored by:
Day 2 - October 20, 2022 | 1pm - 2 pm EDT | A Conversation With Experts/Practitioners
Leaders recognized for their success in supporting and connecting with people with disabilities with employment opportunities will provide a brief overview of their efforts. Then, they will answer questions from attendees about employment strategies, practices, and resources to support and engage people with disabilities. Our presenters want attendees to leave equipped with tools to better recruit and serve people with disabilities.
This session’s presenters are: Susanne Bruyere, Director, K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University; Taryn Williams, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability in Employment Policy; and Shawn VanDerziel, NACE Executive Director (moderator).
Day 3 - October 27, 2022 | 1 pm - 2 pm EDT | Student Voices: Perspective from People We Work With
A panel of college students will share their lived experiences preparing for and navigating the career space as individuals with disabilities. They will provide feedback on their college experience, preparation for the workplace, and wants and needs of employers and career services teams.
The event’s panelists include: Sifat Baig a student at Ball State University; Jace Lichtefeld a student at Hanover College; Vincent Lin, a 2020 graduate of Iowa State University, and Imelda Salgado, a student at the University of Evansville. Erin McGregor, Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Chevron, will moderate the conversation.
Moderated by:
Organizations committed to workforce diversity, the employment of people with disabilities, and raising awareness about an inclusive workforce are encouraged to contact Ashley Kuback, Business Development and Outreach Manager, at businessdevelopment@naceweb.org, 610.625.1020, for more information.
Thank you to our event sponsors!
Michele Sullivan, Speaker and Author, Bright Sight Group
Michele L. Sullivan, a former executive at Caterpillar, is unforgettable. Over the last 30 years, she has changed the course of millions of lives. A Fortune 100 business executive, author, motivational speaker, and strategic business advisor, Sullivan is the author of the book "Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages" (Harper Collins, February 2020). Born with a very rare type of dwarfism, Sullivan, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up: to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world’s most prominent philanthropy organizations. With inspiring style, she offers an unique perspective and inspiration for individuals and leaders that attests to the fundamental role one’s perspective plays in their life. Sullivan strongly believes monumental and sustainable change in our largest global challenges can only happen through partnerships and collaboration between public, private, and nonprofit entities. This strategy resulted in the Caterpillar Foundation’s transformation into one of the most influential corporate foundations, and ultimately, the launch of the Foundation’s collaborative impact platform known as Together.Stronger.™Taryn Williams, Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy
Taryn Mackenzie Williams, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy, advises the Secretary of Labor on how the department’s policies and programs impact the employment of people with disabilities and leads the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Previously, Williams was the managing director for the Poverty to Prosperity Program at American Progress, which works on progressive policies focused on a broad range of anti-poverty strategies. Before joining American Progress, she worked at ODEP on a variety of issues related to education, workforce policy, Social Security, Medicaid, and civil rights. Prior to joining the federal government, Williams worked as the research coordinator for leadership programs at the Institute for Educational Leadership and as the director of programs at the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues, headquartered in Chicago. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Brown University and a master’s degree in education with a concentration in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.Susanne Bruyere PhD, Academic Director; Professor of Disability Studies, Cornell University - Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability
Susanne M. Bruyère, Ph.D., CRC, is a professor of Disability Studies and director of the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. The Yang-Tan Institute is Cornell University’s premier research, training, and technical assistance resource focusing on disability inclusion in employment, education, and community. In her role, Dr. Bruyère serves as the institute's academic administrative and strategic lead, and also personally serves as the principal investigator and project co-director of the National Employer Policy, Research, and Technical Assistance Center on the Employment of People with Disabilities funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, also known as the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN). EARN offers information and resources to help employers recruit, hire, retain, and advance people with disabilities; build inclusive workplace cultures; and meet diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility goals.Jace Lichtefeld, Student, Hanover College
Jace Lichtefeld is a junior at Hanover College studying psychology and secondary education. They spent the summer interning at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and participated in the 2022 Fehribach Center cohort. They are a Benjamin Templeton Scholar and campaign for social justice changes on Hanover's Campus. Their focus is disability and queer rights. They are involved with student senate, psychology club, tabletop club, and yarn-crafting club.Sifat Baig, Student, Ball State University
Sifat Baig has a bachelor's degrees from Ball State University in psychology and has worked at Wayne High School for the past six years. Baig started the online graduate program in adult and community education last year. He recently moved to Muncie to start his graduate assistantship in freshman advising. He also interned for Eskanazi Health last summer with the professional development department and will do a second term. His career goal is to be an academic adviser.Vincent Lin, Student, Student
Vincent Lin studied political science at Iowa State University. He recently returned to Iowa State and currently works within the Office of Admissions.Erin McGregor, Senior HR Business Partner, Chevron Corporation
Erin McGregor works as a senior employee experience advisor in Chevon’s Headquarters in San Ramon, California. She has been with Chevron for more than 20 years, mainly in human resources, and has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. McGregor has a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a master’s degree in organizational leadership with a concentration in human resources from Chapman University. Erin has extensive experience with the employee networks, having served as both a chapter lead and global president of the ENABLED employee network (ENhancing ABilities and LEveraging Disabilities). She is a married stepmother to three adult children, one of whom is profoundly disabled – which was one of the things that helped to spark her interest in Chevron’s ENABLED Network.Imelda Salgado, Student, University of Evansville
Imelda Salgado, originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, is currently attending the University of Evansville for her bachelor's degree. She is majoring in public health with a health policy emphasis and minoring in Spanish. She welcomes the opportunity to share her stories and experiences as a person navigating through life with disabilities.Visit the professional development FAQ page, or contact the NACE Education & Events Team via e-mail or phone, 610.625.1026.
