Befriending Legislators
Day: Tuesday
Time: 3pm - 4:30pm MDT
Presenter(s): Kim Bianco-Majeri, Chad Ludwig, Opeoluwa Sontonwa, Karen Atwood
Abstract:
This workshop will encourage everyone to become aware of and hopefully become involved with the legislative process. Oftentimes people get involved when there is a crisis or a bad bill. Relationship building and consistent communications will foster an understanding of our issues and needs and reduce the need to react to bad bills.
Day: Tuesday
Time: 3pm - 4:30pm MDT
Presenter(s): Kim Bianco-Majeri, Chad Ludwig, Opeoluwa Sontonwa, Karen Atwood
Abstract:
This workshop will encourage everyone to become aware of and hopefully become involved with the legislative process. Oftentimes people get involved when there is a crisis or a bad bill. Relationship building and consistent communications will foster an understanding of our issues and needs and reduce the need to react to bad bills.
Presenter(s) Information
KimBianco-Majeri
Kim holds an M.B.A. degree from North Park University with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management and a master’s degree from New York University. With this education and over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate settings, advocacy has always been a core principle of her work. Recent events have revealed the need to increase legislative advocacy skills within our community especially with respect to educating legislative officials on the needs and rights of deaf and hard of hearing adults and children. Kim is excited to fill this role of State Legislative Affairs Coordinator with the NAD and work with all states!
KimBianco-Majeri
Kim holds an M.B.A. degree from North Park University with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management and a master’s degree from New York University. With this education and over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate settings, advocacy has always been a core principle of her work. Recent events have revealed the need to increase legislative advocacy skills within our community especially with respect to educating legislative officials on the needs and rights of deaf and hard of hearing adults and children. Kim is excited to fill this role of State Legislative Affairs Coordinator with the NAD and work with all states!
Chad Ludwig
In the summer of 2017, Chad founded Bridges Oregon and volunteered the time to build this nonprofit organization into a viable organization to serve the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Oregonians. Chad continues full-time in his role as a Center Director for the Research and Resource Center with Deaf* communities (RRCD) at Western Oregon University. He previously worked as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Specialist with the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services with the Department of Human Services and served as Director of Field Operations for the ZVRS, A Division of ZP Better Together, LLC. A California native, Chad graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Master of Social Work from East Carolina University in addition to a Graduate Certificate in Social Work Practice with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In November 2015, Chad received a certification in American with Disabilities Act Coordinator through ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ADAC) at the University of Missouri. With over 20 years of primarily DeafBlind Interpreting work and in April 2019, he passed RID’s CDI written test and is currently waiting for a result from the performance test that he took last December. Finally, in September 2020, Chad passed the Oregon Health Care Interpreter (OHCI) credential. Currently, Chad is the chair of the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program’s advisory committee. Chad serves as a member of the advisory board with Friends of Oregon School for the Deaf, Oregon’s Early Hearing Detection & Intervention, and Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. Chad also serves on a core team for Oregon State ASL Interpreter Licensure Bill and is a volunteer lobbyist with the Oregon Legislature. He is a member of the Oregon Association of the Deaf, Oregon Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, National Association of the Deaf, and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Chad enjoys gardening, bicycling, hiking, cooking, canning, traveling, and takes care of his live-in mother.
Chad Ludwig
In the summer of 2017, Chad founded Bridges Oregon and volunteered the time to build this nonprofit organization into a viable organization to serve the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Oregonians. Chad continues full-time in his role as a Center Director for the Research and Resource Center with Deaf* communities (RRCD) at Western Oregon University. He previously worked as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Specialist with the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services with the Department of Human Services and served as Director of Field Operations for the ZVRS, A Division of ZP Better Together, LLC. A California native, Chad graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Master of Social Work from East Carolina University in addition to a Graduate Certificate in Social Work Practice with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In November 2015, Chad received a certification in American with Disabilities Act Coordinator through ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ADAC) at the University of Missouri. With over 20 years of primarily DeafBlind Interpreting work and in April 2019, he passed RID’s CDI written test and is currently waiting for a result from the performance test that he took last December. Finally, in September 2020, Chad passed the Oregon Health Care Interpreter (OHCI) credential. Currently, Chad is the chair of the Oregon Telephone Assistance Program’s advisory committee. Chad serves as a member of the advisory board with Friends of Oregon School for the Deaf, Oregon’s Early Hearing Detection & Intervention, and Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services. Chad also serves on a core team for Oregon State ASL Interpreter Licensure Bill and is a volunteer lobbyist with the Oregon Legislature. He is a member of the Oregon Association of the Deaf, Oregon Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, National Association of the Deaf, and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Chad enjoys gardening, bicycling, hiking, cooking, canning, traveling, and takes care of his live-in mother.
Opeoluwa Sotonwa
Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa is the Commissioner for Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Before he was appointed by Governor Baker in February 2021, he previously served as the Executive Director of Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. An accomplished international thought leader; Dr. Sotonwa has been involved with disability rights issues since becoming a lawyer in Nigeria – He was instrumental in the drafting and passage of Nigerian disability rights law. In Missouri, he was involved in drafting and passage of over twenty pieces of legislation – some of which have established hearing aids distribution program for Low-Income, establishment of a statewide support service program for Deafblind to live independent life, Commercial Driver License law that paved the way for Deaf people to be obtain CDL, 911 service legislation that repositioned Missouri 911 Service for Next-Generation 911 service, and overhauling of Missouri state Interpreters Certification System, statewide data of Deaf and Hard of Hearing population in Missouri, just to mention among others. He held two Missouri gubernatorial appointments as a board member of the 911 Service Board and the Governor’s Council on Disability. He was a member of the Relay Missouri Advisory Committee, Missouri Department of Mental Health Deaf Advisory Council, and Missouri Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Project Advisory Committee. Dr. Sotonwa has played key roles within and outside Deaf communities in the United States and African countries. He was formerly the Vice President of National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA), the nation’s foremost civil rights organization serving Black Deaf community. He also served as the Chair of NBDA Board of Director. Dr. Sotonwa is currently a board member of the Telecommunication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc. (TDI) as well as several think-tank organizations that focus on disability rights advocacy around the world. He recently served as the technical lead member of a consortium of African disability rights law experts that drafted the Nigerian Disability Rights Law modules funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). Dr. Sotonwa is a member of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA) and, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association. Dr. Sotonwa holds an LL.M. Degree (Master of Laws) from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. He also holds an LP.D. Degree (Doctor of Law and Policy) from Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts, where he conducted a doctoral research entitled “The Lived Experiences of Deaf Suspects during Police Interrogations: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis”. A consummate advocate; Dr. Sotonwa brings a lot of passion and a community-centered leadership approach to MCDHH. A recipient of numerous awards; He was most recently honored as the recipient of 2020 Judge Arnold Krekel Trailblazer Award for Human Rights.
Opeoluwa Sotonwa
Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa is the Commissioner for Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Before he was appointed by Governor Baker in February 2021, he previously served as the Executive Director of Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. An accomplished international thought leader; Dr. Sotonwa has been involved with disability rights issues since becoming a lawyer in Nigeria – He was instrumental in the drafting and passage of Nigerian disability rights law. In Missouri, he was involved in drafting and passage of over twenty pieces of legislation – some of which have established hearing aids distribution program for Low-Income, establishment of a statewide support service program for Deafblind to live independent life, Commercial Driver License law that paved the way for Deaf people to be obtain CDL, 911 service legislation that repositioned Missouri 911 Service for Next-Generation 911 service, and overhauling of Missouri state Interpreters Certification System, statewide data of Deaf and Hard of Hearing population in Missouri, just to mention among others. He held two Missouri gubernatorial appointments as a board member of the 911 Service Board and the Governor’s Council on Disability. He was a member of the Relay Missouri Advisory Committee, Missouri Department of Mental Health Deaf Advisory Council, and Missouri Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Project Advisory Committee. Dr. Sotonwa has played key roles within and outside Deaf communities in the United States and African countries. He was formerly the Vice President of National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA), the nation’s foremost civil rights organization serving Black Deaf community. He also served as the Chair of NBDA Board of Director. Dr. Sotonwa is currently a board member of the Telecommunication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc. (TDI) as well as several think-tank organizations that focus on disability rights advocacy around the world. He recently served as the technical lead member of a consortium of African disability rights law experts that drafted the Nigerian Disability Rights Law modules funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). Dr. Sotonwa is a member of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA) and, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association. Dr. Sotonwa holds an LL.M. Degree (Master of Laws) from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. He also holds an LP.D. Degree (Doctor of Law and Policy) from Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts, where he conducted a doctoral research entitled “The Lived Experiences of Deaf Suspects during Police Interrogations: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis”. A consummate advocate; Dr. Sotonwa brings a lot of passion and a community-centered leadership approach to MCDHH. A recipient of numerous awards; He was most recently honored as the recipient of 2020 Judge Arnold Krekel Trailblazer Award for Human Rights.
Karen Atwood
Karen Atwood resides in Seattle, Washington and is currently President of Washington State Association of the Deaf since 2017. Since graduating from high school in 1972, she had served in many Deaf organizations for variety of positions – to name a few: from college as secretary for Sea King Club of the Deaf to president of Greater Seattle Club of the Deaf to president for Northwest Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf. She worked for US Postal Service and formed the American Postal Workers Union Deaf & Hard of Hearing Task Force nationwide. Because of her passion to improve the lives for every Deaf person, politics became a “necessary” to get our rights and equality; and increase awareness and educate the public.
Karen Atwood
Karen Atwood resides in Seattle, Washington and is currently President of Washington State Association of the Deaf since 2017. Since graduating from high school in 1972, she had served in many Deaf organizations for variety of positions – to name a few: from college as secretary for Sea King Club of the Deaf to president of Greater Seattle Club of the Deaf to president for Northwest Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf. She worked for US Postal Service and formed the American Postal Workers Union Deaf & Hard of Hearing Task Force nationwide. Because of her passion to improve the lives for every Deaf person, politics became a “necessary” to get our rights and equality; and increase awareness and educate the public.