Webinar

Zainab is the Policy Counsel at the NAD. As Policy Counsel, Zainab is responsible for providing analysis, recommendations, and advice to the NAD on policy issues affecting people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Zainab regularly interfaces with government agencies, Congress, coalitions, media, and businesses on all issues affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Zainab also represents the NAD at conferences, on advisory committees and panels, and through presentations. Zainab also serves as the President of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association and Chair of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network. Before joining the NAD, Zainab served as Deputy Director at the Maryland Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing coordinating the office’s legislative and policy efforts. Zainab has a BA in political science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Heather is the Associate Executive Director of Government Relations at Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). Her responsibilities include managing the organization’s efforts on Capitol Hill and working with the Administration to promote legislation and policies that ensure veterans with significant disabilities receive the health care and benefits they have earned and the civil rights protections that they deserve. She also works to promote collaboration between disability organizations and veterans service organizations and is a past Chair of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, which is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal disability public policy. She also serves on the board of the Disability Rights Bar Association and is an internationally recognized expert on issues related to air travel access for people with disabilities. Prior to joining PVA, Heather served as Vice President of VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, and as the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Lutheran Services in America Disability Network. She holds a BA and MSW from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a JD from the Washburn University School of Law in Kansas.

Ben is currently a Legislative Assistant for Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI), and his portfolio includes transportation, infrastructure, housing, and retirement issues. In previous roles on Capitol Hill, he also worked for Congressman Ron Kind (WI-03) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN). Ben grew up in Prior Lake, Minnesota and graduated from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, MN.

Mitch serves as the Legislative Director for Congresswoman Dina Titus who represents Nevada’s First Congressional District in the heart of Southern Nevada. While overseeing the Congresswoman’s legislative team, Mitch is the Congresswoman’s advisor in her role as Member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and on the many caucuses she Co-Chairs, including the House Travel and Tourism Caucus. In this capacity, Congresswoman Titus continues to focus on making the travel experience an enjoyable one that is built on the foundation of hospitality and starts the moment people leave their homes to make their journey. Mitch was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and is a graduate of the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.

We value access and strive to make our meetings accessible and welcoming to all participants. The NAD is committed to access and all of the presenters have been provided with guidance on making their presentations accessible. We also provide accommodations to meet individual needs during the webinars. If you have a question about an auxiliary aid or service you requested on your registration, please email [email protected]. All webinars will be in American Sign Language (ASL) unless specified.

• Our webinars are intended to be a safe, secure, and learning environment for all participants with the purpose of encouraging productive discussions
• All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner, and to show respect to everyone at all times without any form of harassment.
• The NAD does not tolerate harassment of any kind, including but not limited to: race, national origin, age, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, religion, or political affiliation. The NAD reserves the right to expel any person who engages in violations of this conduct policy, and also reserves the right to ban such person from future events. No refunds will be given to any person who has been expelled from the conference for violating this conduct policy.
• Anyone can report harassment or inappropriate conduct. If any person’s behavior has made you uncomfortable, or if you witness inappropriate conduct towards someone else, please immediately contact any staff or security affiliated with the NAD.

By attending a webinar, you agree and understand that you are giving permission to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) to obtain and use screenshots, audio, and video recordings at the webinar, without restriction or limitation for such use. You also agree and understand that you will not be compensated for the use of such photographs, or audio, or video recordings. You further agree and understand that if you do not want to be photographed or recorded in audio or video, you will notify [email protected] before the webinar.

NAD webinars may be free (with a charge only for CEUs) or might have a cost for registration. Any payments made towards registering for a webinar and/or the CEUs are non-refundable except for a medical emergency or a death in the family (written documentation is required).