Conference Agenda

DATE	TIME	DESCRIPTION
Sunday, 10/5/08	12:00 PM 4:00 PM	Setup Exhibits & Assistive Technology Demo
Sunday, 10/5/08	12:00 PM 4:00 PM	Registration Open
Sunday, 10/5/08	6:00 PM 7:00 PM	Oregon BLN Welcome Reception WELCOMING REMARKS: •  Jilma Meneses J.D., Board President, Oregon Business Leadership Network Director of Risk Management, Oregon Health Sciences University •  Lucy Baker, Executive Director, Oregon Business Leadership Network

Monday, 10/6/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Registration Open
Monday, 10/6/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Exhibitor Hall Open
Monday, 10/6/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Assistive Technology Demo Open
Monday, 10/6/08	10:00 AM 1:00 PM	USBLN® Strategic Planning Workshop for BLN Chapters SPEAKERS: •  TBA
Monday, 10/6/08	10:30 AM 10:45 AM	Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) Press Conference SPEAKERS: •  TBA
Monday, 10/6/08	10:30 AM 3:00 PM	Career Fair Student Central One - 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM SPEAKERS: •  TBA                                                                            Student Central Two - 12:00 PM to 1:00PM SPEAKERS: •  TBA Mock Interviews - 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM Employers Networking Room - 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Monday, 10/6/08	12:00 PM 2:00 PM	USBLN Affiliate Meeting
Monday, 10/6/08	2:00 PM 4:45 PM	General Plenary Session TOPIC: •  Advance Learning Technology & Business Strategies SPEAKERS: •  TBA                                                                 This program will focus on Serious Gaming and Corporate Learning Programs.
Monday, 10/6/08	5:00 PM 6:15 PM	General Plenary Session Count on Abilities: What They Don't Teach You in Disabilities 101 Welcoming Remarks delivered by ODEP Asst. Secretary Neil Romano KEYNOTE: •  Lori Golden, Ernst & Young (EY) Description: Lori Golden, AccessAbilities Leader at Ernst & Young, will discuss the Big Four accounting firm's unique approach to creating an enabling environment and building a supportive culture for people with disabilities. Lori leads initiatives aimed at ensuring accessibility in technologies, facilities, communications, training, meetings and events, and at ensuring equity in career development opportunities, so that individuals of all physical abilities can be productive and successful. Ernst & Young works to build disabilities awareness and understanding by educating its people in a number of different ways - quick guides, DVDs, posters, presentations, brochures, quizzes, live learning sessions, and inclusiveness training. The firm has two people resource networks focused on issues around working with disabilities, and a support group for parents of children with disabilities. AccessAbilities has made significant stides for people with disabilities at Ernst & Young, and Lori is pleased to share some of the more surprising lessons learned along the way.
Monday, 10/6/08	6:30 PM 7:30 PM	USBLN Welcoming Reception WELCOMING REMARKS: •  Katherine O. McCary, Board Chair, US Business Leadership Network •  John D. Kemp, Executive Director & General Counsel, US Business Leadership Network

Tuesday, 10/7/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Registration Open
Tuesday, 10/7/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Exhibitor Hall Open
Tuesday, 10/7/08	8:00 AM 5:30 PM	Assistive Technology Demo Open
Tuesday, 10/7/08	8:00 AM 8:45 AM	Continental Breakfast in Exhibitor Hall
Tuesday, 10/7/08	9:00 AM 10:30 AM	General Plenary Session Disability, Diversity, Inclusion & the Connection to the Bottom Line Welcoming Remarks delivered by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski KEYNOTE: •  Steve Hanamura, President of Hanamura Consulting In this session participants will explore the distinctions between disability, diversity, inclusion and its connection to the bottom line. Topics to be discussed include: •  How do we move beyond compliance to create breakthroughs in working with people with disabilities? •  What are the five dimensions of inclusion that bring value to the organizations success? •  The role of management and leadership that is needed to contribute to the success of people with disabilities? •  The role of the individual employee who has the disability in helping to shape the perception of colleagues that it is possible to work together with someone who has a disability? The session will be lively and inter-active.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: Diversity, Disability & Corporate Culture Is Your Firm Ready to Succeed Presenter(s): •  Nadine Vogel, President, Springboard Consulting, LLC Why are some firms successful at recruiting and supporting employees who either have a disability or who have a family member with a disability while others are not? While there may be a multitude of reasons, the three most common are: a general lack of disability awareness and support, incorrect placement of disability related initiatives relative to an overall corporate diversity initiative, and mismatch between the support and execution of such initiatives relative to corporate culture.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: Youth Employment Expanding Opportunities, Relationships, Relevancy and Resources Through Partnerships Presenter(s): •  Jay T. Engeln, Consultant, National Association of Secondary School Principals This session will address the impact of school/business partnerships on increased academic rigor, relevancy and relationships to support an environment that better prepares youth with disabilities for the world of work in a global marketplace. Proven strategies for implementing school/business partnerships will be shared.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: Hidden Disabilities & the Workplace On the Job with Hearing Loss Presenter(s): •  Rebecca Morris, President, Beyond Hearing Aids, Inc Hearing loss will impact over 36 million baby boomers who are valuable employees. Learn how to recognize the hidden cost to job performance, employment opportunities and pay. Learn practical solutions to overcome the barriers when accommodations are requested.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More Veterans with Disabilities - An Untapped Workforce Presenter(s): •  Debra Ruh, Founder & President, TecAccess This session will discuss the unique opportunities found in the untapped talent pool of veterans with disabilities. Debra Ruh will detail TecAccess' groundbreaking pilot program known as DVET, which has enjoyed success in placing veterans with disabilities in leading high tech IT jobs.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: Emerging Practices & Technology The line between innovation and accommodation is blurring Presenter(s): •  Michael Fiore, MBA, Program Manager, The Sierra Group Hardware, software, and networking innovations are changing the way all workers access data. From higher resolution displays to enhanced data retrieval systems and automated recruiting kiosks - technology in a global economy is altering the role that vocational rehabilitation must fill.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	10:45 AM 12:00 PM	Breakout Session: JAN Supertrack aHarmony: Facilitating Communication Connections Through Workplace Accommodation Presenter(s): •  Tracie Saab, Lead Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Communication is the key to developing workplace harmony, increasing productivity, and growing a business's bottom-line. Enhance workplace aHarmony through accommodations that facilitate communication. This session will include communication accommodation solutions that enhance the productivity of employees with all types of sensory impairments.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	12:15 PM 2:00 PM	General Plenary Luncheon Session Making History: Good Business and Exploding Potential KEYNOTE: •  Gary Karp, Author and Motivational Speaker Workers and consumers with disabilities are a dramatically emerging segment, and those businesses who recognize this are part of a significant historic process - and in a position to benefit from the contributions people with disabilities can and will make and are making in the workplace and our society. People with disabilities mean business, as their potential as workers and as consumers explodes thanks to recent developments which are removing artificial obstacles and expanding possibilities. Yet social beliefs about disability are so entrenched, that this emerging capacity still remains largely unrecognized. The BLN community is at the forefront of a historic transition which will bring this story into the open, bringing societies understand up to speed. Gary Karp, with humor, passion, and in convincing detail will describe, celebrate, and advocate for this remarkable paradigm shift as he explores the story of Modern Disability.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: Diversity, Disability & Corporate Culture Building Capacity from the Inside Out: Engaging Insiders to Enhance Disability Inclusiveness Presenter(s): •  Antonio Ruiz, Ph.D., Project Director, DBTAC NE Cornell University •  Hannah Rudstam, Ph.D., Senior Extension Faculty, Cornell University Program approaches to enhance diversity and disability inclusiveness in business settings are all-too-often limited when implemented by "outsiders." During this session, we will describe an innovative program approach that engages "insider" key players as co-experts in providing training offerings to enhance disability-inclusiveness.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: Youth Employment "Beating All Odds" - Journey to Real Community Employment Presenter(s): •  Cynthia Owens, Specialist, Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities •  Andy Owens, Self-Advocate No description available at time of print.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: Hidden Disabilities & the Workplace The Ugly Truth about the Hidden DisAbility Presenter(s): •  Steven Tamburro, Co-Chair, Rhode Island Business Leadership Network Presentation focuses on the "hidden" disability and how most of the time, it is not as hidden as you might think. The reality of the situation may make you re-think your strategy regarding disclosure. Some ideas to address this problem from both an employee and an employer point of view.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More Attract, retain and successfully manage the emerging workforce Presenter(s): •  Sheila Fesko, Ph.D., Program Manager, National Center on Workforce and Disability-University of Massachusetts The US workforce is changing with older workers, recent immigrants, and individuals with disabilities becoming workers of the future. Universal Design Solutions for Employment reflects a proactive approach to establishing simple, flexible and efficient programs and strategies that provide optimum outcomes for all stakeholders throughout the work life cycle.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: Emerging Practices & Technology Creating a Real TRIFECTA!!!! Build a winning team! Presenter(s): •  Howard Green, Business Liaison, Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research & Training Center This workshop will share the importance of creating a winning team (staffing organization, business customer and Rehabilitation program) and create new and exciting opportunities to get candidates with disabilities employment opportunities. Learn reasons why rehabilitation should work with staffing agencies and how staffing agencies can create ways for its business customers to see the value of hiring people with disabilities.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	2:30 PM 3:45 PM	Breakout Session: JAN Supertrack Practical Approach to Accommodating Employees with Psychiatric Impairments Presenter(s): •  Kendra Duckworth, Lead Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) In this session attendees will learn about common psychiatric disabilities and workable solutions to enable the employee to be productive on the job. Actual accommodation solutions from the JAN data base will be shared and active participation will be encouraged.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: Diversity, Disability & Corporate Culture Exploring the Bottom Line when Employing Workers with Disabilities Presenter(s): •  Brigida Hernandez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, DePaul University •  Karen McCulloh, Executive Director, disabilityworks This session will provide an overview of a three-year study that examined the economic costs and benefits of workers with disabilities from three sectors: healthcare, retail, and hospitality. Twenty-five businesses from the Chicagoland area participated.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: Youth Employment Students with Disabilities: Quality Candidates at Your Fingertips Presenter(s): •  Alan D. Muir, Executive Director, Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) •  Sarah Helm, The University of Tennessee This session will discuss the value of recruiting college students with disabilities, how to find them and to hire them. Tools will also be recommended to effectively accomplish these tasks, among them Career Gateway. Discussion and questions are encouraged.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: Hidden Disabilities & the Workplace A Study on Job Accommodation: Hidden Disabilities Presenter(s): •  Tracie Saab, Lead Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) •  Kendra M. Duckworth, Lead Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Calling upon the results of a 3-year study of 1182 employers who contacted the Job Accommodation Network, this session provides information on accommodation benefits/costs, successful accommodations, and ways to integrate procedures that enhance the productivity of employees with hidden disabilities.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More America's Heroes at Work: Tips on Employing Veterans with TBI-PTSD Presenter(s): •  Charles J. Sabatier, Jr., J.D., Senior Policy Advisor, US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy Participants will learn how ODEP and its partners have equipped employers and the workforce system to help transitioning service members and veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) succeed in the workplace.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: Emerging Practices & Technology When employees use WIN, businesses WIN! Presenter(s): •  Molly Sullivan, Program Analyst, Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services Find out why it is critical for your company's continued growth and success to know about your state's work incentives and benefits planning supports and services that can assist employees in everything from getting medical coverage to buying a home.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	4:00 PM 5:15 PM	Breakout Session: JAN Supertrack You're in Final Jeopardy with Motor Impairments Presenter(s): •  Beth Loy, Ph.D., Principle Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) •  Linda Carter Batiste, Ph.D., Principle Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) •  Don Brandon, Director, Disability Business Technical Assistance Center Northwest Join accommodation specialists for an interactive game of Accommodation Jeopardy, with a focus on motor-related impairments. Share unique experiences and learn about providing accommodation ideas for individuals with motor impairments (e.g., paraplegia, cancer, heart conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome, back conditions).
Tuesday, 10/7/08	6:00 PM 8:30 PM	Keynote Awards Dinner "How Opportunity for People with Disabilities and Clarity of Corporate Values are Linked" WELCOMING REMARKS: TBA KEYNOTE: •  Luke Visconti, Co-Founder & President, DiversityInc Many people think of "Corporate America" as being a monolith - that there aren't many differences between corporations. DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies data shows otherwise. Visconti will discuss the direct link between clarity of corporate values, diversity management, sustainability and opportunities for people with disabilities. He will help people identify the best possible corporations and will provide specific action points to help people maximize their opportunities, both personally and as a community. •  Annual Awards Ceremony The USBLN will present is 2008 Exceptional Leadership Awards immediately following the keynote.
Tuesday, 10/7/08	9:00 PM 11:00 PM	Movie Night with the USBLN FEATURED PRESENTATION: •  "Right to Risk: A 15 Day Journey Through Arizona's Grand Canyon" A film by John Ryan and Kathleen Jo Ryan "Right to Risk" chronicles the adventures of eight individuals - all of whom live with significant disabilities - on a 15 day, 225-mile whitewater rafting through Arizona's Grand Canyon. "Right to Risk" is an excellent testimony to the universal theme - at the hear of one's ability to enjoy life is the right to make choices, to develop and pursue life goals, and to participate fully.

Wed, 10/8/08	7:30 AM 8:45 AM	USBLN & JAN Breakfast Presenter(s): •  Job Accommodation Network (JAN) The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) will moderate what promises to be an insightful and dynamic plenary breakfast panel regarding the ADA Restoration Act. The audience will have the opportunity to hear from and then ask questions to a distinguished panel of national experts engaged in the ADA Restoration Act conversation. Panel experts include: Peggy Mastroianni, EEOC; John Kemp, Executive Director of the US BLN; Andy Imparato, American Association of People with Disabilities.
Wed, 10/8/08	8:00 AM 12:00 PM	Registration Open
Wed, 10/8/08	8:00 AM 12:00 PM	Exhibitor Hall Open
Wed 10/8/08	8:00 AM 12:00 PM	Assistive Technology Demo
Wed, 10/8/08	8:00 AM 8:45 AM	Open Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
Wed, 10/8/08	9:00 AM 10:15 AM	General Plenary Session KEYNOTE: •  Frances West, Director, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: Diversity, Disability & Corporate Culture Changing Disability Perspective: Valued Commodity vs. Token Gesture Presenter(s): •  Shayn R. Anderson, MS, Chief Operating Officer, Diversity Inclusion Societal and corporate views on disability have long been influenced by perpetuated stereotypes and negative media images. Participants will learn how a significant change in perspective on disability is not only necessary, but ultimately can impact positively their bottom line.
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: Youth Employment Disability Mentoring Day Presenter(s): •  David E. Hale, Program Manager, American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD) An overview of AAPD's Disability Mentoring program including a primer on the basics of the Disability Mentoring Day model, a discussion of current programmatic endeavors and national growth, and discussing the foundational principles of a mentoring model as a successful supported path to employment and independence for people with disabilities.
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: Hidden Disabilities & the Workplace You Can't Build a Ramp for a Mood Swing - Strategies for Hiring, Accommodating, and Managing Employees with Psychiatric Disorders Presenter(s): •  Don Brandon, Director, Disability Business Technical Assistance Center - Northwest •  Laurie Ford, Director, Community Rehabilitation Programs at CCER Psychiatric disabilities can create difficult employment situations. This workshop will familiarize employers with the dynamics of hiring and accommodating people with unseen disabilities. This session addresses the challenges of accommodation; utilizing job coaches; and cost benefits and tax breaks for employing qualified people with psychiatric conditions.
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More Bridging the gap: Best practices in accessible call centers Presenter(s): •  Lynne Brown, Business Development Specialist, IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center Customer service is expected to experience sustained growth between now and 2016. However, above-average global attrition rates require new approaches to recruitment and retention of talent. Learn about best practices in the development of accessible call centers and find out to leverage a largely untapped, but capable, employment pool of people with disabilities.
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: Emerging Practices & Technology AAPD's Disability Benchmarking Systemsm: Measuring Disability Investment Impact Presenter(s): •  Robin L Shaffert, Esq., American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD) Learn about AAPD's Disability Benchmarking Systemsm, a tool AAPD is piloting that will measure the impact of investments a company is making in programs to provide equality and full access to people with disabilities across the spectrum of the company's operations.
Wed, 10/8/08	10:30 AM 11:45 AM	Breakout Session: JAN Supertrack ADA Process: Hold on Tight Presenter(s): •  Linda Carter Batiste, Ph.D., Principle Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) •  Beth Loy, Ph.D., Principle Consultant, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Hold on tight to your seat! JAN shares practical steps to implementing an effective accommodation process. JAN's Principle Consultants will discuss hot ADA topics and share practical situations and solutions from JAN's follow-up study. Enjoy a day in their lives.
Wed, 10/8/08	12:00 PM 3:00 PM	Closing General Luncheon Session KEYNOTE: •  TBA
Wed, 10/8/08	3:00 PM 5:00 PM	Exhibitor Teardown