Nevada Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities

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Empowering Advocacy in Policy Making and Legislative Change

This conference is to provide Legislative Advocacy training to stakeholders and Community partners through a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Lens (i.e., presentations from nationwide leadership advocates in policy change that are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and/or Speech Impaired). This includes a recap of the efforts and recognition of Legislative and Community engagement through the Commission’s ongoing efforts to fulfill the state plan initiatives of Access, Engagement, and Advocacy. 

The Nevada Commission for Person who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing or Speech Impaired is seeking to educate and empower individuals who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing on Policymaking and Change. This initiative is to impact the potential of stronger presence in the legislative process for the 83^rd session in 2025.

As a community, we must make a choice, to take a chance or things will never change!

Conference Materials

We are working to load all of the conference materials! Please be patient with us. If you need immediate access to anything, please email Obioma Officer at obioma@adsd.nv.gov. We are working on getting the transcript loaded as well. You should see this before the 2024 year!

Link to Dr. Rutledge Slides: Empowering Leadership: Transformative Self-Care | Gamma

Panel Question/Answers:

Change starts with you!

*******PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION BELOW *******

Due to the nature of the recent event at UNLV, we have changed the location. Please see below!

NEW Location: Southeast Career Technical Academy – Commons, 5710 Mountain Vista St, Las Vegas, NV 89120

Dates and Time:

Deaf Night Out No Host Event at Area 15: Friday, December 15 2023, 6:00 PM, 3215 S Rancho Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89102

Engagement Conference: Saturday, December 16 2023, from 7:30 am – 6:00 pm

We suggest you DRESS WARM!

Registration for Attendees (for Engagement Conference)

Cost of Attendance for Community Members: Free!!! This event is free for Nevada’s Self-Advocates (people who are deaf/hard of hearing/speech impaired) and Family Members (including support staff) from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

Cost of Attendance for Professionals: FREE!! We have a limited number of spots available for professionals. We ask that no more than 2 employees per agency register to attend this event. Please contact us directly for more information.

Cost of Out of State Attendees: $64/person

Agenda: See below! This will be almost 2 days full of engagement and networking for and with the deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired community. This includes their families and providers all seeking greater connection and collaboration with policy making and legislative change/support. 

Meals are included with registration. Please ensure you identify any accommodations you will need.

Registration for Vendors

Vendor Fee: There is no fee for vendors. We ask that you bring your own tablecloth and handouts. We cannot make any copies for you. There is limited access to power.

Cost of attendance includes meals, refreshments, and accommodations needed.

Benefits of Attending

Access:  

The Commission is committed to working with partners and stakeholders to increase access to services for the target population throughout Nevada. This includes:  

• Effective communication access to priority services such as healthcare, education, employment, and other social services.  
• Quality workforce of sign language interpreters, including certified-deaf interpreters (CDI), and captioning providers.  
• Inclusion of appropriate accommodations during emergency situations and public meetings such as the Legislative session. 

Engagement: 

The Commission’s efforts are most impactful through the development of working relationships with a multitude of partners including state, local, private owned and public businesses to increase diversity and inclusion efforts. This includes:  

• Continuous engagement with the target populations to improve efforts.  
• Increase awareness of target population and effective communication strategies among state and local partners, as well as other community providers.  
• Building partnerships to increase the access and support of the target population throughout the state. 

Advocacy:  

The Commission is deeply invested in advocating on behalf of the target populations in Nevada. Ensuring that all citizens are treated with equity, dignity, and respect is a top priority for the Commission.  

• Evaluate policy decisions and program designs to advocate for the needs of the target populations.  
• Increase awareness of the legislative process among the target population, including how to participate as advocates for themselves and the community.  
• Coordinating with other advocacy groups to amplify efforts on behalf of the target population.  
• Addressing the needs of marginalized communities within the target populations.

Tentative Agenda

Saturday, December 16, 2023 | 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Sunday, December 17^th, 2023 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Winter Gala (Hosted by NVAD): Sunday, December 17 2023 – 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Southeast Career Technical Academy – Commons, 5710 Mountain Vista St, Las Vegas, NV 89120

Registration for Winter Gala

TIME	AGENDA
3 PM – 6 PM	NVAD Community Winter Gala – Honoring Community Engagement, Accessibility, and DHH/SI Bi-Annual Legislative Advocacy. Conference Attendees Welcome (separate networking engagement – contact NVAD directly). Date & Time Subject to Change.

Schedule subject to change. Please keep checking this site for the most up to date information.

Keynote Speakers

Darren Smith was born and raised Baltimore, Maryland. He is an alumnus of the Maryland School for the Deaf and graduated from the University of Maryland University College (now known as University of Maryland Global Campus) with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and with a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore. Darren is very passionate about a lot of issues that range from political activism to education to community engagement, hence his knowledge of public policy. He enjoys reading, watching the news, and debating political issues. Darren engages in community outreach with different organizations, also serving as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Board of the Telecommunication Relay and as member of the Maryland Commission on Disabilities. He also tries to consult with different organizations and different political entities here in Maryland when it comes to inclusion because it’s important to be able to recognize that without inclusiveness, many people would miss out on the overall benefits of making sure that everyone gets to reap the rewards at the end of the day.

“Education must not simply teach work — it must teach life” — W. E. B. Du Bois

Isidore Niyongabo, MA, SHRM-SCP is the President Emeritus for the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA) where he served two terms from 2019 to 2023 and has been an active advocate through this organization since 2011. The founding Executive Director of International Deaf Education, Advocacy, and Leadership (IDEAL), Inc. Deaf service and advocacy has been a part of his work for over 2 decades. Most recently, Isidore was appointed for the second time to serve as the Co-chair for the 4th term of the Federal Communication Commission’s Disability Advisory Committee, to which he has been serving as a member since 2014 representing National Black Deaf Advocates.    

Originally from Burundi, Isidore’s world changed when he contracted and survived spinal meningitis and started his journey as a Deaf person.

After overcoming the challenges and obstacles in accessibility during his early education in Burundi, he moved to California to pursue higher education. His accessible and inclusive education in the U.S started at Ohlone College, California where he graduated in 2008 with an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts, with concentration in social sciences. Further, Isidore holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Diego State University, and a Master’s degree in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego with concentration in Human Rights advocacy, International Human Rights laws, conflicts resolution, and International Development.A leader in the field of Accessibility, human rights advocacy, and Human Resources, Isidore applies his education to all levels, including in his current professional job as  the Director of Employee Engagement at Sorenson Communications.

He continues to advocate for a better quality of life for Black Deaf and hard of hearing people in the U.S through IDEAL and inspirational speaking engagement around the world impacting thousand people through his story filled with examples of perseverance, self-reliance, courage, and hope while advocating for an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible world for Deaf and hard of Hearing people.

Howard Rosenblum is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). He also serves as the Legal Director and works closely with the NAD lawyers on policy advocacy and litigation work. He has been instrumental in significant legal victories such as: NAD v. Netflix, NAD v. Harvard, NAD v. MIT, NAD v. Trump, and Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools. Mr. Rosenblum has been a lawyer for over thirty years, including: twelve years at the NAD; nine years as a Senior Attorney at Equip for Equality, a nonprofit organization in Illinois; and ten years with a private law firm. He currently serves as the legal advisor to the World Federation of the Deaf. In 2010 and again in 2014, he was appointed by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Access Board. Mr. Rosenblum received his law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law (1992), and his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Arizona (1988).

Tim Smalley was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV and currently resides in Henderson, NV. He is a Customer Care Tier 1 Supervisor for Sorenson is Video Relay Service (VRS). VRS is a service where we provide accessibility to our D/HH who use American Sign Language (ASL) in our D/HH community where they can make phone call using video with interpreter on the screen who will interpreter the phone call between Deaf and Hearing person by using ASL.

Mr. Smalley has been working for more than 20 Years in VRS Industry for various VRS Providers, in various roles such as Installer/Trainer, Technical Support Tier 2, Technical Support Tier 2 Lead, and Customer Care Tier 1 Supervisor.

Tim is the President of Nevada Association of the Deaf and has been actively involved in Deaf Community since graduating from High School. He grew up finding himself advocating for accommodations and accessibility for various Deaf community members. He has also been involved with various non-profit organizations in this community and is President Emeritus for a Southern Nevada LEO Club (Youth organization of Lion Clubs), and Las Vegas Club for the Deaf (LVCD). Lastly, Tim is also a member of the Accessibility sub-committee and Employment sub-committee for the Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Speaker Bios

Check back soon for more bios from our speakers!

Dr. Felicia Rutledge liberates learning by leveraging brilliance as a creative strategist, special education and wellness advocate, and pedagogy and systems innovator. She has had a wide range of roles within education as a Teacher of the Deaf/Blind, a Teacher of the Deaf teaching a range of subjects in early childhood through middle/high school education, a K-12 Project Facilitator for Multi-Tiered System of Support supporting both in Language/Literacy and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and a Regional Coordinator for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. She continues her commitment to scholar achievement, supporting families, human talent development, and implementing systems rooted in equity and liberation as a special education consultant, coach, and advocate for both scholar and adult wellness and brilliance.

Tina Dortch was born in Detroit, Michigan and relocated to Nevada in 2006.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in Political Science / Public Administration, a Master of Public Administration degree from The Ohio State University in Urban Administration/Planning and a Fund Development Certification from the Center on Philanthropy – Fundraising School at Indiana University 

Her professional career is divided among equal parts public and private sector experiences.  With each position she emphasized the importance of equitable and/or inclusive development of policies and/or procedures.  At one point in her career, she focused on urban planning and program administration, highlighted by her years serving as the county-level Program Manager for federally funded housing assistance programs, overseeing a rental assistance program and supporting a 1^st time home buyer program.  She then accepted an appointment to serve as executive assistant to Dennis Archer, a former 2-term City of Detroit mayor. This period of governmental administration also included an appointment to the City of Detroit’s Board of Zoning Appeals. This period was highlighted by initiatives such as efforts to diversify the city’s construction industry sector.   The impact of this initiative inspired Tina’s first experience with the private sector as she spent the next decade in construction related administration.  Over these years these experiences required her to live in Washington, DC to represent the National Association of Minority Contractors (a minority trade association) as its Executive Director and ultimately brought her to Las Vegas where, as a partner in a small general contracting firm, she provided operational support that included overseeing the professional development of small and minority owned subcontractors. Tina’s most recent career path allowed her to revisit her public administration background in her new home state of Nevada.   Initially she engaged in workforce development for Tesla where she supported its community and economic development goals, optimized state issued incentives and diversified recruitment pipelines.   Since 2018, Tina has been committed to advancing health equity, having accepted a position with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services to manage its Office of Minority Health and Equity.  Often working with external stakeholders, she develops system-changing initiatives and policies that work to reverse disproportionately experienced health outcomes across all health determining sectors, she promotes the equitable provision of healthcare resources, and she raises awareness around adopting culturally and linguistically sensitive principles.

Alexandra Neal is a dedicated Minority Health and Equity Specialist with the Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity (NOMHE). She received her Master’s in 2021 in Medical Health Science from Touro University, Nevada. A Las Vegas native, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the historically black institution, Fort Valley State University.

Within her role at NOMHE, Alexandra has emerged as a leader in advancing access optimization, conducting research, enhancing health literacy, and promoting wellness among minority groups and marginalized communities across the state. As a seasoned professional in the fields of diversity, inclusion, and health equity, she oversees various healthcare initiatives, including health education, advocacy, diversification of clinical trials, examination of social determinants of health, and monitoring legislative activities and their implementation across multiple states. Furthermore, as part of her responsibilities, she collaboratively facilitates the development of programs and products centered on diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and outreach.

Prior to joining the Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity, Alexandra engaged with a diverse array of multisector stakeholders nationwide. Her areas of expertise encompass workforce diversification, legislative implementation, data analysis, regulation development, health, and financial literacy. She also gained valuable experience during her internship with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Care Unit, where she analyzed data related to regulation communication and policy implementation.

Alexandra is deeply passionate about enhancing health outcomes for historically marginalized communities through policy advocacy, increased literacy, and collaborative efforts. She remains steadfast in her commitment to health equity and is resolute in her pursuit of transformative initiatives aimed at addressing disparities in wellness determinants.

April is a Program Officer II at the Office of Minority Health & Equity, where she oversees the development of equity action planning initiatives and strategic development. Originally from San Jose, California, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health from San Jose State University and moved to Las Vegas in 2018. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Health with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2020. April has worked to promote community health with diverse populations throughout her career. After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked with the San Jose Parks & Recreation Department to promote community health in underserved areas, while also overseeing employee wellness programs at the Stanford School of Medicine. She has worked directly with children and families of racial/ethnic minorities, those with limited English proficiency, senior populations, and individuals experiencing homelessness or low-income circumstances. After her master’s program, April served as a Supervisor and Training Officer for the UNLV COVID-19 Contact Tracing Team. This team partnered with the State of Nevada and the Southern Nevada Health District to investigate COVID-19 cases in response to the pandemic. In 2021, the team was awarded Program of the Year by the Nevada Public Health Association. April is passionate about improving health outcomes through whole-community approaches and community education and engagement. Her ultimate goal is to develop and implement quality programs that improve the health of underserved populations.

Nicolas Anthony is the Research Director of the Research Division of the nonpartisan Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB), headquartered in Carson City, Nevada. Mr. Anthony started his LCB career with the Research Division in 1999 and was appointed Research Director in 2021. During his time with the LCB, he also worked for 13 years in the Legal Division as a Senior Principal Deputy Legislative Counsel. He has served as a Policy Analyst and Committee Counsel to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Judiciary, and most recently provided staffing and policy assistance to the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections. Mr. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Washington and Lee University, and a Masters in Business Administration and Doctor of Jurisprudence from Golden Gate University.  

Panelist

Lunch and Community Partner Panel: State and Community Resource Panel on Policy Making and Legislative Initiatives

Host for Panel: Eli Schwartz

Panelists:

• Beth Jones, Executive Director, Nevada Hands & Voices
• Shelly Freed, LVDS Interim Secretary
• Michael Pimentel, Vice President of Technology, Global Technical Communications
• Benjamin Soukup, CEO, Global Technical Communications
• Lora Lee Turner, Rehabilitation Supervisor, Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation Representative
• Timothy Smalley, President, Nevada Association of the Deaf
• Lance Ledet, President of the Hearing Loss Association of America Southern Nevada Chapter (HLAASNC)

Youth Advocates in Leadership – The Next Gen is NOW Panel

Host for Panel: Lora Turner, BVR

Panelists:

• Audrey Adeola, DETR Youth Self-Advocate
• Alexis Jones, Nevada Hands & Voices Youth Self-Advocate
• Cassandra Ayala, DETR Youth Self-Advocate
• Preston Mierr, DETR Youth Self-Advocate

Meet Your Commission

Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Obioma Officer was born and raised in the East Bay Area of California. Growing up in a mainstream setting with hearing loss, diagnosed at the age of 8 with Auditory Processing Disorder, Obioma didn’t begin signing until she was a freshman in High School. Graduating in 1999 from James Logan High School in Fremont, CA, Obioma went on to Ohlone College in Fremont, CA to pursue a degree in Deaf Studies. And now has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in strategic leadership.
 
As a founder of nonprofit organizations, advocacy movements, and a strong background in executive leadership, Obioma actively utilizes her degrees to open doors in the community for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) community. Prioritizing full access for the D/HH and their families, while bridging hearing organizations to Deaf culture and D/HH community needs.
 
Currently the Executive Director of the Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Obioma continues to strive to see greater attention and acknowledgement of the current needs those who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Speech Impaired (D/HH/SI) throughout the state of Nevada while supporting and educating providers and community members with statewide resources.
 
Being a promoter of Deaf advocacy and awareness for over two decades, Obioma’s personal mission is to seek equitable treatment and access for all within the D/HH/SI community nationwide.

Eric Wilcox is chair of the Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and occupies the seat reserved for a parent of a child who is deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired. He is a past president of Nevada Hands & Voices, a support and advocacy group for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and has been a volunteer in efforts to support families with deaf children since 2013. Eric works as an environmental scientist and lives with his family in Reno, Nevada.

Susan Beckett, Vice Chair of the Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing is a native Las Vegas resident. Her hearing loss journey began in high school when hearing loss was first reported. Her first hearing aids were in her early 20’s and eventually deaf by age 40.  She spent ten years deaf in rural Nevada.  Beckett received her first cochlear implant at age 50 and is now bi-lateral.

During Beckett’s hearing loss journey, she was an avid advocate for others creating and serving on boards non-profits in the Southern Nevada Rural Pahrump Township.  When she moved back to Las Vegas she attended UNLV and obtained her certificate in Paralegal Studies and has been working as a paralegal since 2012.  While her paralegal business is now a part time adventure, she continues to maintain assisting attorneys in Las Vegas while working full-time for the State of Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education.

Beckett stays active with the deaf and hard of hearing communities from the local to national organizations.  She holds the seat on the commission as member who is deaf or hard of hearing. Currently, she is Regional Director of Region IV for ALDA (Association of Late Deaf Adults) and a member of HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America), NVBDA (Nevada Black Deaf Advocates) and Las Vegas Deaf Seniors.  

Jaime Vitale has a passion for advocating for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community and this drove his passion to joining the Deaf Commission. Jamie is a Commission Member that represents an advocacy organization for the deaf, hard of hearing community, representing the Las Vegas Deaf Seniors. He is also the chair of the Interpreter Subcommittee. He is originally from Brooklyn NY and currently lives in Las Vegas. He currently works for ZP Better Together as an account manager. He and his partner share 14 fur children!

Laura Fink is originally from California East Bay but studied Psychology and American Sign Language at Western Oregon University. Her master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with a Deaf/hard of hearing emphasis integrated both areas of expertise. Laura has worked in state vocational rehabilitation services in Oregon, Utah and now Nevada totaling over ten years of services to the Deaf and hard of hearing communities. She has served on the state’s Commission for Persons Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing as the specialist in employment of people with disabilities since 2019.

Eli Schwartz is originally from New Jersey and received his M.B.A. from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.  He was born deaf and currently wearing bilateral cochlear implants.  He moved to Las Vegas, NV in 1980, and – after 25 years with Nevada Power – focused on philanthropy, working with several charitable organizations and periodically serving as charity president. In 2015, Eli became a deaf advocate when asked to serve on the Subcommittee on Communication Services (SOCS), which is the precursor to the Nevada Commission for the Persons who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Speech Impaired that was created in 2017 during 79^th Session of Nevada Legislature. Eli is the commission’s first Chairman and served for 4 consecutive years. He is now serving as the Commissioner representing User of Telecommunication Relay Services.

Ryan serves as a Commission member who is the parent or guardian of a child who is less than 6 years of age and is deaf or hard of hearing.

Catherine is a person who is deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, who was born and raised in Northern Nevada. Catherine previously served as a Commissioner in 2018 and has rejoined the Commission as of 2023. She serves as a non-voting member representing State agencies that serve the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is the Executive Director of the Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Ms. Nielsen her Bachelors in Applied Behavioral Science, a Master’s in Public Administration, and has served in the disability community for over a decade. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Arizona, pursuing her PhD in Philosophy in Human Services.

Catherine enjoys working with policymakers to ensure the voices of those with I/DD in the State of Nevada are always heard. She is a proud wife of a Nevada Army National Guard Veteran, who has severe Epilepsy. They share 3 daughters, one with disabilities and Type 1 Diabetes, and enjoy spending their time exploring all that Nevada has to offer! If she’s not in the Legislature testifying, you’ll find her outdoors spending time with her community.

Subcommittee Members:

Accessibility Subcommittee:

• Thom Duva, Chair
• Laura Fink

Education Subcommittee:

• Eric Wilcox, Chair
• Dr. Felicia Rutledge
• Dr. David Kelsey
• Dr. Kimberly Bauer-Schaub

Employment Subcommittee:

• Laura Fink, Chair
• Michelle Albrecht
• Laura Thompson

Interpreter Subcommittee:

• Jaime Vitale, Chair
• Alina Duncan
• Dr. David Kelsey
• Ehren Dei

Legislative Subcommittee:

• Eli Schwartz, Chair
• Beth Jones
• Susan Beckett
• Catherine Nielsen
• Julie Gwin

Collaborative Team Affiliations:

• Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation (DETR) Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR)
• Global Technical Communications (GTC) – ASL Anywhere
• Hearing Loss Association of America Southern Nevada Chapter (HLAASNC)
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
• Nevada Association of the Deaf (NVAD)
• Nevada Black Deaf Advocates (NVBDA)
• Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NVCDHH) – HOST
• Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (NGCDD)
• Nevada Hands & Voices (NVHV)
• Nevada Office of Minority Health and Equity (NOHME)
• Opportunity Village

Planning Team

Obioma Officer, Executive Director, Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Catherine Nielsen, Executive Director, Nevada Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilites

Eli Schwartz, Commissioner, Nevada Commission for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Beth Jones, Executive Director, Nevada Hands & Voices

Lora Turner, Division of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Obioma Officer at Video Phone Number: (725) 235-3206 or Email: NVDeafCommission@adsd.nv.gov Work Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Sponsors