Disability Empowerment Now

Jennifer Gasner is the author of “My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis.” Gasner received her BA in English from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and her MS in recreation from Western Illinois University. Her work with Independent Living Centers enabled her to learn about various disability programs throughout the country and ignited her passion for disability culture. She relocated to San Diego, California, on her own at the age of twenty-eight. As a mentor for What’s Next, a program for youths with disabilities, and as co-chair of UC San Diego’s Staff Association for staff with disabilities, Jennifer solidifi...

Eddie Cash is the inspiring 2024 Dancing With the Blind Champion. Eddie’s love for basketball started at a young age—and although he lost his vision at 15 due to a bone overgrowth that crushed his optic nerve, his passion for the game never faded. Today, Eddie gives back as a DJ for the Boys & Girls Varsity basketball teams at his alma mater, Kearny High School. In 2023, Eddie was invited by Solo to the Kwanzaa celebration at NJPAC, where he was introduced to Eyes Like Mine Inc.—a connection that changed his life. With Solo as his dance partner, Eddie […]

Sara Gullihur-Bradford is an Entrepreneur, Author, Talk Show Host, Autism Advocate, Global Speaker and Trainer. Sara is a late diagnosed AuDHD woman and a passionate advocate. She is the founder of SJ Childs Global Network Non-Profit, an organization that positively impacts the lives of many families. Sara is also the CEO of SJ Childs LLC, an autism consulting business that provides support to families. Sara and Keith talk about SJ Childs Global Network and her podcast. They talk about the interview process and share insights into unique experiences. They talk family, friends and the love of talking to people.   […]

Kurt and Jordan are back! Kurt Yaeger is an American actor and disability advocate known for his inspiring story of resilience and determination. In 2006, his life took a dramatic turn when he was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his left leg. Despite this life-altering event, Kurt Yaeger continued to pursue his passion for acting and quickly established himself as a talented actor in the entertainment industry. He’s best known for his roles in popular TV shows like “Sons of Anarchy” and “Quarry” and “NCIS.” His acting career has also included roles in films […]

Elsie Rogers is an Author, Entrepreneur, and Business Change/Project Management Consultant & Speaker. She has worked in business change and transformation for more than 25 years. This has involved implementing projects across banking and finance, insurance, retail, the payment card industry, and government sector all in the UK. She has led both offshore and onshore teams in implementing Program Management Office Service offerings for transformation programs worth £20m-£1bn. Keith and Elsie talk about her book and life experience. They discuss parenting and talking to others about better parenting. They talk about life experience and how they have grown as disability […]

Season 4 Episode 33 Tasha Hickling is the founder of Indigo Hub, a certified Neurodivergent Life coach, indigo diaries podcast host and soon to be a qualified Somatic Trauma Informed Therapist. With ADHD diagnosed in her 20s, autistic diagnosed at 30 and other co-existing conditions, she is neurodivergent herself. Her experiences have shaped her into who she is today. Keith and Tasha talk about her podcast journey, therapy and the importance of talking to people and her journey living with ADHD.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and […]

Renee started her impressive career 35 years ago as one of the pioneering female outside industrial salespeople. Fueled by a unique blend of passion and determination, she took the entrepreneurial leap five years later, starting her own company with just $3,000 and a high- interest credit card. This bold move marked the beginning of a successful journey, during which Renee developed a sustainable business model by building long-term relationships and adopting a servant’s mentality across the globe. In 2019, Renee sold her industrial fastener company, but her passion for entrepreneurship persisted. She shifted her focus to consulting, speaking, and writing, […]

Gretchen Vogel is an Executive Assistant to the CEO and Springboard Consulting Motivational Keynote Speaker. Gretchen Vogel was born with a myriad of disabilities, none of which stops her from independently living life to the fullest. Gretchen is currently employed at Springboard Consulting. In her tenure, she has served in many capacities and currently, as the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer. Her previous experience includes roles at Prudential Financial and YAI Roosevelt Children’s Center. Nadine Vogel is the CEO of Springboard Consulting. Springboard works with corporations around the world to mainstream people with disabilities in the global wo...

Adam R. Lalor, Ph.D. is an educational psychologist and Vice President for Neurodiversity Research and Innovation at Landmark College. His research focuses on the transition and success of disabled college students to and through postsecondary education. Mark Thurman is the director of the Centers for Diversity and Inclusion at Landmark college and the Men’s Head Basketball Coach. Keith, Adam and Mark talk about Landmark College and its importance in the disability community. They talk about the programs and experiences each has had at Landmark and the opportunities Landmark College offers for students.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pas...

Leo Ricketts trained in relational transactional analysis and has been practicing since 2014. Eight years later, aged 55 he was diagnosed autistic having suspected as much for years. This came with a bonus ADHD diagnosis which surprised precisely no-one in his personal life. He has what his psychologist described as a very AuDHD CV, having had careers as a drummer, DJ, journalist, radio presenter, graphic designer, digital producer and project manager. In his work as a therapist he feels he has come home and with a practice of 95% neurodivergent people, has found his tribe. As well as his client […]

Season 4 Episode 28 Ben Mattlin is a Los Angeles-based Senior Writer at Financial Advisor magazine and the author, most recently, of Disability Pride: Dispatches from a Post-ADA World (2022). His work has appeared in Time magazine, the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Newsweek, CNN.com, Self, New Mobility, and on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Other credits include the Mark Taper Forum, Blonde and Brunette Productions, and the children’s television program Biker Mice from Mars. A complete list and links to clips can be found at BenMattlin.com. He was born in New York City in […]

Season 4 Episode 27 Erik Fuhrer is a queer, nonbinary poet, playwright and scarf tie aficionado whose fashion sense is part Buffy Summers, part Blanch Devereux, and part the lion from The Wizard of Oz. Their most recent book, Gellar Studies (Spuyten Duyvil, 2023) hailed as “exceptionally delectable and devastating” by Addie Tsai, creatively engages with the work of icon Sarah Michelle Gellar to unfold personal narratives of queer trauma. Keith and Erik talk about their inspirations, the writing process and reflect on their shared memories from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright

Season 4 Special Report 3 This Special Report focuses on the state of the disability community in current times, 2025. Keith will talk with guests about their experiences and how they can navigate the struggles the new political world has laid down. For this special report Keith talks with Chris Desborough MSW, the Community Outreach Director for the city of Tucson and Director of Disability Pride Tucson.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Heather C. Markham is an engineer, assistive technology professional, public speaker, competitive Para Surfer, educator, ADA architectural barriers specialist, golfer, and award-winning international photographer. Her company, Making Waves for Good, launched in 2018 with three goals in mind: Provide ADA code compliance and usability consulting to businesses–because accessibility is more than just ramps; Publish authors with an authentic voice; Curate a gallery of fine art photography crafted with love that offer a new perspective on the Unseen. Heather and her husband currently live in central Arizona’s wine tourism capital, with her deaf super-snuggly Maine coon cat and his deaf dach...

Season 4 Episode 25 Nicole D’Angelo, Rebekah Greer Melocik and Jacob Yandura return to talk about the success of their Broadway play “How to Dance in Ohio.” They are all professionals who have contributed to the play in various forms and they are all thrilled by the success of their play. Keith talks to the crew about the future of the show, how they could make a sequel and messages from the audience that stuck with each of them. For more with Nicole D’Angelo, Rebekah Greer Melocik and Jacob Yandura listen to the “How to Dance in Ohio” mini-series.   […]

Season 4 Episode 24, 100th Episode Disability Empowerment Now is celebrating its 100th episode with Former Senator Tom Harkin. Thomas Richard Harkin is an American lawyer, author and politician who served as a United States senator from Iowa from 1985 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was the U.S. representative for Iowa’s 5th congressional district from 1975 to 1985. He is the longest-serving senator to spend the entire tenure as a state’s junior senator. Former Senator Harkin is most known for introducing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into the Senate. Harkin delivered part of a […]

Season 4 Episode 23 Kat Stratford, who is Deaf but uses hearing aids, is a former candidate for state house, and currently works for the City of Tucson in addressing the emergency of homelessness and housing insecurity. Keith and Kat talk about her recent breakup, how she has overcome struggles and how her life has changed in the last few months.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Season 4 Special Report 2 This Special Report focuses on the state of the disability community in current times, 2025. Keith will talk with guests about their experiences and how they can navigate the struggles the new political world has laid down. For this special report Keith talks with Chris Desborough MSW, the Community Outreach Director for the city of Tucson and Director of Disability Pride Tucson.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Hannah Woelke has provided disability related services in Tucson for over a decade. Having witnessed the impact of missing or inadequate sex education in the disability community, Hannah decided to study to be a sexuality educator. She built on her BA in Psychology and Certificate in Adult Education by attending the Institute for Sex Education & Enlightenment but she was providing resources and training to the community on topics related to sexuality years before she began these studies. Hannah has presented for numerous local parent groups and service providers such as Pilot Parents, the Jewish Community Center, Beacon Group, and […]

Hannah Woelke has provided disability related services in Tucson for over a decade. Having witnessed the impact of missing or inadequate sex education in the disability community, Hannah decided to study to be a sexuality educator. She built on her BA in Psychology and Certificate in Adult Education by attending the Institute for Sex Education & Enlightenment but she was providing resources and training to the community on topics related to sexuality years before she began these studies. Hannah has presented for numerous local parent groups and service providers such as Pilot Parents, the Jewish Community Center, Beacon Group, and […]

This Special Report focuses on the state of the disability community in current times, 2025. Keith will talk with guests about their experiences and how they can navigate the struggles the new political world has laid down. For this special report Keith talks with Chris Desborough, the Community Outreach Director for the city of Tucson and Director of Disability Pride Tucson.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

lABLEd Podcast, the show about disability, illness and difference is a UK based indie podcast that puts the power of definition back in the hands of those normally defined by their health or conditions. The show aims to highlight the individuality and reality of disabled people and disabled life by giving disabled people an opportunity to tell their own stories and share the issues that are important to them. Hosts Alice and Lucy draw on their own lived experiences as disabled people and offer a refreshingly honest, funny and occasionally dark insight into disability and difference. With episodes dedicated to […]

Carey Cox is a New York based actor. Originally from El Paso, TX, Carey has a BFA in Musical Theater from Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and an MFA in Acting from UNC Chapel Hill. Carey has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theater. Joseph Kibler is a born disabled and HIV positive actor/writer/content creator living in New York, NY. Joseph has appeared on shows such as Chicago Med, Good Trouble, Criminal Minds and CSI Cyber along with several National commercials from brands like Wells Fargo, Toyota, National Association of Realtors & United Healthcare. Joe, Carey...

Makenzie Morgan Gomez (she/they) is a professional theatre artist and creative based in Brooklyn, NY. Makenzie is an ambulatory mobility aid user, rotating between a cane, forearm crutches, and a manual wheelchair depending on the activity, day, and even what works best for the character they’re playing. She has what is considered “Dynamic Disability,” meaning their symptoms can vary drastically day by day. In Spring 2024, Makenzie had the pleasure of performing with 19 year old Libby in the disability-informed Off-Broadway production of “I Ought To Be In Pictures” by Neil Simon with TBTB. Keith and Makenzie talk about her […]

Sean Daniels is an internationally known theater director, writer and artistic director, known for new work and innovative community-based leadership. He is a leading voice in using the arts to defeat addictions. As an artist, he has been a NYTimes Critic Pick as a director and a writer. Keith and Sean talk about working in the theater, the power of theater to help with addiction and the importance of community.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

John is a personal trainer with over 17 years of experience, much of that focused on working to improve health and wellness for people with disabilities. Adam is a guidebook author, an avid outdoor sports and endurance athlete and believes passionately in outdoor recreation as the path to living a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Both are the founders of TruFit an athletic club that aims to “revolutionize the image of the fitness club experience.” Keith and John and Adam talk about TruFit’s origins, its mission and values and why this was needed for the disability community. Keith talks to […]

Louis Morrell is the Board Chair of Theater Breaking Through Barriers, “the only professional Off-Broadway theater company dedicated to advancing artists and developing audiences of people with disabilities and altering the misperceptions surrounding disability by proving, once and for all, that disability does not affect the quality or integrity of our art or artists,” according to their website. Louis and Keith talk about their love of theatre and the stage, they discuss the importance of accessibility when it comes to Broadway and off-Broadway and they talk about the future of accessibility.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. […]

Scott Mobley is the Executive Director of Ability Dogs of Arizona, a nonprofit empowering individuals with disabilities through its owner-train service dog program. With a background in counseling and a passion for community building, Scott‘s strives to create independence and reduce isolation for program participants. Under his leadership, Ability Dogs celebrates 50 years of service and continues to innovate in the field of service dog training. Scott is dedicated to creating inclusive spaces and making a lasting impact in Southern Arizona. Scott and Keith talk about the change in direction for the company, how both got involved and how the organi...

Sean Dineen PhD is an adjunct professor at Kean University in New Jersey. Sean also has Cerebral Palsy and has served as chair for eight years of the American Birding Association. He also served for six years on the business committee of the Wildlife Conservation Society, its major corporate development and fundraising advisory committee. Sean and Keith talk about disability advocacy in higher education, they discuss Sean's educational path as well as how he manages everyday life. Keith and Sean talk about the importance of experiencing the world.

Disability Empowerment Now is...

Rylin Rodgers serves on Microsoft’s Accessibility Team as a Disability Policy Director. She strives to impact disability policy in the areas of technology, workforce and fundamental right. Rylin’s work is influenced by her lived experiences with disability. She is dyslexic and has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and the mother of two young adults with physical disabilities and medical complexity. Her family is ALL IN for disability policy! Rylin and Keith talk about empowerment through accessibility, how her work impacts the world and the path she took to get to her position with Microsoft. Rylin talks to Keith about her advo...

Danny J. Gomez is a professional actor who was paralyzed from the waist down in a 2016 mountain bike accident that nearly killed him. He is best known for roles in such hit shows as NCIS: Hawai’i, New Amsterdam, All Rise, and feature film Martinez Margaritas and Murder. He is a two-time Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winner for the films I/0 (2019) and Check Mate (2018), and has been a finalist in other years. He was awarded the Christopher Reeves Acting Scholarship in 2020. Most recently, Danny completed a successful Off-Broadway run in the play All of Me which garnered […]

Ryan Miller is the Founding Pastor of Damascus Road, a church that is committed to following Jesus together at the University of Arizona. Ryan also serves as the Director of Campus Ministry for Missions Door. He provides leadership, vision, training, and care campus ministries throughout the United States, Mexico and Central America. Ryan and Keith talk about their church experience, friendship and the connections they share. Ryan also talks to Keith about the future and how their friendship has evolved over the years through church.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. Season 4 is dedicated to Christina […]

Freddy Pang and Meg Gray are neurodivergent church members at The Journey Church, Tucson and a good friends with Keith. They talk to Keith about their relationship, living as a neurdivergent person and their passions for church and ballroom dancing. Freddy and Meg are newly weds and they talk about navigating their lives living with their disability.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Nathan Klein is a University of Arizona student with Autism, studying Horse Racing. Nathan and Keith talk about their shared interest in horses and Sonic the Hedgehog. Nathan also talks about his experience as a disability advocate and his autism experience. Nathan and Keith also talk about the future and what Nathan plans to do after college.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Jim Roden is a Pastor at The Journey Church in Tucson, Arizona. Jim and Keith talk about Jim’s ministry, disability advocacy within the Church, and Jim’s personal experience with disability advocacy.     Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend. Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright.

Chris Desborough is the Community Outreach Director for the city of Tucson and Director of Disability Pride Tucson. Disability Pride Day coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This United Nations initiative was created to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society. This annual event features disability resources, performers and other activities. Chris and Keith talk about the origins of Disability Pride Day Tucson and how the event has grown over the years. They talk about this year’s event which will be held Dec. 7. They also talk about the roles […]

John R. McFarlane is an Actor with Polio and a Polio Advocate. John and Keith talk about Polio Advocacy, traveling the world, and John's personal experience living with Polio. They talk about the importance of living life and embracing the "Polio family." 

BEGIN: Thought I would just share a bit about myself.  As you may have seen or know, I enjoyed an extensive commercial career but for the past 40 years or so I have concentrated on the disability sector.  I had polio when I was 18 months old and use a wheelchair full time.  So, I am interested both...

Temple Grandin Ph.D. is a renowned autism spokesperson, author and animal behaviorist and an academic. She is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She returns to Disability Empowerment Now to talk with Keith about her books “The Autism Brain” and “Visual Thinking.” She also discusses the importance of jobs for the Autism community. Temple and Keith also discuss future projects.   Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright. Disability Empowerment Now Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.

Jenny Sichel is a 2016 Rio Paralympic Silver Medalist and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Coach for Team USA in the sport of rowing. She was a USRowing National Team member for seven years and in that time won five international silver medals. When she’s not on the water, Jenny is passionate about destigmatizing mental health and is a strong advocate for independent living of people with disabilities. She currently works at the National Council on Independent Living as the Operations Director and her secret dream is to host a daytime talk show. Recently, Jenny has helped form an indie improv group based […]

Andrew Gurza is the host of Disability After Dark, a podcast that looks at disability stories and started in 2016. Andrew and Keith bond about their podcast experiences and they also bond over their shared disability. Andrew talks about the origins of Disability After Dark and the overall message it aims to bring to the community. Keith and Andrew also discuss the importance of having hosts with disabilities lead conversations in the podcast sphere. S4 Ep4 Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright.   Disability Empowerment Now Season 4 is dedicated to Christina Trivigno, Disability Advocate and Friend.