Preparing for the Disability Policy Seminar: What to Know Before You Go

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This webinar, presented by Kim Musheno, Director of Public Policy at AUCD, offers students, trainees and early career professionals an orientation to the policy issues and current legislation one can expect to learn more about at the 2016 Disability Policy Seminar. Attendees will learn the basics of how to make an appointment to meet with Congressional representatives, and how to deliver a unified message about federally funded programs that benefit people with disabilities. Zipporah Levi-Shackleford, MA (AUCD Board Trainee Representative and West Virginia LEND trainee) and Brandon Eddy, MA, CF-SLP (Assistant Virtual Trainee and Oregon LEND trainee) will also share their experiences attending the Disability Policy Seminar, as well as provide tips on preparing for and making hill visits.

At the 2016 Seminar, hundreds of disability advocates from around the country will gather to discuss a wide range of public policy issues affecting people with disabilities and their families. We expect the following public policy issues will take center stage: Federal Funding, Medicaid and Community Living, Health Care, Social Security, Employment and Education, Autism CARES legislation, and Asset Development.

The webinar is intended for students, trainees, and early career professionals planning to attend the Seminar. To learn more about the 2016 Disability Policy Seminar please visit: http://www.disabilitypolicyseminar.org.

Kim E. Musheno, Director of Public Policy at AUCD

Kim Musheno is the Director of Public Policy at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities where she works on federal policy and legislative issues that affect people with developmental disabilities and their families. She also provides leadership as Vice-Chair of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Board of Directors, a coalition of more than 100 national disability organizations. Kim co-chairs the CCD Task Forces working on fiscal policy, developmental disabilities, and Autism, and serves on the Education and Employment Task Forces.

Prior to working at AUCD, Kim was a communications specialist at The Arc of the United States Governmental Affairs Office and research assistant at the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD).

During her approximately 20 years working in the field of disability policy, Kim has monitored or worked on nearly every major piece of legislation that affects people with developmental disabilities and their families, including the Developmental Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, the Work Incentives Improvement Act, Combating Autism Act, and legislation to reform Medicaid such as the Family Opportunity Act, Money Follows the Person Act, Community First Choice Act, and most recently, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.



Zipporah Levi-Shackleford, MA

Zipporah Levi-Shackleford is a second year trainee in the VA-LEND program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She served as the 2014-2015 Assistant Virtual Trainee and is the owner of and education consultant for Creative Approach Development Center, LLC, a business that provides academic supports for students and young adults with various disabilities including post-secondary enrollment and employment assistance.

She has two Associate degrees in Computer Programming and Elementary Education, a Bachelor's in Education, Child Development, a Master's in Education, Reading and Literacy and is a Doctoral candidate at Northcentral University completing her doctorate in Special Education. She is the mother of four children, 3 of whom have special needs. She is also actively involved with the Autism Society of Central Virginia, the Richmond foodbank and the SPCA.



Brandon Eddy, MA, CF-SLP

Brandon Eddy is a Clinical Fellow in Speech-Language Pathology at the Oregon LEND Program at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center. He received his Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Integrated Physiology from Pacific University in 2013, and his Masters of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Iowa in 2015. While at Iowa, he received training in the Iowa LEND program which inspired his continued training and strong interest in building collaboration between trainees throughout our nation's LEND programs. Brandon enjoys hiking the great Pacific Northwest, fishing, playing baseball, and has a passion for interdisciplinary research and practice.