This event is open only to members of The National Press Club and credentialed press.
Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, Vinton Cerf, and other influential leaders in disability inclusion, technology, and advocacy will discuss how embracing assistive technologies and adopting an inclusive mindset will drive U.S. economic growth by employing the nearly 11 million people with disabilities at a National Press Club Headliners event on September 4 at 10:00 a.m.
According to a recent Accenture report, companies leading the way with inclusive workplaces achieved, on average, “28 percent higher revenue, double the net income and 30 percent higher economic profit margins over the four-year period analyzed.” The same report found that the GDP could receive a net gain of $25 million per each one percent of this population that joins the U.S. labor force.
Harkin is the chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 while Vinton Cerf is the winner of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation for founding and developing the internet. They will be joined by others to convene a discussion about the impact potential of this untapped population, and how workplaces can set in motion the necessary culture shift and technology acceleration to make it happen.
This event will be held at 10:00 am. in the Club’s Conference Rooms and is open to credentialed media and Club members free of charge, however, registration is required.
Speakers:
- Tom Harkin, former U.S. senator and author and chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Vinton Cerf, winner of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation for founding and developing the Internet
- Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden, professor and director of the Trace R&D Center, University of Maryland, and pioneering advocate for access to technology
- Kim Charlson, global advocate for inclusion, serving as executive director of Perkins Library, a division of Perkins School for the Blind, and immediate past president of the American Council of the Blind
- Chet Cooper, leading expert for people with disabilities and founder of ABILITYMagazine.com, abilityJOBS.com, ABILITYJobFair.org and ABILITYCorps.org
- Rob Wong, assistive technology entrepreneur and CEO of Control Bionics, provider of EMG wearable bionics devices