Recap: UCP Economic Forum and 60 Years and Onward Celebration

Wednesday night's Life Without Limits Economic Forum focused on highlighting the economic potential of the disability community, and the event went off without a hitch. Life Without Limits Chairman and author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Tony Coelho, opened the event and introduced his friend and the evening's Keynote Speaker, Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor. Martinez praised the Life Without Limits initiative as being in sync with the goals of ODEP and said she looked forward to collaborating with UCP in the future.

Forum co-chairs Dustin Longstreth and Rich Donovan, both of consulting firm Integrated Process Solutions (IPS), gave a presentation outlining the disability consumer market and offered some proactive steps that business leaders can take to learn more about it.

Several presenters gave a brief overview of healthcare innovations, including UCP President & CEO Stephen Bennett, UCP Chief Technology Officer Greg Elin, who discussed the progress that open sourced innovational technology has experienced since the 1980s and the impending demands that will be placed on the system from the baby boomer generation. John Kuniholm from the Open Prosthetics Project provided evidence of how much technology has changed in society, and he noted that innovations have remained the same for people with disabilities by showing chronological slides comparing data since the early 1900s. Frank Hecker, Director of Grants and Programs at the Mozilla Foundation, discussed the innovations explored by the Mozilla Foundation in an open sourced capacity to develop new accessible technologies, including a screen reading software developed by a visually impaired person in Australia. All of Forum participants engaged in a lively and fascinating discussion about the intersection of technology and disability and the possibilities to integrate into the business world.

Assistant Secretary
Kathy Martinez, Office of Disability
Employment Policy (ODEP)

John Kuniholm from
the Open Prosthetics Project

Full Panel: From L to R:
John Kuniholm from the Open Prosthetics Project,
UCP Chief Technology Officer Greg Elin,
Frank Hecker, the Director of Grants and Programs at the Mozilla Foundation,
Dustin Longstreth, Integrated Process Solutions LLC and
Richard Donovan, Board Member, Integrated Process Solutions LLC
View More Photos on Flickr.com

The Forum concluded with an agreement by all that progress towards full employment and economic prosperity for people with disabilities would only be made through cooperation amongst government, business, and non-profit communities.

Following the Forum, participants joined other invited guests at the 60 Years and Onward Celebration. The theme for the evening was "Toasts, Tastes and Testimonials."

ABC's Terry Moran, the host of "Nightline," emceed the Celebration as Master of Ceremonies, and UCP Board Trustee and Emmy-nominated actress Cheryl Hines gave out the evening's awards. UCP of the North Bay won the No Limits Award for their outstanding employment program for people with disabilities, and WineBev Inc. and Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) President Ari Ne'eman won the Expanding Horizons Award for his work advocating for rights and dignity for persons on the autism spectrum.

ABC News Co-Anchor
'Nightline', Terry Moran

Actor, Cheryl Hines

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) President Ari Ne'eman
Winner of the 2009 UCP Expanding Horizons Award
View More Photos on Flickr.com

The highlight of the evening was a video that chronicles the formation, early years and development of UCP and its growth into an organization of parents of children with cerebral palsy in the New York area, to an international network of affiliates that provide programs and services to over 176,000 people with disabilities, every day. Featuring interviews and classic footage of past UCP telethons, this video delighted the audience and was produced through the support of UCP Board Trustee Loreen Arbus.

Much of the evening was spent surrounding the idea that the future holds great possibility for UCP. Stephen Bennett explained, "But we're not done. We still have work to do. Our work isn't finished."

For more information, please visit the United Cerebral Palsy Web site or for media inquiries, please contact Lauren Cozzi at (202) 776-0406 x7114.

Event Media Coverage:

• Politico: Hines Makes Appearance at UCP Event.
• K Street Kate: Able Body.
• Fish Bowl DC: ABC's Moran and Actress Hines Lend Hands to UCP.
• Washington Examiner: 'Curb' star Hines celebrates work of palsy institute.