| Biographies |
|
ECNV Board of Directors
ECNV Executive Director
[ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Michel Bagbonon’s 15+ years of international development experience in the public and private sector includes financial management, program design, implementation, and evaluation. His clients include USAID, USDA, UNSO, The Mitchell Group, African American Institute (AAI), the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Africare, other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and national governments. Michel has extensive experience in training needs assessment and conduction of workshops including training of trainers. Field experience with NGOs & PVOs, in the field of food security and HIV/AIDS, includes short and long-term assignments in Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. Michel has periodically served as a volunteer at ECNV and he works earnestly on his own independent living goals. Fluent in two languages (French and English), Michel also possesses a working knowledge of Portuguese and Arabic. He lives in the City of Alexandria. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Joseph DePhillips' background includes over twenty-seven years of leadership experience as a policy and program specialist in rehabilitation research, writing, program planning and evaluation, grants, and contracts monitoring (COR). Mr. DePhillips has developed an in-depth and applied knowledge of key Federal legislation impacting the lives of individuals with disabilities including an extensive knowledge and daily administration of The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. He also maintains excellent public speaking, organizational, government-wide training and technical assistance skills. Mr. DePhillips is sensitive to the needs of special and diverse populations and issues related to civil rights, educational opportunities, equal employment, and assistive technology. During his career he has received two gubernatorial appointments as the Connecticut State Director of the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals, and currently, as a Board member of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. He has also served on several local boards and commissions for the disabled. Mr. DePhillips' goal is to make certain that every ECNV client realizes his/her maximum potential. He wants to utilize his various contacts within the community to increase the number of employment opportunities for eligible ECNV clients. Mr. DePhillips believes the exorbitant unemployment rates for individuals with disabilities should not exist in such an affluent nation as we live in and he intends to give this issue his immediate attention. Mr. DePhillips has recently been selected for and is currently enrolled in the class of 2006 for Leadership Arlington. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] In 2005, Jeffrey Hayman took long term disability after 25 years in a variety of executive positions at Freddie Mac. Currently and for the last four years, Jeff proudly serves with distinction as a Board Trustee for the Multiple Sclerosis Society- National Capital Chapter. Previously, he served for three years on the Freddie Mac Foundation. As Jeff begins a new journey in his life’s path he finds that community, family and faith serve as stepping stones both to grow and guide. Ending dependent living is both a personal cause and community commitment for Jeff. One of his greatest learning experiences grew from his participation on the Presidents Commission for the Employment of Peoples with Disabilities. His involvement in supporting the Abilities Network Group at Freddie Mac is one of his most satisfying contributions. Jeff resides in Vienna, Virginia with his wife, Sharon. Their 30 year anniversary is in 2006. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Bryna Helfer, Ph.D. recently joined the Office of Strategic Planning and External Liaison at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Throughout her career, Bryna has actively engaged in facilitating interagency coordination, strategic planning, and systems change initiatives. Prior to joining GAO, Dr. Helfer served as a senior staff adviser for the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility. In this role, she was instrumental in launching United We Ride, a national initiative targeted to enhance transportation access for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with lower incomes. Other past roles include the Director of Project ACTION, a national center on accessible transportation and the Director of the National Traumatic Brain Injury Technical Assistance Center. Dr. Helfer has a long history of working on policy and programs related to disability and human services at the local, state, and federal levels. She has many years of experience working on issues related to injury prevention, emergency preparedness, acute and post acute rehabilitation, youth transition, accessible transportation, assistive technology, disability sports, and recreation. Dr. Helfer graduated with a Bachelors degree from Ohio University in Therapeutic Recreation and still maintains her certification. She holds a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Services from George Mason University and a Doctorate Degree in Special Education from the George Washington University. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Lee Jones is a former Senior Executive for HUD and a Certified Government Financial Manager with successful management and executive experience in banking, corporate, government, consulting and not-for-profit organizations. A recognized thought leader in government financial management and systems, data warehousing and cash management, he has served as the director of federal systems for DecisionPath Consulting. As the Assistant Chief Financial Officer for Systems at HUD, Mr. Jones managed over $30 million in procurements annually and 100 staff and contractors to operate, maintain, enhance, integrate, develop, administer and evaluate HUD’s core financial systems, and was responsible for all budget, procurement and HR activities, including a multi-million dollar project to assess and replace HUD’s core financial systems. He acted as the financial advisor and coordinator/monitor for major departmental systems applications. During his tenure at the Department of Labor, where, as Director of Office Financial Systems, he was responsible for systems that processed 18,000 biweekly payroll payments that accounted for $37 billion per year, Mr. Jones received the Secretary’s Exceptional Achievement Award. Mr. Jones was a winner of Government Executive’s Federal Technology Leadership Award and has presented at over 20 professional conferences and meetings, including The Data Warehousing Institute and the Association of Government Accountants. Mr. Jones was a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University, and holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (BA, Psychology) and The George Washington University (MBA). He is also an active volunteer, serving as Commissioner of the Arlington Disability Advisory Commission and on the Board of Directors of Community Residences, Inc., an organization that provides group housing and other services to mentally challenged adults. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Bradley Miles is a current member of the Board and is up for re-election. Mr. Miles is a resident of Arlington and is a Senior Systems Engineer/Assistive Technology Analyst with CSC, a large computing consulting firm. Currently contracted to the U.S. Department of Education, Mr. Miles provides support for the integration of assistive and adaptive technologies into an enterprise wide environment. Mr. Miles assists with Section 508 compliance monitoring of new and modified applications and web sites. Mr. Miles offers demonstrated management and a wide range of technical abilities including having worked with many people with disabilities and with both Section 504 and Section 508 compliance. Mr. Miles supports an enterprise wide TTY Services network based application and has given presentations about it other Federal agencies. Mr. Miles also runs a private Internet Messaging Board to provide peer support for a genetic hidden disability. Among his nonprofit activities are Arlington Jaycees and Toastmasters where he has been a member since 1997 and is currently his clubs Vice President of Education and is an Area Governor, where he oversees four other clubs and had served as the past President of his club. Mr. Miles has over 20 years of experience in customer technical consulting and had an MBA and BS in Computer Science. Mr. Miles is also a PMO member, pursing his Processional Project Management Certification. For fun, Mr. Miles has recently become involved with a local Arlington Improv group. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Suzanne Mitchell is an Arlington resident who serves as a Vocational Rehabilitative Services Specialist with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. She has a comprehensive knowledge of disability issues and experience in planning, policy, grants writing and program development that stretches as far back as 1977 when she served as Executive Director of the Federation Center of the Blind in Columbia, South Carolina. Ms. Mitchell also served for five years as Program Administrator for the Louisiana Center for the Blind and for nine years as Blind Services Executive Director for the State of Louisiana Rehabilitative Services. Suzanne holds a B.A. in Psychology (cum laude) from University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC where she has also completed substantial hours toward Ph.D., in Clinical Psychology, as well as having completed credits toward her M.S in Rehabilitation Counseling from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA where her speciality has been rehabilitation of ethnic minorities. A former President of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind and the Baton-Rouge Mayor-President's Commission on Disability Affairs, Suzanne's professional development activities and appointments have been recognized through several awards and honors including the 1991Distinguished Service Award from the National Federation of the Blind in Louisiana. In 2000 she received the Governor's Award for Outstanding Person with a Disability from Governor Mike Foster of Louisiana. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] As an attorney at the National Disability Rights Network, the membership association for the state Protection & Advocacy systems (P&A's), Elizabeth Priaulx works within the Training and Advocacy Support Center, a federally funded P&A support center for member P&As. In her capacity as the Senior Disability Legal Specialist, Ms. Priaulx provides assistance to P&As related to community integration, with a focus on Medicaid long-term care funding policy and litigation, the implementation of the ADA integration mandate regulation in the states, and enforcement of psychiatric advance directives. She develops teleconferences, training, dockets, and other resources to enhance P&As ability to advance Medicaid law and promote community integration. Ms. Priaulx is also the Legal Consultant for state mental health divisions who are participating in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's "Mental Health Olmstead Coalition" project. In this capacity, she provides training and legal information to enhance states ability to enforce the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. and E. W., which requires states to provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Ms. Priaulx is a person with cerebral palsy and a mental health consumer who has worked since she was a teenager to promote disability self-advocacy and to be a voice in the larger arenas of the disability-rights movement. She began working formally as a disability advocate in 1986, at United Cerebral Palsy Association, providing technical assistance to affiliates related to IDEA and Medicaid funding for assistive technology. Additionally, she worked at the U.S. General Accounting Office preparing a report on the implementation of Title II of the ADA as of 1992 and 1993. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University and a Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law at the American University in Washington, D.C. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Maria Verónica Reina, M.Ed. served as President of the Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR) before joining the Burton Blatt Institute. In this capacity she oversaw the CIR’s programs including Research, E-Learning and the International Disability Rights Monitor Project, a landmark international initiative that documents and assesses the situation of people with disabilities worldwide. Ms. Reina is a psycho-pedagogue, a specialist in learning disabilities and a renowned international disability rights advocate. María’s advocacy work has focused on raising awareness and involvement of the international community on the Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. Ms. Reina has organized Inter-American campaigns on the Convention aimed at the media, governments and other nongovernmental organizations, including the “Susana Abalo defense” campaign. In addition, Ms. Reina has chaired international disability rights meetings and conferences, moderated the International Disability Caucus communications and managed the Spanish translation and distribution of Disability Convention documents throughout Latin America. Other organizations with which Ms. Reina has worked include the Inter-American Institute on Disability, the Institute for International Disability Advocacy, the Institute for International Cooperation and Development, Argentinean Disabled People Organization Cilsa, and University Institute “San Martin”, where she was adjunct professor. A graduate of the Catholic University of Santa Fe, Argentina, Ms. Reina received a specialization in Special Education for School Integration and a Master’s degree in Open and Distance Learning and Teaching, at the Spanish University Uned. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Jeffrey M. Schaffer is a Principal at the international consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton, where he started after completing his Bachelors in Political Science in 1981 and Masters in Public Administration in 1983 at American University. Mr. Schaffer has provided systems-related consulting services to dozens of organizations in the public and private sectors, over a 25 year period. He currently leads Booz Allen's Process Improvement Program for software and systems engineering. In this role, he manages the firm's compliance with the Software Engineering Institute's CMM and CMMI models and the International Organization for Standardization ISO 9001 standard, and provides process improvement consulting services for public and private sector clients. Mr. Schaffer is a disability civil rights leader, and he has been recognized with three Booz Allen Diversity Leadership Awards. He was the National Business & Disability Council's Gold Honoree, Manager of the Year in 1999, and he served on the Employer Subcommittee of the Presidential Commission on Employment of People with Disabilities. He is also a Board Member for The ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, a center for independent living for people with disabilities. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] John Stubbs is Co-founder and Chairman of ABILITIES Network through his employment at Freddie Mac in McLean, VA. Mr. Stubbs first joined Freddie Mac in 1998 as a consultant and is now full time in Funding and Investments. He has been a leader in Freddie Mac to establish a accommodation funding program for employees with disabilities. John was first elected to ECNV's Board in 2003 and has served diligently to contribute to ECNV's success, including his leadership to secure over $25,000 during the past three years in corporate funding for ECNV in generous gifts from the Freddie Mac Foundation. In 2006, John undertook an Executive Committee leadership role on the Board as ECNV's Treasurer. A die-hard Boston Celtic and New England Patriots fan, John is a native of Providence, Rhode Island who received his degree in Accounting from Gallaudet University. He was previously employed with Sallie Mae from 1990-1996 where he established TTY services for deaf and hard of hearing customers. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Steve Yaffe began his new position as Chief Operating Officer of Community Transportation Services for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in July, 2006. Mr. Yaffe’s position is new to WMATA and in his capacity Mr. Yaffe oversees all MetroAccess operations. Mr. Yaffe is also responsible for developing attractive alternatives to MetroAccess that will provide additional mobility options for people with disabilities. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] Tony Young was a Co-Founder of ECNV and subsequently served as ECNV's first Executive Director. Currently Mr. Young works as Director of Governmental Activities for NISH. Formerly he worked in advocacy and policy development for the United Cerebral Palsy Association, and he was previously the Director of Residential and Community Support Services for the National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, where he also served on the Board of Directors. Mr. Young is a Fellow with the World Institute on Disability with special expertise in Personal Assistance Services and Technology-Related Assistance, and his expertise has helped guide the development of personal assistance services at ECNV. His leadership on the Ticket to Work and Workforce Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA) is only one of his more recent disability-related legislative achievements. [ top | Contact Board Memebers ] |
Home | About Us | Services | FAQs | Calendar | Membership | Facility | Contact Us
