The Changemakers series is part of our Professional Membership. This series features Global thought leaders sharing insights on change, adaptation, and acceleration in today’s evolving world. 

October is, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time for us to recognize and celebrate the contributions of our workers with disabilities. It is also a time to help all of us look at our own environments and ask if we are creating inclusive employment experiences for all. This panel conversation will tap into those with expertise in the area of employees with disabilities, as we explore topics including intersectionality, advocacy and empowerment. With one in four adults in the US having some sort of disability, disability impacts us all.

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Kerry Stith, Accessibility Director, PNC

In his role as PNC’s Accessibility Director, Kerry helps to shape and drive strategies to make PNC accessible for all employees and customers. As the father of two sons with disabilities, Kerry has a long history working for disability awareness and advocacy.  He’s been active in PNC Enable, PNC’s disability awareness ERBG.   Kerry previous served as PNC Enable awareness group leader and personally led the hidden disabilities awareness group. He currently serves on the Disability:IN Accessibility Leadership Committee.

Kerry has been with PNC for 23 years. Prior to his current position he has served in various leadership roles in Consumer Lending, Supply Chain Management, and Enterprise Program Management.

Joyce Bender, CEO, Bender Consulting

Joyce Bender continues as an international leader in the area of disability employment through her role as CEO at Bender Consulting Services. A person living with disabilities, epilepsy and hearing loss, Joyce founded Bender Consulting Services, Inc. in 1995 after immersing herself in the disability community after a life-threatening accident due to a seizure. Prior to founding Bender Consulting Services, Joyce worked in the executive search industry where she ran her own search firm, Bender and Associates.

Joyce is the host of Disability Matters, the longest running podcast on Voice America. In 2018, Joyce founded Bender Leadership Academy, a nonprofit focused on preparing youth with disabilities to be successful in the workplace. She speaks across the United States and internationally representing the State Department on informational exchanges related to disability employment best practices. She has represented the State Department in programming with Panama, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan and Tunisia. Joyce is the current Vice Chair and Past Chair of the Board of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), is on the Board of Trustees for the Bazelon Center, and a current member of Disability Rights Pennsylvania and the Epilepsy Association of Western/Central Pennsylvania.

Jill Houghton, President & Chief Executive Officer, Disability:IN

Disability:IN is the leading global nonprofit organization for advancing business disability inclusion and equality. Her more than 25 years of diverse leadership experience driving disability inclusion was ignited by challenges she experienced having a learning disability.

Ms. Houghton leads a team of talented and diverse individuals, including people with disabilities, who are working to build an inclusive global economy that enables people with disabilities to participate fully and meaningfully. Their work has empowered over 400 leading brands to advance disability inclusion and equality through groundbreaking programs including Inclusion Works, the Disability Equality Index, the CEO Letter on Disability Inclusion, NextGen Leaders, Supplier Diversity and Disability-Owned Business Certification and more.

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