In case you missed it you can view the webinar video here! Hear from business leaders who are working to change attitudes about disability and employment.
Is your business strategic and innovative when it comes to ensuring access for applicants with disabilities? Are you investing in accessibility and inclusion for all employees?
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,” which reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Virginia Ability Forum will focus on opening doors to employment opportunities and offering innovative solutions to help businesses build inclusive cultures that are accessible for all employees.
October 26, 2021 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST
FORUM SPONSORED BY:
Hear from business leaders who are working to change attitudes about disability and employment.
Crosby Cromwell | Chief Partnerships Officer for the Valuable 500
Crosby’s career spans across the corporate sector, global NGOs, and social impact entrepreneurism, the common thread is ensuring more people, especially people with disabilities, can thrive economically. She is an accomplished strategist, known for her collaborative approach to large-scale problem solving. Currently, Crosby is the Chief Partnerships Officer for the Valuable 500 and is charged with developing and supporting the Valuable 500 Companies and the organizations partners, committed to advancing disability inclusion. Additionally, she leads community development for Open Inclusion, a DEI customer insights firm based in Europe. In 2007, she joined Walmart in order to design and implement the company’s first national disability platform. She also served as a senior program officer at the Walmart Foundation, where she led Women’s Giving under the Walmart Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative, creating sustainable career pathways for low-income women. During her time at the Foundation, more than $60M in funding was distributed to programs, for employment training for women. She has been involved in numerous task forces and community outreach organizations for underrepresented communities. She is a development advisor for Mobility International and most often speaks on topics ranging from DEI employment to corporate social responsibility.
Audra Jenkins, SPHR, SHRM SCP, CDP | Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Randstad North America
As chief diversity and inclusion officer with more than 20 years of human resources, diversity, supplier diversity, and compliance experience; Audra provides internal and external clients with guidance for effective strategies in diversity, supplier diversity, inclusion, and compliance. Under Audra’s leadership, the company has received numerous diversity awards. Audra is the executive sponsor for Randstad’s Hire Hope program which provides career readiness training and job placement services to underserved and at-risk women, including survivors of homelessness, exploitation, and trafficking. In addition, Audra’s department leads Randstad’s social justice initiative, the TRANSCEND program, which provides reskilling and placement for diverse and untapped communities. Audra holds a Master’s in Business Administration with a Human Resources concentration, and a Bachelor’s in Finance, from the University of North Carolina. A member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); she is also a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), an SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), and a Six Sigma Green Belt. Audra is known for her speaking engagements at diversity conferences, hosts the global Diversity Deep Dive podcast, and has published several white papers in her area of expertise.
Dr. LaMondre Pough | CEO, Billion Strong
Dr. Pough is a passionate speaker, mentor, and recognized leader for the community of People with Disabilities. In his current role as CEO of Billion Strong, he brings to the position his natural ability to empower audiences to embrace diversity and create environments where people genuinely belong. He believes that making the world a better place, not only now but for future generations, is truly what this journey is all about.
Diagnosed before his second birthday with spinal muscular atrophy, LaMondre understands firsthand the global disability inclusion space. As an African American man with a disability, he also has a lived experience with the intersectionality of minority and marginalized groups. He challenges all people, everywhere, to find purpose and ways to improve themselves in every circumstance.
In addition to his role as CEO of Billion Strong, LaMondre serves as the Chairman of Arts Access South Carolina and recently was inducted into the Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, for his unwavering work supporting disability justice, racial justice, and COVID-19 related issues that impact the disabled community.
