The Viscardi Center seeks distinguished leaders with disabilities for its international award series.
The Viscardi Center today announced an official call for nominations for the 2017 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards, an annual award series that recognizes exemplary men and women with disabilities from around the world.
The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards commemorate the vision of the Center’s founder, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who himself wore prosthetic legs. A premier disability advocate, Dr. Viscardi served as a disability advisor to eight U.S. presidents and implemented groundbreaking employment and education programs for people with disabilities.
Launched in 2013, the Awards are bestowed to leaders in the disability community who continue Dr. Viscardi’s legacy through the example of their professional accomplishments and advocacy efforts. Past recipients have been diverse individuals with distinguished backgrounds in academia, health care, sports, government, law, non-profit, and corporate sectors.
“In the U.S. and abroad, remarkable individuals who are deserving of recognition are blazing trails of accomplishment that improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, community members, and even global leaders,” John D. Kemp, President and CEO of The Viscardi Center, said. “The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards honors dedicated visionaries whose contributions extend beyond physical, cultural, and geographical differences to influence change in the global community.”
The 2017 Henry Viscardi Awards Selection Committee is co-chaired by former U.S. Senator Robert Dole and Sherwood “Woody” Goldberg, Esq., retired U.S. Army Colonel and current Senior Advisor for Asian Affairs at the Center for Naval Analysis.
“It is a special honor serving once again with Senator Bob Dole as co-chair of the Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards Selection Committee,” Goldberg said. “Awardees of these internationally coveted Awards are selected annually after careful review by the Selection Committee for making lasting contributions to enhance the quality of life for people of all orientations with disabilities.”
Joining the Selection Committee this year are two 2016 Award recipients: Juan Pablo Salazar Salamanca, President of the National Council on Disability in Colombia, and Saima Aslam, National Coordinator at the National Forum of Women with Disabilities in Pakistan.
Returning Committee members are Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President & Global Chief Diversity Officer of Sodexo; Ricardo Garcia Bahamonde, Strategic Development Director of AMAC Accessibilities Solutions & Research Center at Georgia Institute of Technology; Rosangela Berman Bieler, Chief of the Disability Section at UNICEF; Cari Dominguez, former chair of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission; David Krupa, ABC certified prosthetist and CEO of the Range of Motion Project; Lonnie Moore, Program Analyst at the Career and Education Readiness Branch, WTC G-1 Army Warrior Transition Command*; Mark Wafer, President of Megleen (o/a Tim Hortons); and James Sinocchi, Managing Director of the Office of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The deadline for submissions is October 20, 2017. Recipients will be announced at an event in New York City in December. To submit a nomination or learn more about our selection process, please visit: viscardicenter.org/2017-henry-viscardi-achievement-awards/
*Does not imply official endorsement of The Viscardi Center by the Department of Defense.
About The Viscardi Center
Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability advisor to eight U.S. Presidents and became one of the world’s leading advocates, The Viscardi Center educates, employs and empowers children and adults with disabilities. It provides kindergarten through high school education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement, assistive technology, adapted driver education and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents and adults with disabilities.
