Our Vision
The National Center for Disability Entrepreneurship (NCDE) at The Viscardi Center is a strategic pathway to combat the many barriers which lead to widespread unemployment and underemployment within the disability community.
The Center, through its world-class program modules, trainers, and mentors, as well as a deep and unique understanding of people with disabilities, is an extraordinary resource that educates, transforms and empowers its members to achieve self-employment success.
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 NCDE is an extension of The Viscardi Center’s mission to educate, employ and empower people with disabilities.
This important effort also builds upon the many employment-related services The Viscardi Center offers, such as
school-to-work, youth transition services, vocational training, career counseling, employment placement and assistive technology for people of all ages with a wide variety of disabilities.
The Viscardi Center also assists businesses in diversifying their workforces and developing and advancing inclusive cultures in their workplaces on a national level. Further, in its role as a leader in addressing the significant employment gap for people with disabilities as compared to the non-disabled, students at the Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center are exposed to unique services and programs.
The Viscardi Center is a powerful, renowned hub of services, expertise and connections to support the launch of the NCDE and the next generation of entrepreneurs with disabilities.
The NCDE Team
The NCDE Team is comprised of members of the Executive Management Team of The Viscardi Center, an Entrepreneur in Residence, a Managing Executive Director and an E-Advisory Council.
NCDE Team
- John D. Kemp, President & CEO
- Sheryl P. Buchel, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
- Michael Zacchea, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, NCDE
- Victoria Rodriguez Minowitz, Managing Executive Director, NCDE
NCDE E-Advisory Council
- John D. Kemp, President & CEO. The Viscardi Center
- Erica Chase, Regional Director, Small Business Development Center
- Amy Marks Dornbusch, General Partner, Willowtree Venture Fund LP
- Greg Galdi, Founder & CEO, Custom Computer Specialists
- Carmen Daniel Jones, President & CEO, Solutions Marketing Group
- Jay Goldberg, Proprietor, Bergino Baseball Clubhouse
- Sharon Goldsmith, Senior Associate Dean for the Center of Entrepreneurship, HOFSTRA University
- Robert Hussey, Co-Founder, Sterilux LLC
- Emily Ladau, Founder & Owner “Words I Wheel By”; Writer, Disability Advocate, Communications Consultant
- John Pellitteri, Partner, Grassi & Co.
- Phil Rugile, Innovation Consultant
- Michael Zacchea, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, NCDE