Keynote Speakers

Speakers subject to change. Visit the JAN Conference Web site in the future for information on additional keynote speakers!

Christine M. Griffin, General Session, Monday, September 18, 9:00 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

John D. Kemp, Luncheon, Monday, September 18, 11:45 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.

W. Roy Grizzard, Welcome, Monday, September 18, 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Dinah F. B. Cohen, Opening General Session, Tuesday, September 19, 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Joan M. McGovern, Luncheon,Tuesday, September 19, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Christine M. Griffin
General Session
Monday, September 18
9:00 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

Christine M. Griffin was sworn in on January 3, 2006, as a Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Ms. Griffin was nominated by President George W. Bush on July 28, 2005, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 4 to serve the remainder of a five-year term expiring July 1, 2009.

As one of five members of the Commission, Ms. Griffin participates with other Commissioners on all matters which come before it, including the development and approval of enforcement policies, authorization of litigation, issuance of Commissioners’ charges of discrimination, and performance of such other functions as may be authorized by law, regulation, or order.

Ms. Griffin’s work experience in labor and employment law includes positions in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of the Disability Law Center in Boston from 1996 to 2005. The Law Center provides legal advocacy on disability issues that promote the fundamental rights of all people with disabilities to participate fully and equally in the social and economic life of Massachusetts. As Executive Director, she provided leadership for the Law Center’s 25 employees and conducted its overall management, including programmatic and fiscal planning, priority setting and implementation, and fundraising.

Prior to that, Ms. Griffin served from 1995 to 1996 as an Attorney Advisor to the former Vice Chair of the EEOC, Paul M. Igasaki, advising him on legal matters and policy issues. Ms. Griffin’s other federal work experience includes serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Army.

A native of Boston, Ms. Griffin is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and served as its Interim President from 1993 to 1994. She is also a graduate of Boston College Law School and, upon graduation, was awarded a Skadden Arps Fellowship at the Disability Law Center. Ms. Griffin has served on many boards and task forces, including the national Social Security Administration Ticket to Work Advisory Panel, the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. In December 2005, Ms. Griffin was selected as one of the nation’s eleven “Lawyers of the Year” by Lawyers Weekly USA newspaper.

John D. Kemp
Luncheon
Monday, September 18
11:45 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.
John D. Kemp is widely respected for his many achievements, both in the corporate and non-profit worlds. As a person born without arms and legs, John inspires others to achieve the impossible through knowledge, experience, vision, personality, and persistence. Mr. Kemp graduated from Georgetown University in 1971 and from Washburn University School of Law in 1974. Mr. Kemp was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Washburn University School of Law in May, 2003. In March 2006, Mr. Kemp will receive the Henry Betts Award presented annually by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to an individual whose work and scope of influence have significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in the past, and who continues to be a force for change in the future.

With more than 30 years of experience in the disability movement, John D. Kemp has partnered, worked for and served on the Boards of Directors of some of the leading disability organizations such as: United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Very Special Arts, HalfthePlanet Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of American, The Abilities Fund Inc., Disability Service Providers of America, Easter Seal Society, Goodwill Industries, and the U.S. International Council on Disabilities to name a few. In 1995, Mr. Kemp co-founded AAPD and continues to serve on their board today. During his tenure with Kemp & Young, Inc., John D. Kemp developed management training programs and editing and publishing services, and offered legal expertise and government relations consulting.

Kemp currently serves on the Medicaid Commission as well as the State Department’s Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities which guides the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (USAID) on the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and assistance with respect to people with disabilities.
As a principal at the Washington, D.C. law firm Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, P.C., John D. Kemp supports the disability community and its allies in a variety of ways.

W. Roy Grizzard
Welcome
Monday, September 18
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Dr. Roy Grizzard is the Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy for the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor. Dr. Grizzard, who himself has retinitis pigmentosa, is responsible for advising the Secretary of Labor on issues related to the employment of people with disabilities. He works with all agencies within the U.S. Department of Labor to provide leadership in the Department's efforts to increase employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities.

Prior to joining the Department of Labor, Dr. Grizzard served for six years as Commissioner for the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired. This state agency provides comprehensive services to Virginia's citizens who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf blind. In this post, Dr. Grizzard was responsible for administering the federal Randolph-Sheppard food service vending program and the state highway vending program, providing cooperative educational services to state public school divisions, administering programs for low vision services and for special services to senior citizens with visual impairments, and providing vocational rehabilitation services. He was also involved in the development, procurement and use of adaptive equipment, computer systems, and other technologies, as well as library and media services such as Braille materials, large print and talking books.

Dr. Grizzard serves on the Board of Directors for Prevent Blindness of Virginia. He is a former board member of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, where he was Chairman of the Research Committee. Dr. Grizzard earned his Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University. He also has a Master of Science degree in Education Administration and Supervision and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Grizzard and his wife Nancy have three sons and four grandchildren.

Dinah F. B. Cohen
Opening General Session
Tuesday, September 19
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Dinah F. B. Cohen is the Director for the Department of Defense (DoD) Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP). Ms. Cohen works closely with senior leadership throughout the Federal Sector to ensure employees, beneficiaries, and members of the public with disabilities have equal access to Federal services and employment. Over 50,000 requests for accommodations have been filled since CAP's inception in 1990. On June 19, 2001, President George W. Bush visited the CAP Technology Evaluation Center (CAPTEC) at the Pentagon. President Bush was accompanied by the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dinah Cohen. In the past year, Ms. Cohen has initiated a program to provide assistive technology and accommodation support to wounded service members.

Under Ms. Cohen's leadership, CAP has received the Telework in the Federal Government Conference Leadership Award for 2004 sponsored by Potomac Forum, Ltd., the 2004 Best New Communications Ability Award, and three 2004 Horizon Interactive Awards. Ms. Cohen is the recipient of the Fred Strache Leadership Award sponsored by the California State University, Northridge Center on Disabilities, the Federal 100 Award, and the DoD Exceptional Civilian Service Award for her leadership, impact on the development, acquisition and management of information technology in the Federal government.

Ms. Cohen is an international speaker on disability policy, reasonable accommodations, accessibility and information technology and its impact on employment of people with disabilities. She continues to serve on numerous interagency, accessibility committees and conference groups.

Ms. Cohen is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She received her Master's of Science degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in rehabilitation counseling from the State University of New York. She also holds a BS in Social Science/Elementary Education from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York.

Joan M. McGovern
Luncheon
Tuesday, September 19
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Joan M. McGovern is the Vice President, Employee Relations, and Head of Access Ability Resource Center at JPMorgan Chase.

The US Business Leadership Network is proud to sponsor Joan McGovern. The USBLN is the national employer organization that promotes best disability employment practices within a business to business network. With 43 BLN chapters in 32 states, the USBLN represents more than 5,000 employers who regard disability as a business strategy. Its mission is to recognize and promote best practices in hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities.

With 90 million customers, 160,000 employees, and operations in more than 50 countries worldwide, JPMorgan Chase is a major force in the financial services industry. Joan M. McGovern, the head of the Access Ability Resource Center, is putting that force to work to demonstrate to the disability segments JPMorgan Chase’s commitment of conducting business without barriers.

As a Vice President within the Employee Relations unit of JPMorgan Chase, Joan serves as a catalyst and advocate for change in the area of disability issues.

Following an intensive data gathering effort in 2003, Joan provided a business case for this segment of the population resulting in the firm’s Senior Management establishing a global business unit called the “Access Ability Resource Center.” This unit officially launched in March 2004 with a direction to conduct business without barriers by advocating, informing and enhancing the work environment and customer experience for disabled colleagues.

On behalf of JPMorgan Chase, Joan has received recognition by various organizations for the support provided to disabled colleagues, including the American Association of People with Disabilities, Abilities Inc., and the League for the Hard of Hearing.

When Joan is not advocating within JPMorgan Chase for the disabled, she advises other corporate partners through her membership on local and national business advisory boards, and encourages the Nassau County Kings Wheelchair Basketball team and the Long Island Bombers, an affiliate of the National Beep Baseball Association.

Joan began her career at JPMorgan Chase in 1985 as a Data Systems Analyst in the General Auditing Department, and went on to work in various units of the firm including Risk Management, Retail Operations and Systems, Chase Automotive Finance and currently sets the priorities of the Access Ability Resource Center, as Director of the unit.

Joan holds a Masters in Public/Healthcare Administration and is frequently asked to speak on behalf of the disabled segment. Joan was quoted in the New York Times, profiled in DiversityInc., heard on Voice of America, and seen at the New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell Ceremony for National Disability Awareness Month.