GW Law and Melwood Convene Historic Symposium on Future Employment for People of Differing Abilities
WASHINGTON, DC (PRWEB) September 27, 2018 -- Melwood, in partnership with the George Washington University Law School, is bringing together top legal minds and government procurement experts in the field of disability employment on October 2-4 in Washington, DC. This is the first legal symposium of its kind to examine the complexities of the U.S. government’s AbilityOne Program and to share best practices among stakeholders.
The symposium has attracted lawyers, contract administrators, executives, advocates, policymakers, and government clients with a stake in disability employment and federal procurement. The keynote speaker will be Neil Romano, Chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD). Other prominent speakers include Kate McSweeny, VP of Government Affairs and General Counsel of ACCSES; Anne Rung, Director, Government Sector, Amazon Business; Steven L. Schooner, Nash & Cibinic Professor and Co-Director, George Washington University Law School Government Procurement Law Program; and Christopher R. Yukins, Co-Director, George Washington University Law School Government Procurement Law Program.
“With the current historically low unemployment rate, people of differing abilities are essential to meeting the workforce needs of the government through AbilityOne contracts,” said Larysa Kautz, Melwood’s General Counsel & Chief of Staff. “With October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month, this is an opportune time to come together and talk about how to strengthen this critical program.”
With this groundbreaking symposium, Melwood and GW Law are convening two sides of the AbilityOne Program: employment for the blind, for whom the Wagner-O’Day Act was originally created in 1938, and employment for the significantly disabled, which was added more than 30 years later. In addition, the event is bringing together federal contracting experts from the nonprofit, for-profit, small business, and government sectors.
“We are thrilled to partner with Melwood and this impressive slate of expert legal practitioners as part of our dedication to continuous education within the acquisition community,” said Karen Thornton, Director of the George Washington University Law School Government Procurement Law Program. “I am sure the thought-provoking sessions will inspire our students to engage in research projects and scholarship related to individuals with disabilities.”
For a full list of speakers, please visit: https://www.melwood.org/LegalSymposium/
The first full day of the Legal Symposium will take place at the George Washington University Law School.
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For questions about the symposium, please visit the Melwood site or contact Chenai Kirkpatrick, Director of Legal Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, [email protected] or 301-599-2709.
To schedule an interview with Larysa Kautz, Chief of Staff and General Counsel for Melwood, please contact Sara Newman, [email protected], 240-492-1972.
For more information about the George Washington University Law School, please contact Kara Tershel, Senior Associate Director, Strategic Communications and Marketing, [email protected], 202-994-0616.
About the George Washington University Law School Government Procurement Law Program
Established in 1960, the Government Procurement Law Program is the only one of its kind in the United States. Established by Professors Emeritus Ralph C. Nash, Jr. and John Cibinic, Jr., the program offers unparalleled faculty resources, course offerings, and professional development opportunities. Karen Thornton, Program Director, will be participating in the panel discussion.
About Melwood
Melwood is one of the largest employers of people of differing abilities in the country, employing over 1,600 workers, nearly 1,000 of them are people with differing abilities. Melwood offers job placement, job training, life skills for independence, and support services to more than 2,100 people each year in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Melwood also provides an inclusive camp program for children and provides employment and support services to veterans and active duty military members who have experienced service-related trauma or injury. For more information visit http://www.Melwood.org.
About Javits-Wagner-O’Day/AbilityOne
Since 1971, the Javits–Wagner–O'Day Act has required that government agencies procure specific supplies and services from nonprofit agencies that employ Americans who face the greatest barriers to employment: those who are blind or have other significant disabilities. The AbilityOne Program – as it was renamed in 2006 – supports the employment of more than 40,000 people annually through 550+ nonprofit agencies, empowering persons of differing abilities to contribute to the U.S. economy.
Sara Newman, Marketing & Communications Specialist, Melwood, http://www.melwood.org, 240-492-1972, [email protected]
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