White House To Honor Disability Innovators
The White House plans to honor 14 people Monday as “Champions of Change” for making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
The honorees were selected for their leadership in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, collectively known as STEM. Each has used their expertise to improve education and employment prospects for Americans with disabilities, the Obama administration said.
Monday’s event is part of a regular Champions of Change series at the White House, which is designed to highlight leaders in a different sector each week.
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“The leaders we’ve selected as Champions of Change are proving that when the playing field is level, people with disabilities can excel in STEM, develop new products, create scientific inventions, open successful businesses and contribute equally to the economic and educational future of our country,” said Kareem Dale, special assistant to President Barack Obama for disability policy.
Those being recognized next week include Ralph Braun whose company produces accessible vehicles and lifts, Virginia Stern who developed a program to provide paid internships in the sciences to students with disabilities and Christine Reich, director of research and evaluation at the Museum of Science, Boston, whose focus is on inclusion of people with disabilities in museum learning.
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