Cheryl Bates-Harris, is a Senior Disability Advocacy Specialist for the Training and Advocacy Support Center (TASC) of NAPAS where she has over 20 years experience and expertise working with people with disabilities. She has an in-depth knowledge of cross disability issues and continues to focus on employment issues of people with disabilities, including Vocational Rehabilitation, Social Security and Return to Work, TANF, and other work programs that impact people with disabilities, including DOL OneStops. Since the passage of Ticket to Work and Work Incentive Improvement Act she has conducted national training on TWWIIA and Vocational Rehabilitation Services and has conducted extensive training on the intersection issues of the Ticket to Work with state vocational rehab services. Cheryl currently co-chairs the CCD Work Incentives Implementation task force and CCD Employment and Training task force and is an active member of the CCD Social Security Task Force. She was an invited participant in the Ticket to Work & Work Incentive advisory Panel 2003 EN Summit. The President appointed her to serve a 4-year term ending in 2008.

Katie Beckett, 25 years old and in college in Iowa. Katie has been an advocate all her life. She is also a HUGE professional wrestling fan, as well as a fan of basketball-especially the WNBA and college hoops. She has traveled quite a bit to Washington DC to speak before policymakers about kids with special health care needs. She is a co-founder of Kids as Self-Advocates (KASA) and former co-chair of the KASA Board. The Senate appointed her to serve a 4-year term ending in 2006.

Libby Child, Ms. Child was Manager, Integrated Disability Management Services for Steelcase, Inc for 25 years before resigning in December 2002 to pursue consulting, teaching and writing endeavors. She was responsible for the fully integrated claims system where workers' compensation, short-term and long-term disability, permanent and total disability and compliance with the Family Medical Leave Act is fully coordinated and managed within Steelcase Inc. Since 1990, Ms. Child has lectured extensively throughout the United States on the topics of workers' compensation and integrated disability management and continues to serve on many disability related boards, commissions and councils nationally and in the state of Michigan. She resides in Grand Rapids, MI. The President appointed her to serve a 4-year term ending in 2006.

Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte, Disability Advocate for over 20 years. She resides in Florida with her husband Milton Aponte and Luz Elena (Lucy), the youngest of her three children who has significant developmental disabilities. Mrs. De La Rosa-Aponte holds a Masters of Arts Degree and has worked in several projects as Principal Investigator and Project Director for Projects of National Significance and higher education related to the disability and/or the Hispanic Community. She worked as a counselor for the public school and the community college systems, and was a Support Coordinator for the Developmental Disabilities Medicaid Waiver program. She is a naturalized US citizen, born in Colombia , South America. She was appointed by the House to serve a 4-year term ending in 2007 and designated by the President to chair the Panel for a 4-year term ending in 2008.

Thomas P. Golden is on faculty with the Program on Employment and Disability in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Since joining faculty in 1991 he has directed several national initiatives focusing on training, technical assistance, and organizational development related to work incentives, transition systems change and employment for people with disabilities. He was recently accepted into membership with the National Academy on Social Insurance and is a member of the Adequacy of Incentives Advisory Work Group established by the Social Security Administration. He was originally appointed by the President for a two-year term. The Senate has re-appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2008.

Frances Gracechild, Executive Director, Resources for Independent Living, Inc., Sacramento, CA. She also serves as an instructor at California State University at Sacramento and the president of Health Access of California. The House re-appointed her to serve a 4-year term ending in 2006.

Andrew J. Imparato, President, CEO, American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD). Andy has extensive experience in public policy work on behalf of people with disabilities. He has served as General Counsel and Director of Policy with the National Council on Disability, as attorney-advisor to Commissioner Paul Steven Miller at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and as Counsel to the U.S. Senate Sub-committee on Disability Policy, chaired by Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. He graduated with distinction from Stanford Law School and received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Yale. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He was appointed as President and CEO of AAPD in November of 1999. He is nationally known as a speaker and author on disability issues particularly for his work to dispel myths about people with mental illness. The Senate re-appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2008.

Jerome Kleckley, M.S.W., C.S.W.: Director, Hospital Services for the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, Jackson Heights, NY. As a Navy veteran, he has been actively involved in veterans' issues, serving as an advocate for veterans with disabilities. The House appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2004.

David Miller, Mr. Miller is responsible for the overall strategic planning and policy development for human service programs at Communication Services for the Deaf in Sioux Falls, SD. Mr. Miller was formally the South Dakota State Director of Rehabilitation Services and was responsible for the administration of vocational rehabilitation, independent living, personal attendant and disability determination services throughout the state of South Dakota. Mr. Miller holds a masters degree in rehabilitation counseling and has over 29 years of leadership experience in the development and management of large public and private disability programs. The Senate appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2006.

Stephen L. Start, Chief Executive Officer, Steve Start Inc. Spokane, WA, a company that provides professional management, rehabilitation, and residential services for people with disabilities, seniors, and economically disadvantaged individuals. The House appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2004.

Dorothy Watson, an independent consultant, is known for her in-depth knowledge and understanding of Social Security disability programs. She has worked on numerous disability reform proposals in both the Executive and Legislative branches of the US Government. Ms. Watson retired in 2001 from the Senior Executive Services in the Social Security Administration (SSA) after a long career that included more than a decade in legislative affairs as well as a stint on Capitol Hill as a Professional Staff Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Recently, she was on staff of Concentra Medical Centers, a company that serves injured workers and their employers and was also a member of the Adequacy of Incentives Advisory Group that provided recommendations for improvements in the Ticket to Work Program. The President appointed her to serve a 4-year term ending in 2008.

Torrey Westrom, In 1987, at age 14, he lost his eyesight in a farm related car accident. He graduated from Bemidji State University in 1995 with a B.A. in political science and a minor in business administration. In 1996 he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives and became Minnesota's first elected blind state representative. He was re-elected to his fourth term in November 2002 and continues to work on policy issues ranging from training/employment opportunities for persons with disabilities to transportation and agriculture issues. Additionally he operates a small real estate management business. The President appointed him to serve a 4-year term ending in 2006.

Last Updated November 9, 2004