Hi, my name is Lola and I am the Advocacy Coordinator with the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD). I want to personally invite you to join us for our first-ever SPEAK Up! Conference. SPEAK Up! stands for Self-advocates Promoting Empowerment and Access in Kansas.
Speak Up & Out with KCDD at a conference where voices are amplified, barriers are broken, and change is ignited! This groundbreaking event is your opportunity to be part of a movement that champions inclusivity, accessibility, and equality for all.
Engage with and gain valuable insights on current and new legislative priorities from keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops.
RSVP HERE: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B6Z6DJ7
Event Details
Date 📅
10/4/24
Time 🕒
11am - 4pm
Venue 🏨
Down Syndrome Innovations - 5916 Dearborn St. Mission, KS 66202
Featured Speakers
Dive into the power of lived experiences and expert insights from leading advocates, activists, and organizations in the disability community. Engage in thought-provoking discussions, inspiring keynotes, and interactive workshops that address the most pressing issues facing individuals with disabilities today. If you have any questions regarding disability or advocacy you have come to the right place where you can ask them to a panel of self-advocates in a break-out session.
Topics Covered
Delve into a diverse range of topics including:
- Disability Rights and Legislation
- Accessible Design and Technology
- Employment and Workforce Inclusion
- Health and Wellness Advocacy
- Education and Accessibility
- Intersectionality and Diversity
- Empowerment and Self-Advocacy
Networking Opportunities
Connect with fellow advocates, policymakers, educators, and industry leaders who share your passion for disability rights and inclusion. Forge meaningful connections, share strategies, and collaborate on initiatives that drive positive change in your community and beyond.
Why Attend?
- Gain insights from self-advocates and activists
- Learn about the latest trends and innovations in disability advocacy, issues in the disability community, and what we can do to help/support this community
- Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations
- Amplify your voice and make a tangible impact
- Be inspired to lead with purpose and passion
Secure your spot today! Limited seats are available.
Join us in championing the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities.
Register now and become a catalyst for change at the Speak Up & Out with KCDD Conference.
Conference Agenda
11:30 AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks - Lola Kernell, Advocacy Coordinator, KCDD
11:35 AM – Advocacy 101 Panel
12:45 PM – Lunch Break
1:00 PM – Breakout Sessions
- Key Legislative Priorities Across the Lifespan
- Building an Advocacy Toolkit Panel
1:45 PM – Networking Break
2:00 PM – Legislative Advocacy Fireside Chat - Moderated by Lola Kernell
2:45 PM – Networking Break
3:00 PM – What’s the KCDD Advocacy “Scoop” for 2025? - Ice Cream provided by The Golden Scoop
- Advocacy Goal Setting
- How to Join the KCDD Change Agent Program
- KCDD’s Board & Appointment’s Project
- Looking Ahead to the Kansas 2025 Legislative Session
Speaker Bios
Lola Kernell, Advocacy Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
Lola Kernell is an Advocacy Coordinator for KCDD. Kernell is a senior at Bishop Miege High School, where she is involved in Theatre, French Club, National Honor Society, and Campus Ministry. She has been on the Honor Roll each semester, received awards for French, Theology, and the Eric Druten Memorial Junior Scholarship. She is an active lector and server at Curé of Ars Catholic Church, and is currently working on her highest-level award for American Heritage Girls. Lola has worked for the Royals, the Chiefs, and for Nautical Manufacturing and Fulfillment as part of her participation in Down Syndrome Innovations ACE program. Lola is a peacemaker, is friendly and outgoing, loves public speaking and being an advocate for others, and has great technical computer skills. She is living her dream by working at the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Kayla Mckeon, Manager of Grassroots Advocacy - National Down Syndrome Society
Kayla Mckeon, the Manager of Grassroots Advocacy with the National Down Syndrome Society works to advance legislation beneficial to the Down syndrome community. Kayla gained experience working with Members of Congress as an intern for Congressman John Katko of New York. She was named NDSS Self-Advocate of the Year in 2016 and joined the NDSS staff the following year. As the first registered lobbyist with Down syndrome, Kayla is a spokesperson for NDSS and the Down syndrome community, participating in media and speaking publicly both nationally and internationally. Kayla has an associate degree in general studies from Onondaga Community College as well as an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters.
Julie Hocker, Former U.S. Commissioner on Disabilities
Julie Hocker is a national labor and health policy expert and consultant. She works to protect the human dignity and unleash the potential of all people, most especially individuals with disabilities. Ms. Hocker served as the United States Commissioner on Disabilities from 2018 – 2021. She was nominated by President Trump as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy on January 28, 2020. As Commissioner, Ms. Hocker directed the nation’s leading agency, the Administration on Disabilities at the Department of Health and Human Services, charged with executing a $375 million budget and ensuring the nation’s 60 million Americans with disabilities have access to the services and supports they need to live in their communities and fully pursue the freedoms and rights we all enjoy. Ms. Hocker established the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities, affirming the innate value of every life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Hocker oversaw the deployment of $85 million in CARES Act funds to more than 280 nonprofits nationwide to provide employment support, food, personal protective equipment, transportation, and community referrals. She led the national effort to save lives through eliminating outdated and discriminatory public health protocols that jeopardized access to life-saving testing and treatment. In 2019, Ms. Hocker launched the nation’s first prize competition aimed at private-sector innovation in career advancement for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nearly 60 firms nationwide competed to disrupt low expectations and instead create meaningful, well-paying career pathways. In 2020, she launched a national training and technical assistance center to replicate these models through public-private partnerships in every state and territory. Prior to serving as Commissioner, Ms. Hocker held several leadership positions at the Vanguard Group in her home state of Pennsylvania. She began her career at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after earning her undergraduate degree from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She served as a Senior Policy Fellow for the Center for Human Dignity at the American Conservative Union Foundation and has appeared at multiple national conferences and in several publications; she testified before the New York State Senate on the discrimination of people with disabilities. Ms. Hocker earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and resides in Arlington, Virginia.
Colin Olenick, Legislative Liaison, Self-Advocacy Coalition of Kansas
Colin Olenick is SACK’s Legislative Liaison. He tracks the movement of legislation affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Kansas. He also provides testimony to the Kansas Legislature regarding the impact of proposed bills on Kansans with disabilities. Colin has been employed with SACK since 2018. Colin was Vice President for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK) from 2007-2008. He was an Employment First presenter and founder of the Kansas Employment First Committee. He also participated in Kansas' Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) training program, which is a University of Kansas post-graduate program in which he shared his experience of having cerebral palsy, autism, and ADHD. Colin is also an alumnus of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC); a graduate of the “My Leadership Edge” program. Additionally, he was a member of Kansas ADAPT from 2003-2007. Colin is also involved in the transition work group, funded through the Administration on Community Living by way of a grant to the University of Kansas. Previously, Colin was employed with Cinemark in Merriam, Kansas for 16 years. Colin currently lives in Olathe, KS with his cat, Elizabeth. Colin collects fire station patches from across the country and hopes to display them all someday.
Whit Downing, Program Coordinator, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities
Whit Downing serves as the Program Coordinator for the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD). Before joining the council as a behavioral health consultant in February, Whit most recently was a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Trainee and served as a board member for HeadQuarters Kansas. As a LEND Trainee, Whit was able to participate in an 18-week class where she learned from professionals in the developmental disability field and discussed current I/DD legislative priorities. As a board member for HeadQuarters Kansas, Whit learned more about suicide prevention, the 988 crisis response system in Kansas, and participated in community events surrounding mental health. As a person who is Autistic while also having survived a suicide attempt, one of Whit’s greatest passions is ensuring that neurodiverse people are always included in discussions surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. Additionally, Whit has attended three annual Mental Health Advocacy Days at the state capitol where she has been able to advocate for increased mental health resources for individuals with I/DD. Whit also went to the 2024 Disability Policy Summit in Washington DC with the KCDD staff, which she describes as the best experience she's ever had in relation to advocacy. During the summit, she was able to learn more about I/DD policy priorities and meet with Kansas members of the US congress to share her story. Whit’s education background includes two years of college classes at Washburn University and being a Team Member in the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academies (KYEA) advanced leadership training program called Faces of Change. At Washburn, Whit attended classes on a part-time basis. Her major was Psychology, and she minored in Mass Media. In 2017, upon graduating from KYEA’s Faces of Change program, Whit was offered a job as the part-time Administrative Assistant at KYEA. A majority of the growth that Whit has experienced stems from the mentorship, programs, and services offered to Whit by KYEA. Whit describes Faces of Change as the beginning of her leadership journey. During Faces of Change, Whit started and helped facilitate an Autism Support Group for young adults. The group met monthly for 12 months at the Capper Foundation in Topeka Kansas. Whit has not always been open about her struggles, her concerns, or her desires. Growing up, most people would have described Whit as a quiet kid. She communicated a lot through gestures and through writing. Having that firsthand experience of feeling misunderstood and unheard is part of what fuels Whit today in the work that she does. Whit wants to not only share her story, but she hopes to empower her peers to share theirs as well. Whit is a firm believer in the nothing about us without us philosophy and says that being able to work for the Council is a dream come true!
Susan Ruiz, Kansas House of Representatives
Representative Susan Ruiz was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2018 and is currently in her third term. A native of Houston, Texas, Ruiz is the daughter of a Mexican born immigrant father and a Texas born mother, giving her a unique perspective on multicultural issues. A licensed clinical social worker, she holds a Master Degree in Social Work. Ruiz represents District 23 in Johnson County, Kansas, including Lenexa, Overland Park and Shawnee. As the first openly lesbian legislator ever elected in Kansas, Ruiz gained national attention having been featured in the Washington Post twice, and she has won recognition from other publications such as Dos Mundos, a bilingual newspaper in Kansas City, Missouri. She received the “You Go Girl” (2019) award from the Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus. In 2020, received an award from the KS Mental Health Coalition for Exemplary Leadership and Collaboration. In 2023 she received the Public Official of the Year Award from the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas. Additionally, in 2023 received an award for being a Community Health Campion from the Community Care Network of KS. Representative Ruiz is currently on the following committees: Ranking Member, Health and Human Services, Social Services Budget and Veterans and Military Committee.
