To the many corporate leaders and disability leaders and influencers who have guided me and even hired me, I still learned more than I was able to share with you, and I synthesized from all of you the wisdom you shared with ease and confidence, I thank you! Frances West, Felicity Spowart and PJ Edington (deceased); Delta’s Ed Bastian, John Laughter, Dana Folsom, Alison Lathrop and Donise Hall; Michael, Carole, Amy Marks Dornbusch, and Justin Marks; Iris and Saul Katz; Ralph and Lucy Palleschi; and Michael and Chris Pascucci, Sheryl Buchel, Mike Caprara, Dr. Chris Rosa, Victor Calise, Russ Cusick, Candy Cucharo, and Beth Daly.
To my law partners at The Powers Firm, Peter “Lloyd” Thomas, managing partner, and Bobby Silverstein, partner and lead author of the Americans with Disabilities Act; thank you!
To my global family of extraordinary disability advocates and leaders: Paul Hearne (deceased), Kathy Martinez, Jim Weisman, Patricia (Pat) Wright, Judy Heumann, Andy Imparato, Caroline Casey, Susan Scott‐Parker, Jill Houghton, Deb Dagit, Jennifer Sheehy, Lori Golden, Charlotte Dales, Sarah Bernard and Charles Trunz of Inclusively, Justin (deceased) and Yoshiko Dart, Michael Morris, Susan Constantino, Ed Mathews, Duncan Wyeth, Amena El‐Saie and Ramez Maher (Egypt), Axel Leblois, Jenny Lay‐Flurrie, Hiro Itoh (Japan), Susan Scott‐Parker, US Senator Tom Harkin, Suzanne Colbert and Dr. Dinesh Palipana (Australia), Maria Town, Claudia Gordon, Jonathan Young, Dr. Glen White, Justin Constantine (deceased); Col. Greg Gadson, Dr. Satendra Singh, Jim Gibbons, Susan Daniels (deceased), Deb McFadden, Mark Johnson, Mark Wafer, Dr. Rory Cooper, Neil Jacobson, Marlee Matlin, Susan Sygall, Lex Frieden, Rosangela Berman Bieler, Cong. Jim Langevin, Michael Stein, Carol Glazer, Gordon Skinner, John Garrison, Meg O’Connell, and so many others, thank you!
To my dear and most distinguished friend of 53 years, Senator Bob Dole, who passed away while I was writing this book. Your wisdom and wit, your brilliance in policy and strategy, and your political acumen nearly lifted you to the US presidency, thank you for our sincere friendship. And to his magnificent wife, Senator Elizabeth Dole, for our friendship and the honor of serving on your foundation's board, thank you!
To my colleagues at Wiley—Richard Narramore, Julie Kerr, Jessica Filippo—and drafters/researchers Matt Conlin and Jenna Lamm, who worked endless hours to assist me in finalizing this book, and to my Lakeshore Foundation colleague Brittany Elkins and Lakeshore Foundation Board Chair Greg Johnston, our Board members, and executive staff, for your strong support that allowed me to complete this book, thank you!
Finally, I owe unlimited gratitude to my wife, Sameta (Sam), who has guided and supported me to conceptualize and complete the writing of Disability Friendly, and through a career in law and national nonprofit organizations' leadership. Sam committed her life, long before we first met, to empowering people with disabilities and chronic health conditions, every day and in every way. There's no finer, better, smarter, more beautiful, or stronger person with the highest character and greatest personal integrity than Sam. These words will have to suffice for the tremendous respect I hold for you and how you have contributed so completely to the quality of my life, and our lives together. I thank you for this book, and for the wonderful, incredible life we enjoy together.
For all that my dad, my sisters, Kathy Lehmann and Mary Harding, have meant to Sam and me, along with their spouses and families, I express my sincerest thanks and, I promise, I didn't include anything that could embarrass you, though I did try! Thank you to my dear friend Steve Nauheim, and the very best advocate and “Lloyd” who's ever lived, Paul Hearne; another “Lloyd” and friend, John Lancaster.
May our life's work be enhanced by the adoption of these ideas and may people with disabilities flourish in full employment in the months and years ahead.
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