Council Members
The members and leadership of the National Council on Disability that lead agency priorities, policy trends, and other agency business. NCD Council Members are appointed to represent people with disabilities, national organizations concerned with disabilities, providers and administrators of services to people with disabilities, people engaged in conducting medical or scientific research related to disabilities, business concerns, and labor organizations. By statute, a majority of NCD Council Members are to be people with disabilities.
Andrés Gallegos
Chairman
Chicago, Illinois
Andrés J. Gallegos, Esq. is the Chairman of the National Council on Disability. He is a partner with the law firm of Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd., in...

Claudia L. Gordon
Vice Chair
Washington, D.C.
Claudia L. Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise, with a personal mission to level the playing field and ensure the...

Hoskie Benally Jr.
Council Member
Shiprock, New Mexico
Hoskie Benally Jr., is a Member of the Navajo Nation and is Legally Blind. He is currently employed with the Native American Disability Law Center as the Community and Government Liaison...

Sascha Bittner
Council Member
San Francisco, California
Sascha Bittner, who is quadriplegic with a speech disability as a result of cerebral palsy, is a lifelong community activist, with a particular focus on disability and domestic workers’ rights....

Shawn Kennemer
Bakersfield, California
Shawn Kennemer has a background in executive leadership and developing services and supports for people with disabilities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Fresno Pacific University...

Theo W. Braddy
Council Member
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Theo W. Braddy has advocated on behalf of people with disabilities for over 40 years. At the age of 15, he became a person with a disability due to a high...

Neil Romano
Council Member
Orlando, Florida
Neil Romano has dedicated his career to the marketing of ideas and messages to help save lives and promote public policy. Romano’s extensive professional background includes tenure as director of communications...

Risa Jaz Rifkind
Council Member
Las Vegas, Nevada
Risa Jaz Rifkind is a justice advocate who seeks to make change by shifting access to power and influence. As the Director of Civic Engagement and Marketing for Disability Lead, she...

Emily Voorde
Council Member
South Bend, Indiana
Emily Voorde is an Associate Director with NEWCO Strategies, a full-service strategic consulting firm that helps progressive campaigns, organizations, and companies achieve their goals. She most recently served as an Associate...