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About the Presenters

Shayn Anderson is the founder of Diversity Inclusion, a training and consultant firm that provides professional knowledge and tools that enhance workforce diversity by creating a business environment that embraces full inclusion. He wrote and published his first book in August of 2006 entitled, The Disability Factor: Five Simple Tools To Better Serve People with Disabilities and recently published his second book entitled, Pride In That Which Sets Us Apart: A Vision of Hope and Personal Responsibility for People with Disabilities. He has worked with the California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the California Business Leadership Network and the Department of Rehabilitation. He has a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of the Pacific. He was the lead on the current rewrite of the internationally renowned disability attitudinal training, Windmills.  

Michael Beers has been performing as a stand up comic for about four years. A large portion of Michael's act is based on his own life growing up in Montana with his mother and his three sisters, their dogs, and a disability. He also ventures into some social and political commentary. Michael is currently traveling around the country performing. He won the Norman G. Brooks comedy competition at the Hollywood Improv in 2005 and was the winner of the 2003 Brickwall amateur comedy competition in Spokane, WA.

Emily Holmes is majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology (Museum Studies) at Western Oregon University, where she has been very active on campus in disability and diversity issues. She has Tourette's Syndrome (TS), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), ADHD, and learning disabilities. She is involved in many activities including speaking to university graduate classes, conferences, and trainings around Oregon and in Washington, D.C. about her life with a disability, disability advocacy, and Disability History and Culture. Last spring she completed her senior thesis which dealt with aspects of Disability History, and this past fall she interned at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. She also wants to continue doing research and writings on the history of people with disabilities in the US and the culture they have created.

John D. Kemp is widely respected for his many achievements, both in the corporate and non-profit worlds. Mr. Kemp graduated from Georgetown University in 1971 and from Washburn University School of Law in 1974. With more than 45 years of direct experience in the disability movement, currently, John D. Kemp is a principal at the Washington, D.C. Law Firm of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, P.C.. In March 2006, Mr. Kemp received the Henry B. Betts Award, widely regarded as America's highest honor for disability leadership and service. John D. Kemp has led, partnered, worked for and served on the Boards of Directors of many of the leading disability and nonprofit organizations such as: United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Very Special Arts, Independent Sector, The Abilities Fund Inc., Disability Service Providers of America, Easter Seals, Goodwill Industries of America, and the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, to name a few. In 1995, Mr. Kemp co-founded AAPD and continues to be active with the organization today.

Stacey Milbern is studying political science and legal studies at Methodist University in North Carolina. She serves as the vice-president of the National Youth Leadership Network and helped found the North Carolina Youth Leadership Network, a youth-led organization that works to organize young people through disability culture, community-building and leadership opportunities. She had the honor of participating in the AAPD-MEAF Congressional Internship Program and worked in Senator Tom Harkin's office this summer. While passionate about disability culture and body politics, she also holds two gubernatorial [governor] appointments. She is a freelance writer on www.disaboom.com.

Daman Wandke is a disability advocate and public speaker attending Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. He has founded both the DAMAN Project (Disability Awareness Moving Across the Nation) as a project which is quickly growing nationwide and Students for Disability Awareness at his university. He is a member of the Youth Advisory Board to the National Council on Disability, National Youth Leadership Network, Society of Disability Studies, and the American Association of People with Disabilities. Daman is also an Ambassador in the DO-IT Program (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, Technology) at the University of Washington.