2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium for Employers Published on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 The 2024 Disabilities Hiring Resource Symposium for Employers was held on Tuesday, October 15th at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. Sponsored by the Governor's Workforce Board and Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services, this event provided information to guests on various initiatives and resources in Rhode Island to help employers meet their hiring needs, as well as to provide candidates with services and products that are available to them. Exhibitors included representatives from Skills for Rhode Island's Future, Community Provider Network of RI, Department of Behavioral Health Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH), Governor's Commission on Disabilities, Society of Human Resource Management, Office of Rehabilitation Services, Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP), Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loans (ATEL), Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired (SBVI), National Federal of the Blind (NFB), Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL), Office of Veterans Services (RI Vets), Real Access Motivates Progress (R.A.M.P.), Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, RI Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RICDHH), and the Governor's Workforce Board (GWB). Panel members Alissar Rowan, Stephen Dolinich, Nina Pande, Casey Grimes, and Chris Smith Congratulations were extended to Belmont Market, The RISE Group, and Little Sisters of the Poor for being the recipients of this years Employer Champion Awards. Stephen Dolinich, The RISE Group - Employer Champion Award Regina Walsh, Belmont Market - Employer Champion Awards Alicia Curtin, Sister Jeanne, Emily Halo, Little Sisters of the Poor - Employer Champion Award The 2024 Disability Advocate Award was presented to Alison Bologna, the award-winning journalist who co-anchors NBC10 News at Sunrise. Alison also runs Shri, an inclusive yoga program and Shri Service Corps which provides low-cost and free yoga programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, veterans, students, seniors and men and women in recover. She recently transformed a garage on campus to create LIFE Cafe, which is owned and operated by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our congratulations go out to Alison for all she does to promote and foster inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Alison Bologna receiving Disability Advocate Award from Damon Mahon