DATE

START/END
TIME

DESCRIPTION

Sunday, 09/23/07

12:00 PM
4:00 PM

Setup Exhibits & Assistive
Technology Demo

Sunday, 09/23/07

12:00 PM
4:00 PM

Registration Open

Sunday, 09/23/07

12:00 PM
2:00 PM

USBLN® Youth-to-Work
Coalition Luncheon
(INVITATION ONLY)
More information coming

Sunday, 09/23/07

2:00 PM
5:00 PM

Sunday, 09/23/07

2:30 PM
5:00 PM

USBLN® Board Meeting
(INVITATION ONLY)
More information coming

Sunday, 09/23/07

6:00 PM
7:30 PM

Welcome Reception
WELCOMING REMARKS: John D. Kemp, Executive Director and General Counsel, US Business Leadership Network.

Monday, 09/24/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Registration Open

Monday, 09/24/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Exhibitor Hall Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Monday, 09/24/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Assistive Technology Demo Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Monday, 09/24/07

8:00 AM
10:00 AM

Greater Orlando Business
Leadership Network (GOBLN)
Kick-Off Breakfast
(INVITATION ONLY)
SPEAKERS: Honorable Charlie Crist, Governor (invited)

Monday, 09/24/07

9:30 AM
10:00 AM

Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) Press Conference
SPEAKERS: Honorable Charlie Crist, Governor (invited) & Andy Imparato, President & CEO of American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD)

Monday, 09/24/07

9:30 AM
5:00 PM

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
Pre-Conference Session Business Leadership Dialog on Accessibility & Employment Project
(INVITATION ONLY)

Monday, 09/24/07

10:00 AM
4:00 PM

USBLN® Strategic Planning Workshop for BLN Chapters
Erik Gaull, USBLN Advisor

Monday, 09/24/07

10:30 AM
11:00 AM

High-School Career Fair Keynote Address
KEYNOTE: Andy Imparato, President & CEO of American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD);
SPEAKERS: Jennifer Sheehy Keller, Special Assistant to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education

Monday, 09/24/07

2:00 PM
2:45 PM

College Career Fair
Keynote Address
KEYNOTE: Ollie Cantos, Special Counsel to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
SPEAKERS: Alan D. Muir, Executive Director of Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD)

Monday, 09/24/07

4:30 PM
6:00 PM

USBLN® Chapter Meeting
(INVITATION ONLY)
Special Program: AAPD’s Disability Benchmarking System: Measuring Responsibility and Responsiveness
Presenter(s): Robin L Shaffert, Esq., American Association of Persons with Disabilities
Description: Learn about AAPD's new initiative, the "Disability Dashboard," a benchmarking tool AAPD is designing to enable USBLN members to measure progress towards creating an environment in which employees with disabilities thrive and the needs of customers with disabilities are anticipated.

Monday, 09/24/07

6:30 PM
7:30 PM

President's Reception
KEYNOTE: Thomas G. Kuntz, Chairman, President & CEO, SunTrust Bank, Florida

Tuesday, 09/25/07

7:30 AM
8:45 AM

Employer Breakfast
What Are The Five Greatest Challenges Facing Companies to Advance the Employment of PWD’s
(INVITATION ONLY)
MODERATOR: John D. Kemp, Executive Director & General Counsel,
USBLN PANELISTS: Beth Butler, Wachovia; Dan Steneker, National Business Services Alliance & Neil Jacobson, Wells Fargo.
Sponsored by the UCLA Anderson School of Management's Leadership Institute for Managers with Disabilities

Tuesday, 09/25/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Registration Open

Tuesday, 09/25/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Exhibitor Hall Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Tuesday, 09/25/07

8:00 AM
5:30 PM

Assistive Technology Demo Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Tuesday, 09/25/07

7:30 AM
8:30 AM

Continental Breakfast

Tuesday, 09/25/07

9:00 AM
10:30 AM

General Plenary Session
KEYNOTE: Peggy Mastroianni, Legal Counsel for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Tuesday, 09/25/07

10:45 AM
12:00 PM

Breakout Session:
Growing the BLN Spreading the Word: An Effective Local BLN Employer Awareness Campaign
Presenter(s): Bob Bromberg, Bromberg & Associates and Leslie Wilson, Wilson Resources
Description: In November 2005, the Miami-Dade BLN won the USBLN "Chapter of the Year Award" due, in part, to its "Employer Awareness Campaign." Working with Bridge House, a South Beach marketing and branding firm, the BLN raised $30,000 from its members to develop the striking "My Abilities" campaign, which includes a DVD, billboards, busboards, posters, and newspaper ads. Florida Outdoor Advertising donated six billboards for 12 months, Comcast Cable ran the BLN's public service announcement on all of its cable networks, and Miami-Dade County is currently donating the space for 15 of the BLN's busboards. TMP Worldwide, formerly a division of Monster.com, is organizing the BLN's marketing campaign to assure employer reach and frequency. These donations of space and time are valued at more than $1 million. The visibility has increased the BLN's membership and the employment of people with disabilities, according to data gathered by South Florida Workforce. An entrepreneurial BLN, the members approved the sale of the campaign's rights to another state. The materials will be featured during the presentation.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. To learn how to develop an Employer Awareness Campaign that effectively reaches employers, the intended audience.
2. To learn how to assure reach and frequency with limited BLN financial investment.
3. To learn how to replicate a similar marketing campaign, including suggestions of where to seek funding.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

10:45 AM
12:00 PM

Breakout Session:
Legal Issues & Updates
Construction Zone - Danger Ahead! The 10 Warning Signs that Your Company is Violating the ADA
Presenter(s): Kevin D. Holden, Esq., Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
Description: An examination of the ten warning signs that your Company is violating the ADA. This presentation will examine the biggest mistakes employers make in hiring, employing, accommodating, and terminating (or not terminating) individuals with disabilities and/or perceived disabilities. The speaker will provide practical advice and share the most recent cases in labor and employment law.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Gain a better understanding of the ADA.
2. Spot potential ADA violations in your own Company and avoid lawsuits.
3. Identify specific and practical solutions to ADA violations.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

10:45 AM
12:00 PM

Breakout Session:
K-12 and Beyond
New Talent in the Pipeline - Emerging Leaders Summer Internship Program for College Students with Disabilities
Presenter(s): Leyla Serafino, Booz Allen Hamilton; Lana Smart, National Business & Disability Council at Abilities! and Brett Eisenberg, AIG
Description: Emerging Leaders is a competitive program that places college students with disabilities in fulfilling, paid summer internships and provides them with leadership development opportunities. Originally established by Booz Allen Hamilton in 2001, Emerging Leaders is now a program of the National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at Abilities! and, in addition to Booz Allen Hamilton, includes such corporate partners as AIG, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin, Lehman Brothers and SunTrust Bank.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. History, growth, and future directions of the program.
2. Benefits to corporate partners, college students with disabilities, and colleges/universities.
3. How to get involved.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

10:45 AM
12:00 PM

Breakout Session:
Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More
Presenter(s): Ronald Drach, Veterans Employment & Training Service (VETS)
This session will be presented by the Veterans Employment & Training Service (VETS)

Tuesday, 09/25/07

10:45 AM
12:00 PM

Breakout Session:
Employer Best Practices
Walgreen Company-Quest for an Inclusive Workplace
Presenter(s): Deb Russell, Walgreen Company; and Sue Suter, Associate Commissioner for Employment Support Programs, Social Security Administration
Description: This session will describe the best practices learned by the Walgreen Company, the nation's largest drugstore chain. Walgreens has recently committed to having one third of the workforce in all new distribution centers consist of qualified individuals with disabilities. The first of these centers opened in January 2007. Sustainability strategies, like the Ticket to Work Program will be discussed. The session will also inform participants about how they can use the Ticket to Work programs within their own organizations.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Know the planning involved in Walgreen Company's commitment.
2. Know the lessons learned by Walgreens.
3. Understand how partnering with entities like Social Security are important to success and how to use the Ticket to Work Program in their own organizations.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

12:15 PM
2:00 PM

Tuesday, 09/25/07

2:30 pM
3:45 PM

Breakout Session:
Employer Best Practices
Making a Splash - Local BLN Kick-Offs and the Involvement of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
Presenter(s): Mayra Hernandez, Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Florida; and Leslie Wilson, Wilson Resources
Description: This session will outline how Kick-Offs can launch the BLN, inform the community about the employment of people with disabilities, raise funds for the BLN's mission and announce that the BLN is an employer resource. Ms. Hernandez will also explain BCBSF's role and its activities to become an "employer of choice" for Floridians with disabilities over the next 2-3 years.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Learn how to effectively organize a BLN Kick-Off.
2. Learn how to secure ongoing corporate sponsorships and involvement.
3. Learn how to build on the Kick-Off's success and momentum.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

2:30 PM
3:45 PM

Breakout Session:
$3Trillion Market- The Who-Why and How
Maximize Your Revenue Pool with the Special Needs Marketplace
Presenter(s): Nadine O. Vogel, Springboard Consulting, LLC
Description: The objective of this session is to help companies understand not only the size and scope of the special needs community but the importance and specific how-to's (and not-to's) of marketing to this large, loyal segment of the population from the standpoint of revenue generation. It's about the ROI of Disability.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Understand adults who have a disability or who have a child or other dependent with special needs from a consumer standpoint.
2. Understand best practices in communicating with this segment of the population. Will walk away with specific "how-to's".
3. Understand unique needs and interests relative to different industries by hearing specific examples.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

2:30 PM
3:45 PM

Breakout Session:
Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More
7 Sensitivity Principles For Working With Returning Veterans
Presenter(s): Charlene A. Day, The DESTIN Foundation, LLC; and Edward J. Crenshaw, The DESTIN Foundation, LLC
Description: Are US companies adequately prepared to employ thousands of deserving Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are returning with disabilities of the mind, body and spirit? Learn the 7 sensitivity principles to enhance hiring and maximize retention of transitioning veterans.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Increase their knowledge of the nature and type of disabilities experienced by returning veterans.
2. Appreciate the unique employer concerns when seeking employ returning veterans with disabilities, their spouses and caregivers.
3. Describe tools and strategies that employers must use to when seeking to employ, train and establish successful working relationships with returning veterans.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

2:30 PM
3:45 PM

Breakout Session:
Growing the BLN
Ten Thousand Lakes, One BLN: Collaborating for Success
Presenter(s): Jodi Julseth, Minnesota Business Leadership Network (BLN); Karen Quammen, Minnesota Governors Workforce Development Council - Pathways to Employmentp; and Joani Werner, St. Paul Social Security Administration
Description: The Minnesota BLN Chapter will present their experience and creative ideas for ways of collaborating between employers and providers members within the BLN. They will provide real examples of events they have organized, and tools and educational opportunities that can be created to grow your BLN. They will also provide some discussion on further challenges that they faced with the collaborating partners to keep the successes and outcomes thriving.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Identify ways of collaborating between the employers and providers of your BLN chapters.
2. Look at different events, tools and educational opportunities you can create within your BLN.
3. Recognize continued challenges that are faced by the collaborating partners.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

2:30 PM
3:45 PM

Breakout Session:
Legal Issues & Updates
Shifting the Pointy-Haired Boss Paradigm: Managing the ADA and Job Accommodations
Presenter(s): Beth Loy, Ph.D., Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
Description: This session will review accommodation challenges, common employer traps, legal myths, and helpful resources. Participants will learn about the definition of disability and accommodation process, medical inquiries, communication tools, and how to use JAN to work through accommodation issues.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Implement a successful accommodation process.
2. Distinguish between myths and truths related to the definition of
3. Navigate intricate and difficulty accommodation situations.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

4:00 PM
5:15 PM

Breakout Session:
Employer Best Practices
IBM's Accessibility Transformation Initiative: An Integrated, Holistic Approach
Presenter(s): John Evans, IBM
Description: This presentation will discuss how IBM has made accessibility a part of its corporate culture from the CEO's office to the developer's workstation. It will cover how accessibility and employees with disabilities are an important part of IBM's business strategy.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Articulate why accommodating employees and customers with disabilities is important to their business.
2. Discuss approaches to developing and ensuring compliance with corporate accessibility policies.
3. Overcome objectives to expanding accessibility initiatives in their company.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

4:00 PM
5:15 PM

Breakout Session:
K-12 and Beyond
Students with Disabilities: Quality Candidates at Your Fingertips
Presenter(s): " Alan D. Muir, Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) " Sarah Helm, The University of Tennessee
Description: This session will discuss the value of recruiting college students with disabilities, how to find them and to hire them. Tools will also be recommended to effectively accomplish these tasks, among them Career Gateway. Discussion and questions are encouraged.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Have awareness of the benefits of hiring college graduates with disabilities.
2. Collaborate with campus offices to identify quality potential candidates.
3. Have a source to find quality college graduates with disabilities.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

4:00 PM
5:15 PM

Breakout Session:
$3Trillion Market- The Who-Why and How
ROI of Disability Employment
Presenter(s): Dana Marlowe & Debra Ruh, TecAccess
Description: People with disabilities are the largest and fastest growing minority group. Public and private entities who can reach this market will acquire an untapped talent pool, improve their public image, create brand loyalty, and better serve customers with disabilities who control billions in discretionary income.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the impact of employees and customers with disabilities on public and private entities.
2. Leverage the hiring of employees with disabilities to improve your work force, and at the same time create brand loyalty and positive public perception.
3. Create a corporate culture that attracts people with disabilities, seniors, and disabled veterans to your brand.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

4:00 PM
5:15 PM

Breakout Session:
Tapping into Talent - Veterans, Older Workers and More
Disability and Age: Old isn't what it used to be.
Presenter(s): Janet Fiore, The Sierra Group, Inc.
Description: Economically, business needs to retain the talents of aging workers. Given the fact that many Americans begin experiencing health disorders at age 55, we will explore how to accommodate this group of workers regarding vision, repetitive stress, and mobility/pain issues.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Assess cost/benefit of providing accommodations, including ergonomic strategies and tools.
2. Locate products and services to accommodate the aging worker.
3. Translate the knowledge to accommodation plans for other workers with disabilities.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

4:00 PM
5:15 PM

Breakout Session:
Legal Issues & Updates
Employers and the ADA: What do they say???
Presenter(s): Howard Green, Business Liaison for VCU-RRTC; and Shelley Kaplan, Director of Southeast DBTAC-Region IV
Description: Is ADA a bad word in the minds of business, or is it something that creates new opportunities for the employer? The speakers will share what employers are saying about the benefits and concerns related to accommodating workers with disabilities. The participants will have the opportunity to engage the speakers in a dialogue regarding ADA and share their personal experiences.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. To access ADA related resources.
2. To implement solutions proven to be effective by other employers in accommodating workers with disabilities.
3. To understand the benefits of using the services of the national network of DBTAC's and work collaboratively to maximize outcomes for qualified workers with disabilities.

Tuesday, 09/25/07

6:00 PM
8:30 PM

Keynote Awards Dinner
WELCOMING REMARKS: Karen Czarnecki, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. Department of Labor.
KEYNOTE: Daniel Gade, White House Domestic Policy Council USBLN Annual Awards Ceremony.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

7:30 AM
8:45 AM

Wednesday, 09/26/07

8:00 AM
12:00 PM

Registration Open

Wednesday, 09/26/07

8:00 AM
12:00 PM

Exhibitor Hall Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Wednesday, 09/26/07

8:00 AM
12:00 PM

Assistive Technology Demo Open
CLICK HERE to learn more

Wednesday, 09/26/07

8:00 AM
9:00 AM

Breakfast in Exhibit Hall

Wednesday, 09/26/07

9:00 AM
10:15 AM

General Plenary Session
KEYNOTE: Luke Visconti, Partner and Co-founder of DiversityInc Media

Wednesday, 09/26/07

10:30 AM
11:45 AM

Breakout Session:
Employer Best Practices
Virtual WorkForce - Reducing Barriers to People with Disabilities
Presenter(s): Mary P. Korn, Pearl Interactive Network, LLC; and Mike Testa, City of Baltimore, MD
Description: This session will provide an overview of how a virtual call center/business process center can be used as a solution for both employers and people with disabilities. The presentation will provide the following: mission and history of Pearl Interactive Network (a social enterprise that provides opportunities to people with disabilities and other barriers to work); types of work performed; criteria for selection; types of assistive technologies, business solutions; social solutions; advantages to people with disabilities; outcomes; case studies; and planned growth.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the Model.
2. Understanding the business case
3. Understand the private/public collaboration to make this model work.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

10:30 AM
11:45 AM

Breakout Session:
Growing the BLN
What is Program Evaluation and How Can I Use It to Sustain my BLN?
Presenter(s): Karen Cinnamond, Kentucky Business Leadership Network (BLN)
Description: Is your BLN just beginning, ready to grow, or just ready to share its successes? This session will provide you the tools and strategies to develop an evaluation plan that can be part of your overall strategic and sustainability planning efforts.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Identify basic concepts of program evaluation that are most appropriate for BLN activities.
2. Design a program evaluation with measurable outcomes.
3. Understand how program evaluation results can be used as a sustainability tool for your BLN.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

10:30 AM
11:45 AM

Breakout Session:
K-12 and Beyond
Vision without Funding Is Just a Hallucination: Rigor, Relevancy, Relationships, Reform and Resources
Presenter(s): Jay Engeln, National Association of Secondary School Principals
Description: Strategies that enhance opportunities for all students through implementation of school reform/redesign initiatives and school/business partnerships will be shared. Learn about the latest trends relative to school/business partnerships, what business is looking for in potential relationships and why school reform initiatives are key elements in developing partnerships.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the relationships between reform/redesign initiatives, school/business partnerships and enhancing educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
2. Understand how to use data and examples to demonstrate the mutual benefits of school/business partnerships as a rationale for increased business community involvement in schools, including programs for students with disabilities.
3. Understand why the business community is committed to school/business partnership involvement.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

10:30 AM
11:45 AM

Breakout Session:
Employer Best Practice
Preparing the Workplace for Everyone - Inclusion Strategies for Employees with Disabilities
Presenter(s): Linda Jimenez, WellPoint; and Alicia Wallace, WellPoint
Description: Let's talk about inclusion. What are things employers should think about when bringing individuals with disabilities onboard? How can employers ensure their employees with disabilities have equal opportunities and access? This seminar will review some of the strategies that will assist and make the work environment more inclusive for everyone.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Gain better insight on inclusion strategies for employees with disabilities.
2. Ensure your workplace is Inclusive and Supportive of employees with disabilities.
3. Obtain Best Practices and Lessons Learned related to inclusion.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

10:30 AM
11:45 AM

Breakout Session:
Legal Issues & Updates
Holland and Knight Law Firm's Local BLN Involvement
Presenter(s): Sarah S. Butters, Esq., Holland and Knight, P.C.
Description: Holland and Knight (HKLAW) was founded in Florida and is the state's largest law firm. Attorneys from HKLAW are active BLN members and have taken leadership roles in Miami, Jacksonville and Tallahassee. In each case, the firm has provided pro bono assistance to these BLNs to become 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Ms. Butters will talk about the firm's BLN involvement, its hiring practices and the support it has provided to Florida's local BLN movement.
Three Learning Objectives:
1. Learn how to involve law firms in BLN activities.
2. Learn how law firms can help your BLN achieve success in opening employers doors to people with disabilities.
3. Learn more about applying for a 501c3 charitable status for your BLN.

Wednesday, 09/26/07

12:00 PM
3:00 PM

Closing General Luncheon Session
KEYNOTE: Randy MacDonald, IBM

Wednesday, 09/26/07

3:00 PM
5:00 PM

Exhibitor Teardown