ABLE to Present Lunch And Learn Featuring Advocate for People With Disabilities
At 11 a.m. Central Time Oct. 30, Exchange Special Emphasis Program ABLE will present a lunch and learn with Randy D. Cooper, director of the Defense Support Services Center’s Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP).
Cooper’s topic will be “The EnABLEd Workplace—Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.” Cooper’s talk will address Special Emphasis Programs in federal workplaces, diversity in hiring and increasing accessibility for employees with disabilities.
ABLE (Able, Believe, Lead, Empower) is presenting the lunch and learn as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Oct. 1-31. The theme for the month is “Advancing Access and Equity.”
The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in federal employment, as well as in programs conducted by federal agencies, programs receiving federal financial assistance and more.
CAP provides assistive technology and devices as reasonable accommodations to support people with disabilities and helps wounded, ill and injured service members throughout the Department of Defense access information and communication technology.
Cooper became director of the program in December 2022 after transitioning from the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, where he was Director for Disability Equal Opportunity Policy and Compliance. He has been an advocate for community inclusion and competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. His own experience with the use of assistive technology has helped CAP advance the importance of equal access to information technology for assistive technology users.
Previously, Cooper served as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy. He led multiple initiatives and served as a key advisor in developing federal equal employment opportunity policy.
In 1998, Cooper served as a senior advisor for the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities. This interagency organization was charged with implementing Presidential Executive Order 13078, which sought to increase the employment rate of adults with disabilities within the general population. Before his appointment to the task force, Cooper served as a policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
ABLE’s Executive Champion is Karen Stack, Exchange executive vice president and chief logistics officer. Brenda Hester, senior transportation analyst, is program manager. E-Comm copywriter Aaron Gadson is assistant program manager.
If you’re interested in joining ABLE, contact Hester at hesterb@aafes.com or Gadson at gadsona@aafes.com. All associates are welcome. For more about ABLE, click here. To learn more about Exchange Special Emphasis Programs, click here.
