pixel

Corporate Advisory Council

StrongWheeled Together with United Spinal:
Your Disability Inclusion Partner

United Spinal Association’s Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) is a prestigious gathering of disability inclusion allies hailing from healthcare, transportation, technology, media, and manufacturing. CAC membership offers exclusive access to our leadership and CAC member corporate partners to forge ahead on a bold DEI and disability inclusion agenda. Together, we can change the game for people with disabilities—with a special focus on United Spinal’s constituency: the over 5.5 million wheelchair users living in the United States.

CAC Medallion

CAC group photo - dozens of wheelchair users in hotel lobbyCorporate Advisory Council, Las Vegas, NV, October 2022

CAC collaboration with United Spinal is your pathway to an authentic understanding of wheelchair-using consumers’ needs, enhancing the overall services and products you develop and provide to your customers. We can give you the tools surpass your corporate inclusion and accessibility goals.

CAC In-Person:
Exclusive Invitation to Annual United Spinal Signature Event

2024 StrongWheeled Together Conference (SWTCon), October 17-19, Las Vegas, NV
SWTCon is one of two rotating annual United Spinal marquee events. In 2024, SWTCon celebrates our community, galvanizing leading advocates, corporate allies, and influencers around our ambitious grassroots vision for change. Special tracks focus on strengthening our local organizations, community-clinician alliances, and the unprecedented role of technological innovation in promoting the independence of people with disabilities. SWTCon is an incubator to accelerate health equity and technological innovation.

CAC Virtual:
Exclusive Disability Inclusion Breakthrough Sessions in Q’s 1, 2 & 3

Huge advances in your approach to DEI await at these senior-level meetings designed around the specific obstacles your organization encounters in pursuit of social responsibility and justice related to disability inclusion. Presentations from leaders will contextualize your work in the bigger picture related to advocacy and policy, public narrative, accessibility, or community empowerment. Deep relationships and rigorous conversations will bloom in these customized and highly collaborative group sessions.

Ongoing Value Opportunities:

  • Turnkey media content centered around five (5) disability observances
  • CAC Medallion for your website, social media and annual report that verifies your commitment to DEI and your partnership with a premiere disability organization
  • Employee/ERG engagement via our advocacy and chapter engagement programs
  • Participation in United Spinal’s grassroots advocate-powered Working Groups that advance equity around topics like Outdoor Access, Accessible Parking, Emergency Preparedness, Care Support, and Accessible Transportation
  • Immediate engagement around common public policy and DEI challenges

For more information about joining United Spinal’s CAC please contact
AJ Assaadi
VP Corporate Partnerships
aassaadi@unitedspinal.org

Corporate Advisory Council Members

AbbVie

Advanced Medical Technology Association
(AdvaMed)

Airbnb
Maria Cuba
Directory, Community Partnerships

Alaska Air
Michelle Minor
Customer Advocacy

Allsup
Tyra Wooten
Social Media & Strategic Alliances Manager

Amazon
David Frerichs
Principal Solutions Engineer, Alexa

Amneal Pharmaceuticals

Apple
Janette Barrios
Accessibility Marketing & Community Manager

Astellas US LLC
Liv Gagne
Associate Director, Patient Partnerships

AT&T
Susan Mazrui
Director, Global Public Policy

Becton Dickinson
Adam Silver
Vice President, Marketing

Biogen
Samantha Miller
Senior Manager, Patient Advocacy Operations 

Biotechnology Innovation Org. (BIO)
Michele M. Oshman
Vice President, External Relations

BraunAbility
Jacob Craig
National Account Manager, Taxi

Bristol Myers Squibb
Richard Standifer
Senior Director, Global Patient Advocacy

Byram Healthcare
Freddy A. Heredia
Senior Marketing Manager

Cisco
Willette Harris
Webex Accessibility Program Manager

The Coca-Cola Company

Coloplast
Maria Koullick
Vice President of Market Access

Comcast
Joel Moffatt
External Partnerships Lead

Consumer Technology Association Foundation
Steve Ewell
Executive Director

ConvaTec
Jody Christensen-Crocetta
Sr. Marketing Manager

Cruise
Michele Lee
Public Affairs, Accessibility

CVS Health
Duane Rohr
Senior Manager, Workforce Initiatives

EMD Serono
Emma Silva
Associate Director, US Patients Insights & Advocacy, Neurology & Immunology

Genentech
Jo Dulay
Senior Manager, Alliance & Advocacy Relations

 

GM
Alan Hejl
Accessibility Strategy Manager

Google, Inc.
Alexander Hauerslev Jensen
Accessibility Events & Partnerships Program Manager

Hollister
Meryl Dillon
Makreting Manager

Intel
Darryl Adams
Director, Accessibility

May Mobility
Daisy Wall
Head, Policy & Advocacy

Meta
Mike Shebanek
Head of Accessibility

Microsoft
Jessica Rafuse
Senior Program Manager, Accessibility

Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
Nancy Bayerlein
Director, Patient Engagement and Support

NCART
Wayne Grau
Executive Director

NMEDA
Trevor Jennings
Director, Business Development & Partner Relations

Numotion
Justin Richardson
Director, Advocacy Strategy

Permobil
Jim Stephenson
Reimbursement & Coding Manager

Pfizer
Lance Barbour
Senior Patient Advocacy Director

PhRMA
Liz Mahar
Director, Advocacy & Strategic Alliances

Pride Mobility
Seth Johnson
Vice President, Government Affairs

Raytheon Technologies
C. Timothy Branner II
Associate Director, Affirmative Action Programs

Restorative Therapies
Stas Skoczylas
Director, Patient Sales

SEIU
Glenn Adler
Deputy Director, Policy

Sunrise Medical
Jessica Pedersen
Director of Clinical Education

Teladoc
Claudia Duck Tucker
Vice President, Government Affairs

Uber
Briana Gilmore
Head of Policy, Accessibility & Underserved Communities

Verizon
Zachary Bastian
Manager, Strategic Alliances

Waymo
Heather Aijian
Public Affairs Manager

Wellspect Healthcare
Nimesh Bhagat
Market Development Manager, Urology

Whirlpool
James Oh
VP & GM, North America Kitchen

Zoox

United Spinal Corporate Partner Testimonials:

About United Spinal Association

Founded by paralyzed veterans in 1946, United Spinal Association is the largest disability-led non-profit membership organization in the United States representing wheelchair users impacted by spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, and mobility impairments. We empower the independence of more than 60,000 members reaching out to 5.5 million U.S. wheelchair users. Its large extended community network includes 45+ chapters, and over 100 support groups and hospital partners.

Our best-known work includes helping draft and advocate for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and we are continuing to make history, as we have done for over 75 years. Through CAC membership, you can help be a part of a movement that will continue blazing a trail for people with disabilities for the next 75 years.

group photo of CAC members

CAC Group May 2019

CAC Group June 2018