National Disability Leader | Technology Inclusion Strategist | Author
Dr. Mark Friedman is a nationally acclaimed disability rights scholar, Adjunct Associate Professor at CUNY, and founder of MyTechForAll. His work connects self-advocacy, assistive technology, and inclusive training with a focus on real-world access and digital equity.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Friedman and his team have trained over 6,000 people across Tennessee, Georgia, North Dakota, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia in online and community-based settings. His initiatives empower people with disabilities to navigate digital spaces independently, turning technology into a tool for dignity and freedom.
Dr. Friedman has presented in 22 states and abroad, authored 13 key publications, and was recently featured in The New York Times in a piece honoring the late self-advocate Roland Johnson. Through his scholarship and systems training, he helps communities become more inclusive and technologically equipped for the future.
Disability Rights Pioneer | Author | Institutional Change Leader
Dr. Ruthie-Marie Beckwith is a national leader in disability justice, a founding force in the self-advocacy movement, and an Adjunct Professor of Disability Studies at CUNY. She began her career as a special education teacher the year I.D.E.A. (then P.L. 94-142) took effect, teaching in rural Kentucky classrooms that opened their doors to children with disabilities for the first time. Since then, she has championed deinstitutionalization, person-centered planning, and systems change.
In Tennessee, she served as Staff Advisor to People First, helping the group file and win two landmark class-action lawsuits that led to the closure of all four state-run institutions and the liberation of over 2,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities. She later founded the Tennessee Association for Microboards and Cooperatives, promoting small, community-driven organizations led by individuals and families.
Dr. Beckwith is the former Executive Director of TASH and author of Disability Servitude and Seven Days at Oak Valley. Her scholarship and litigation support have shaped disability policy at both grassroots and federal levels. With a Ph.D. from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt, Dr. Beckwith continues to elevate inclusion through research, education, and community partnerships. Her legacy is ongoing—and powerful.
Motivational Speaker | Peer Mentor | Systems Advocate
David Taylor is a nationally recognized motivational speaker, published author, and champion of peer-led disability advocacy. Currently based in Phoenix, Arizona, David serves on the national Board of Directors of TASH and is a former Vice-Chair of Community Living Services and member of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. His work centers on equipping others to exercise self-determination and advocate for inclusive systems and policies.
A certified Peer Support Mentor, David provides training and consultation through Community Drive, Inc. and serves as a mentor and facilitator with Community Living Services. He has contributed to major studies on inclusion, including co-authoring Beyond Tokenism: People with Complex Needs in Leadership Roles—a publication that challenges organizations to elevate diverse voices in leadership.
David’s advocacy has extended to public testimony on mental health funding and participation in advisory boards at the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at Wayne State University. Whether leading local workshops or speaking at national conferences, David’s message is clear: everyone deserves a voice, a choice, and a life of dignity.
Self-Advocate | Community Trainer| Community Engagement Leader
Pisanach “Peach” Chinratanalab is a multilingual, bicultural disability advocate and community leader rooted in Nashville, Tennessee. A graduate of the Next Steps program at Vanderbilt University, Peach blends academic learning with real-world leadership through her roles as a panelist, mentor, and President of People First of Davidson County. Fluent in Thai and English, and conversational in Spanish, Peach has a global perspective that enhances her advocacy.
She is a graduate of the Partners in Policymaking program and currently serves as Co-Chair of the People First Transportation Committee, where she champions accessible transit. Whether welcoming guests at the Nashville Farmers Market, leading outreach at Bubble Love Nashville, or mentoring students through Best Buddies, Peach brings heart, cultural fluency, and lived experience to every setting.
Peach has also interned at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Vanderbilt Medical Center, and Tennessee Disability Pathfinder. Her leadership is backed by her extensive volunteerism—including Disability Day on the Hill and service with the Tennessee General Assembly. Peach embodies the intersection of advocacy, culture, and entrepreneurship, making her an exceptional trainer and voice for inclusion.
Disability Advocate | Digital Educator | Policy Contributor
Katie Michelle Moore is a passionate disability rights advocate and digital educator. Living with a learning disability and chronic illness, she brings a deeply personal lens to her advocacy, empowering others to access services, technology, and inclusive communities. Katie is a founding member of the Tennessee Technology First Council and serves on the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Council, the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Committee, and the National Self-Advocate Network.
As a co-trainer with Tech for All, Katie supports technology empowerment workshops in Tennessee, North Dakota, and Colorado, helping individuals and families harness tools that improve independence and daily life. She also shares her journey through social media platforms and YouTube under “Journey About My Advocacy,” offering relatable insight to a broad audience.
Katie is a graduate of Partners in Policymaking, a Tru Faces Ambassador, and a mentor-in-training with the Employment Mentorship Pathways Advisory Team. Her leadership in self-advocate empowerment meetings and peer training has earned her national recognition as a trusted voice and changemaker. Her voice resonates with a new generation of self-advocates, bridging community and technology in ways that drive inclusion and elevate underrepresented voices.
Innovator | Circle Builder | Global Inclusion Leader
David Wetherow is a pioneering leader in the global disability movement and creator of the Star Raft circle-building method—an innovative, relationship-based model that empowers individuals with disabilities to build lifelong networks of support that are “free, forever.”
As former Executive Director of the Association for Community Living in Winnipeg, David and his wife Faye co-founded the Microboard model, now used by nearly 1,500 individuals worldwide to direct their own funding and services through small, incorporated circles. Their work also established North America’s first inclusive housing and service cooperatives, reshaping systems to enhance choice, family leadership, and inclusion.
Based on Vancouver Island, David continues to train and mentor others in person-centered planning and qualitative evaluation. His work is deeply informed by lived experience as a parent and advocate, and his enduring mission is clear: to help people build lives of purpose, connection, and freedom.
Dr. James Conroy has served as a consultant to 18 federal agencies, and to more than 150 state and local agencies. Dr. Conroy has been Principal Investigator for more than 100 funded grants and contracts. He is an expert in evaluating programs. He is the author of more than 400 formal reports in the fields of disabilities, aging, child welfare and other human service fields, including 3 edited books, 45 articles in professional journals, 12 book chapters and 350 formal research reports to government agencies. He has served as expert witness in 20 court cases concerning the rights of citizens with disabilities. Dr. Conroy’s work has been publicized on CBS 60 Minutes, ABC Nightline, the History channel, the Travel Channel, public television, public radio, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and the New York Times. He has appeared in seven documentary films and spoken on disability rights at the United Nations three times.
He is the winner of the TASH Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Angus’ passion for civil and human rights for people with disabilities has driven her since the late 1990s. Her experience as a person with a disability has had a profound effect on her advocacy. She is proud to have served as part of Disability Rights Nebraska in their advisory council and board for over 20 years. Mary has been able to provide the first-hand perspective by volunteering for many organizations and agencies. After a start focusing on mental illness, she branched out to work in the areas of developmental disabilities, voting rights, and independent living.
Mary earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s in educational psychology. She found working with children came naturally to her. She became a therapist for abused children, worked to prevent substance use among students in east-central Nebraska, and provided social services. The prevention program she developed received a national award as a youth health program.
Mary has developed and supported disability rights, leadership training, and voting rights activities. She currently is the Self Advocate faculty for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities at Munroe-Meyer Institute. With the restrictions of the pandemic, Mary changed to working virtually and has developed skills using zoom and logistics.
Mary lives in Omaha, Nebraska and was born in South Bend, Indiana. Most importantly, she is the mother of two daughters, grandmother of six, and has one great-grandchild. These are the lights in her life.
Mary Angus receives Courage Award from the University of Nebraska Medical Center
Ann Formeller is a resident of Ecuador, where she currently teaches English as a second language. She has dual citizenship with the USA and Ecuador. She has worked in Sustainable and Community Tourism in the Galapagos Islands and with indigenous tribes of the Huaorani people in the Amazon rain forest. Ann has had the honor to help grow community tourism in Mindo cloud forest, just two hours outside of Quito. Ann serves as a Co-Host, moderating the Zoom Chat Box to ensure people’s voices are heard during the training sessions.
Jean Maghinay, Social Media
Jean does TikTok and Social Media. Jean lives in the Philippines.
Sanchita, Graphics Designer
Sanchita does design and layout of the training Powerpoints and flyers. Sanchita lives in Bangladesh.
Leonid, Web Designer
Leonid creates the design for the websites.
Alex, Web Team PM
Alex supervises the project and makes sure everyone is on the same page.
Nataly, Web Developer
Natalia creates and updates the websites.