05/06/2026
The Honorable Katherine McCary led last night’s Gala, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the DC Metro chapter of the BLN (now Disability:IN). I vividly remember when Katherine was appointed by President George W. Bush to the National Council on Disability—truly the 'early days' of businesses uniting to champion disability employment.
I wouldn’t have missed this milestone for anything. Held at a prestigious K Street law firm, the evening brought together leaders from across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Julie Hocker kicked off the program, while the Presidents of the National Organization on Disability and the World Institute on Disability commended the DC Metro chapter and looked ahead to the Disability20 (D20 2026) summit.
For me, the highlight was reconnecting with long-time co-advocates, including Steven Nissen, Sr. Policy Director at ODEP, Lou Orslene from the Job Accommodation Network, Lori Golden (the retired inclusion champion from EY), and Ann Deschamps, Director of the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. It was also an honor to meet DC Metro founder Cynthia Richardson-Crooks.
A final kudos to my digital accessibility 'go-to,' Eduardo Meza-Etienne of Navy Federal Credit Union, for his powerful remarks. Eduardo, we’d love to have you on our podcast soon to discuss the intersection of digital accessibility, enterprise strategy, and AI.
What a night!
As Helen Keller pointed out back in the 1920s…“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. Helen, your wisdom rings true today, and Katherine, thank you for keeping this spirit alive via the DC Metro’s 20-year history! I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring.
Janet D. Fiore,
Sierra Group Academy Director
