Professional Experience

ADA One, LLC

President, Consultant — 2009 to Present

  • Provides consulting, speaking, and mediation services to public and private entities regarding titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability rights laws
  • Assists cities, counties, federal agencies, and private entities with self-evaluations, transition
    plans, barrier removal plans, investigations, and litigation
  • Engages audiences in interactive training that makes legal principles understandable
  • Offers a comprehensive approach to compliance through alliances with other experts
  • Principal or contributing author of two ADA guides, 2011

LCM Architects, LLC, Chicago, Illinois

Senior Policy Advisor — 2009 to 2012

  • Managed review of policies and practices of City of Chicago and Minnesota State University, Mankato, under contract to develop self-evaluations and transition plans
  • Advised colleges and universities and assisted them with self-evaluations and transition plans

U.S. Department of Justices, Civil Rights Division, Washington DC

Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section — 1992 to 2008

  • Developed DOJ’s 1991 regulations implementing titles II and III of the ADA, as key member of five-person task force
  • Actively involved in drafting of 2008 proposed ADA regulations and accessibility standards, eventually issued as 2010 ADA regulations
  • Represented the Assistant Attorney General in development and negotiation of the first ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)
  • Oversaw and conducted litigation, investigations, mediations, and settlements, including the comprehensive review of the City of Toledo, which became the model for Project Civic Access
  • Spearheaded initiatives in health care, effective communication, higher education, transportation, access to state and local governments; pursued compliance and enforcement in these areas and as to access to museums, historic buildings, all other aspects of titles I through III of the ADA
  • Consulted and assisted in legislative, policy, and regulatory matters
  • Developed DOJ’s program for certification of state and local codes

Supervisory Attorney, Coordination and Review Section — 1982 to 1992

  • Established and led the Disability Unit (coordinating all federal efforts under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) and DOJ’s program for certifying building codes for ADA equivalency
  • In less than three years, ushered the Fair Housing Amendments regulations and section 504 regulations of more than a dozen agencies through approval by agencies and DOJ; included Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services
  • Represented DOJ in regulatory negotiation for first Air Carrier Access Act rules
  • Oversaw regulatory and policy matters concerning disability, race, and sex discrimination

U.S. Access Board, Washington, DC

Deputy General Counsel, Attorney — 1977 to 1982

  • Advised the Access Board on enforcement, policy, and regulatory matters, including drafting and negotiating accessibility guidelines
  • Supervised, expanded, and strengthened the compliance and enforcement program
  • Brought the first actions under the Architectural Barriers Act, negotiated major agreements

Center for Auto Safety, Washington, DC

Attorney, Highway Safety Project – 1976 to 1977

National Center for Law and Deafness, Washington DC

Co-founder and Student Director – 1974 to 1976

Publications

  • ADA One Self-Evaluation Readiness Checklist, with guide, tip sheets, and templates, 2019
  • ADA Manual for the Georgia Courts, ADA Coordinator’s Office, State of Georgia, 2017
  • Renewing the Commitment, an ADA guide for nonprofits published by the Chicago Community Trust, 2011, and updated 2015
  • Compliance Guides for Serving Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Postsecondary Institutions, pepnet 2: contributing or principal author of five out of eight guides, 2015
  • The American Experience: What Makes the ADA Work, and What Are the Implications for Implementation of Germany’s Accessibility Laws? Conference on Legal Instruments for the Enforcement of Accessibility for Disabled Persons in Kassel, Germany, November 2012
  • Building Georgia’s Future: Accessibility as a Customer–Oriented Culture, 2011 Update to the Technical Assistance Manual, State of Georgia https://ada.georgia.gov/documents/building-georgias-future-0
  • ADA: Past, Present, Future, keynote speech on the 20th anniversary of the ADA at AHEAD, July 2010

Public Speaking and Training

  • Through April 2019, directed the Access and Services Track for National Association of ADA Coordinators (NAADAC) twice-annual conferences, organizing and presenting, with other professionals, three days of training for ADA Coordinators and presenting at the two days of plenary sessions on such topics as self-evaluations and transition plans, program access, and emergency preparedness
  • Keynote speaker for other associations, universities, 2008 to present
  • Harvard University, Office of Executive Education, classes on accessible design and legal requirements, instructor, July 2015-2019 and July 2012
  • National ADA TA Centers: Three-part series of webinars on self-evaluations and transition plans 2015
  • City of Chicago, several days of training of City staff on ADA requirements and carrying out program surveys, 2010
  • Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD): Presentations at each annual conference from 2005 to 2017, webinars, management institutes; keynote speaker 2010
  • Training of staff of City of Chicago, Fulton County (Georgia), and City of Seattle on ADA requirements and carrying out program surveys, 2010 and 2016; training of Fulton County managers 2017
  • Presentation to Fulton County Board of Commissioners of report, FULTON COUNTY: FORGING AHEAD, Consultant’s Report to the County Manager, Phase II: County’s Progress After 2012 Self-Evaluation Plan, 2017
  • Various colleges, universities, and higher education organizations, including Polk County Community College, Grand Rapids Community College, Cornell University, Columbia University, University of Delaware, New York State Disability Services Council, MN AHEAD, MS AHEAD, C-AHEAD
  • Rush ADA 25 Symposium, Rush Medical Center, Chicago, October 2015, presenter on best practices in health care and people with disabilities
  • Association of Research Libraries national conference, panel on Accessible Technology and Content at Large-Scale: Self-assessments and Accessibility Plans, 2014
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys, June 2015: “ALERT: What’s New in the ADA”
  • Mid-Atlantic ADA Update Conference, 2013 to 2015, various topics
  • State of Georgia ADA Conference, 2013, 2014, 2017

Awards

  • Association on Higher Education and Disability, Professional Service Award – 2009
  • U.S. Department of Justice, Special Commendation for Outstanding Service – 2006
  • National Council for Independent Living, National Advocacy Award – 1990
  • Numerous Civil Rights Division awards for outstanding performance and special acts – 1982-2008

Education

  • National Law Center, George Washington University, J.D. – 1976
  • University of Northern Iowa, B.A. in French and English education – 1973

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Active member, Bar of the District of Columbia
  • Member of the Board, National Association of ADA Coordinators – 2008 to 2019
  • Consulting editor, Universal Design News – 2009 to 2014