During the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October, we proudly hosted the 11th Annual Starkloff Disability Employment Summit, a day dedicated to empowering workplace partners to lead with disability confidence.

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and host partner World Wide Technology (WWT), nearly 200 in-person and virtual attendees came together for a full day of learning, connection, and practical skill-building. From national keynote speakers to hands-on breakout sessions, participants left with strategies to strengthen disability inclusion in their workplaces, today and for the future.

That reminder from Dom Kelly, Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South, set the tone for the day in his opening keynote, Inclusive by Design: Lessons from the New Disabled South.

Dom’s personal story about his “Unsupportive Supportive Employer” underscored how often organizations promote cultures of inclusion that don’t truly exist and how much stronger workplaces become when accessibility and authenticity are foundational, not optional.

His message was clear: real inclusion means building systems where people with disabilities can thrive, not just survive.

During the late morning and early afternoon, attendees chose from a robust lineup of breakout sessions led by practitioners and leaders with lived experience. Topics ranged from practical strategies to culture change initiatives:

• Accommodation Best Practices: From Compliance to Inclusion.

The Centene Corporation team shared their journey toward a centralized accommodations process that builds consistency, transparency, and employee trust.

• Access Granted: Confidently Building a Disability-Focused Employee Resource Group.

Emerson leaders shared how their global ERG grew from a grassroots effort to a recognized business driver for inclusion.

• Lessons Learned: Embedding a Neurodiversity-at-Work Program.

Leaders from KPMG LLP outlined their national program and the importance of “nothing about us without us” in shaping authentic neurodiversity initiatives.

• Be an Influencer: Your Role in a Disability Inclusive Culture.

The Center for Disability Inclusion team guided attendees on how anyone, regardless of title, can drive change and model inclusion.

• Does Your Intranet Include Disability Education and Resources?

Mercy leaders demonstrated how something as simple as an internal webpage can spark meaningful awareness across large organizations.

• Voices to Be Seen and Heard: Driving Equity for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Talent.

Reba Ann Dell’Angelo provided strategies for creating workplaces that respect communication access and leadership opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing professionals.

Each session reminded attendees that disability confidence is a leadership skill—one that any employee can develop with the right tools and mindset.

The day concluded with an extremely engaging presentation by Daniel Van Sant, J.D., M.S.Ed., Director of Disability Policy at The Harkin Institute. In Lessons from The Harkin Institute: Best Practices in Inclusive Employment and Universal Design in the Workplace, Daniel offered actionable steps organizations can take to make inclusion an everyday practice—not an afterthought.

His most memorable takeaway challenged the audience to rethink common hiring barriers:

When a job description requires lifting 25 pounds for a computer-based role, you’re not protecting productivity—you’re eliminating talent.

His insights were both practical and motivating, urging attendees to consider how policies and practices can unintentionally exclude skilled professionals with disabilities.

This year’s Summit, and all of Starkloff’s programs that build inclusion where we live, learn, work, and play, would not be possible without the support of our incredible sponsors:

Champion of Inclusion: Nestlé Purina. Opportunity Builders: Bayer and Enterprise Mobility. Accessibility Partners: GadellNet, Lewis Rice, the Numotion Foundation, and the Permobil Foundation. Community Partners: Butler’s Pantry, The Charity CFO, and Cushman and Wakefield. Host Partner: World Wide Technology.

We are grateful for your partnership in advancing disability inclusion throughout our region and beyond.

The Starkloff Disability Employment Summit is more than a one-day event—it’s a movement. Each year, the Summit equips professionals with the skills, confidence, and connections to make disability inclusion an integral part of workplace culture.

When organizations build disability confidence, they don’t just “do the right thing.” They strengthen retention, improve team performance, and expand their talent pipeline. Disability inclusion isn’t charity, it’s smart business.

To everyone who joined us in person or online: thank you for your energy, your curiosity, and your commitment to building inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Together, we are transforming what it means to lead by building disability confidence.