The State of Disability Economic Policy
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Day 2
Time
12:31 pm CDT
Location
Pathways Auditorium
Category
Plenary
Track
—
Format
In person
ceu(s) available
SHRM
About this session
With the ongoing attacks to the civil rights and economic health of people with disabilities, the constant barrage of bad news can leave us feeling trapped and powerless to make a change in the realm of disability advocacy. However, with the information, we are not powerless!
Join Nick Boyle, disability public policy professional, as he cuts through the noise to discuss the current state of disability economic policy. Topics will include public policy challenges in employment and financial savings, with the goal of educating business and non-profit leaders on how to become advocates for a just and more accessible economy.
presented by
Nick Boyle
Economic Justice Policy Analyst
Access Living
Nicholas “Nick” Boyle is a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities who believes in the power of public policy and community organizing to drive change. As someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and as the brother of a young man with autism, Nick grew up seeing both disability joy and the struggles that come in an inherently inaccessible world. These injustices drive Nick to push for real societal change that helps make our world more inclusive for him the community that raised him. Since April 2023, Nick has served as the Economic Justice Policy Analyst for Access Living, Chicago’s Center for Independent Living. In his position, Nick lobbies government officials at the federal, state, and local levels to improve economic outcomes for disabled people, and especially disabled people of color, through workforce development initiatives, public benefits access, and improved funding for disability services. Key initiatives Nick successfully led include passage of the Dignity in Pay Act, which eliminates the disability subminimum wage in Illinois, passage of a bill to eliminate unnecessary driver’s license requirements on job postings in Illinois, and restoration of $1.5 million in cuts made to the Illinois Home Modifications program. Nick is particularly proud that each of these initiatives passed with bipartisan support, reflecting the collaborative spirit he aims to bring to public policy work. Nick is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, earning his bachelor’s degree there, and holds a Certificate in Public Policy & Administration from Northwestern University. Outside of work, Nick is now a part-time law student at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law and currently serves as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Democratic National Committee’s Disability Caucus. In his free time, Nick loves to cook, play guitar, and work out. Nick lives in the Metro East region of Illinois with his wife, Sophie, and their two cats, Mabel and Henry.
