CONFERENCE SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
Morning Session I: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Advocacy: Empowering Compassion
Track A
Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson | Meet the Speaker
Join arts activist Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson for a session of inspiring spoken word performances, creative writing, and a talk about the awareness that compassion brings into our lives.
Track A
Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson | Meet the Speaker
Join arts activist Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson for a session of inspiring spoken word performances, creative writing, and a talk about the awareness that compassion brings into our lives.
Planning: Looking to the Future – GPS for the Next Steps
Track B
Karen Marvel | Meet the Speaker
We all know the rules change for our special needs population on their 18th birthdays. Guardianship, supported decision making, powers of attorney, Social Security, Medicaid, child support, special needs trusts, group homes, post high school training, job skills. Whew! How do you know where to go? This presentation will look at the some of the issues facing the special needs population as they become adults. The presentation will provide practical information and important deadlines for parents and adults navigating the adulthood road.
Track B
Karen Marvel | Meet the Speaker
We all know the rules change for our special needs population on their 18th birthdays. Guardianship, supported decision making, powers of attorney, Social Security, Medicaid, child support, special needs trusts, group homes, post high school training, job skills. Whew! How do you know where to go? This presentation will look at the some of the issues facing the special needs population as they become adults. The presentation will provide practical information and important deadlines for parents and adults navigating the adulthood road.
Research: Including People with Disabilities in Research, Planning, and Power
Track C
Dr. Theresa Garfield, Dr. Jessica Perez, Caroline Wolff, Catherine Carreon, Melissa Cornelius-Freyre | Meet the Speakers
This session will provide an introduction to Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR)– a research methodology that engages community in the research process, from start to finish, as equal partners in the work– and learn how this method improves research impact on the community. During this session, you will be introduced to EmpowerAccess, a practical training that helps researchers gain a deeper understanding of disability, tools for including people with disabilities in research, and the considerations necessary for doing so ethically. Participants with leave this session with the building blocks to create their own CBPAR research project.
Track C
Dr. Theresa Garfield, Dr. Jessica Perez, Caroline Wolff, Catherine Carreon, Melissa Cornelius-Freyre | Meet the Speakers
This session will provide an introduction to Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR)– a research methodology that engages community in the research process, from start to finish, as equal partners in the work– and learn how this method improves research impact on the community. During this session, you will be introduced to EmpowerAccess, a practical training that helps researchers gain a deeper understanding of disability, tools for including people with disabilities in research, and the considerations necessary for doing so ethically. Participants with leave this session with the building blocks to create their own CBPAR research project.
Hospitality: Including People with Disabilities in Community Experiences
Track D
Deborah Scharven | Meet the Speaker
Creating a truly inclusive event means going beyond basic ADA requirements. In this session, we’ll share practical ways to build accessibility and Universal Design into your event planning. You’ll learn simple tools and best practices to help make every event welcoming and accessible for everyone.
Track D
Deborah Scharven | Meet the Speaker
Creating a truly inclusive event means going beyond basic ADA requirements. In this session, we’ll share practical ways to build accessibility and Universal Design into your event planning. You’ll learn simple tools and best practices to help make every event welcoming and accessible for everyone.
Lunch Session II: 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM
Conversations Around Common Tables
Track A, B, C, & D
Britney Treviño | Meet the Speaker
Conversations Around Common Tables brings people together over a shared meal to examine Arts & Culture—festivals, tourism, and hospitality—with a 360° perspective. Each table will seat a mixture of people with disabilities, caregivers, industry professionals, policymakers, and researchers bringing their lived experiences and willingness to learn from others to the table. Through guided conversation, participants will share perspectives on accessibility, planning, logistics, and inclusion; better understand one another’s realities; discover common ground; and identify practical ways to make San Antonio’s public spaces, events, and cultural experiences more welcoming.
At the table, every voice has equal value in the conversation. As you eat and engage in meaningful dialog to advance our city, you’ll build trust, strengthen allyship, and take steps together toward the common goal of inclusion.
Track A, B, C, & D
Britney Treviño | Meet the Speaker
Conversations Around Common Tables brings people together over a shared meal to examine Arts & Culture—festivals, tourism, and hospitality—with a 360° perspective. Each table will seat a mixture of people with disabilities, caregivers, industry professionals, policymakers, and researchers bringing their lived experiences and willingness to learn from others to the table. Through guided conversation, participants will share perspectives on accessibility, planning, logistics, and inclusion; better understand one another’s realities; discover common ground; and identify practical ways to make San Antonio’s public spaces, events, and cultural experiences more welcoming.
At the table, every voice has equal value in the conversation. As you eat and engage in meaningful dialog to advance our city, you’ll build trust, strengthen allyship, and take steps together toward the common goal of inclusion.
Afternoon Session III: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Advocacy: Navigating Healthcare
Track A
Michelle Casares and Josie Mijares | Meet the Speakers
Session description coming soon...
Track A
Michelle Casares and Josie Mijares | Meet the Speakers
Session description coming soon...
Planning: Financial Literacy for Every Stage of Life
Track B
Felicia Scott | Meet the Speaker
Managing finances can be challenging, especially when planning for the long-term needs of individuals with disabilities or aging family members. This session will cover essential financial literacy topics including budgeting, saving, and financial planning, while highlighting resources for home accessibility modifications and Special Needs Trusts. Participants will gain practical tools and information to help protect assets, plan for the future, and support the financial well-being of individuals and families living with disabilities.
Track B
Felicia Scott | Meet the Speaker
Managing finances can be challenging, especially when planning for the long-term needs of individuals with disabilities or aging family members. This session will cover essential financial literacy topics including budgeting, saving, and financial planning, while highlighting resources for home accessibility modifications and Special Needs Trusts. Participants will gain practical tools and information to help protect assets, plan for the future, and support the financial well-being of individuals and families living with disabilities.
Research: Inclusive Research Methods in Action – Accessible Employment Study
Track C
Dr. Theresa Garfield, Dr. Jessica Perez, Caroline Wolff, Catherine Carreon, Melissa Cornelius-Freyre | Meet the Speakers
Complementing Track C's morning session introducing CBPAR research methods, this session offers participants an inside look into a real, active CBPAR project with a team consisting of people with disabilities, university partners, and community members. You will hear insights from the research team about the challenges and triumphs of the process, how disability inclusion on the team has been standard in from the beginning, and the methodologies being utilized, as well as preliminary data from their study on accessible employment.
Track C
Dr. Theresa Garfield, Dr. Jessica Perez, Caroline Wolff, Catherine Carreon, Melissa Cornelius-Freyre | Meet the Speakers
Complementing Track C's morning session introducing CBPAR research methods, this session offers participants an inside look into a real, active CBPAR project with a team consisting of people with disabilities, university partners, and community members. You will hear insights from the research team about the challenges and triumphs of the process, how disability inclusion on the team has been standard in from the beginning, and the methodologies being utilized, as well as preliminary data from their study on accessible employment.
Hospitality: Digital Accessibility in Event Planning
Track D
Deborah Scharven and Olivia Gaitan | Meet the Speakers
Digital accessibility is more than completing a checklist. It means planning every technology interaction so it’s clear, intuitive, and usable for people of all abilities. In this session, we’ll cover the new federal digital accessibility requirements and share best practices to help your event connect with more audiences and strengthen engagement.
Track D
Deborah Scharven and Olivia Gaitan | Meet the Speakers
Digital accessibility is more than completing a checklist. It means planning every technology interaction so it’s clear, intuitive, and usable for people of all abilities. In this session, we’ll cover the new federal digital accessibility requirements and share best practices to help your event connect with more audiences and strengthen engagement.
