Geoff Hoppe, Communications Apprentice

Geoff Hoppe Feb 13, 2020 Bio – Apprentice – Past Apprentices 0 comments

National Leadership Program, Spring 2020

Geoff Hoppe

Geoff Hoppe was a Communications Apprentice in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program for Spring 2020. RespectAbility is a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so that people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.

Hoppe has Nonverbal Learning Disability, a diagnosis he received in adulthood. He is interested in disability advocacy because he believes there’s tremendous untapped potential in the disability community, and that spreading awareness of this fact is the first step toward workplace inclusion.

Hoppe is interested in framing discussions about diversity and inclusion through the lens of neurodiversity. He is interested in helping employers (and, frankly, everyone) understand that diverse styles of cognitive processing can be a source of strength that may be well suited for certain roles and tasks. He is interested in advancing disabled inclusion for the shared benefit of both employee and employer.

His interest is a blend of practicality and idealism. On one hand, disabled people face devastating unemployment rates. On the other, he believes neurodiversity and disability are often important elements of American history (Madison was epileptic, and Jefferson is believed to have had dyslexia, or another learning disability). In this sense, different styles of thinking are an inseparable part of the American experiment.

Hoppe has a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, and M.A.’s in English literature from the University of Virginia, and Southern Methodist University. He has experience teaching at the college, high school, and middle school levels. He also has been employed as a content marketer for a small business software directory.

Hoppe has a brother with Down syndrome, who has influenced his outlook about disability issues.

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RespectAbility is a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for and with people with disabilities. Learn more about the National Leadership Program and apply for the next cohort! Contact [email protected] for more information.