National Leadership Program, Spring 2017
Clara Loh was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility. Her interest in the disability community started in her high school years through volunteering with organizations such as the Association for Persons with Special Needs and the Singapore Anglican Community Services’ mental health care centre. However, it was through her work at SPD, a nonprofit organization supporting people with physical and/or sensory disabilities in Singapore, where her awareness and interest in disability issues was significantly deepened.
While Loh is most interested in policies and programs relating to the employment of people with disabilities, she also has involved herself in other areas of the disability community, such as volunteering as a community note-taker for people with hearing difficulties. She also is a member of the Mental Health Community of Practice, which produced an introductory booklet for social service professionals who have limited prior experience in interacting with people with mental health issues.
Loh pursued an M.A. in Public Management and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management at Johns Hopkins University. She hopes to continue learning more about how the interests of people with disabilities can and have been advanced in different environmental contexts and apply that knowledge to promote a more inclusive society for everyone.