Shlomo Meyers
Shlomo Meyers was born in Manhasset, New York on December 6, 1985 with Down Syndrome. He is the middle child in a family of seven children. Meyers currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Danielle.
Meyers moved to Illinois when he was eight years old, where he would go on to graduate from Ida Crown Jewish Academy and spend part of the following year in a job training/skills building program through Keshet, a program providing services for individuals with disabilities. [continue reading…]
Emily Borses
Emily Borses is 21 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. For as long as she can remember, she has lived with anxiety, but wasn’t officially diagnosed until her junior year of high school. As a child she often felt like she had no voice and no way to express herself. She floated from person to person and group to group never really feeling like she fit in anywhere. [continue reading…]
Joseph “JB” Bensmihen
With over two decades of experience across administrations and state lines, as well as being fluently multi-lingual in Spanish, French and English, Joseph “JB” Bensmihen has been a successful advocate for every cause he has championed. JB has brought his distinct process of goal-setting to all of the teams he has led, clarifying specific objectives within the long-term team vision. [continue reading…]
Justin Borses
Justin Borses is a Broadcaster and Journalist for Moorpark College with experience in sports and writing for the Moorpark Reporter. He has covered football and basketball for the school. One of the most influential parts of his life, however, has to do with his disability identity. He was born with Cerebral Palsy on February 19th, 2000.
Barry Shore
The Ambassador of JOY, Barry Shore, is a change maker and life transformer whose profound message of JOY is being embraced globally. A successful serial entrepreneur with two multi-million dollar exits and 3 issued patents, Barry acquired a disability that left him completely paralyzed overnight. Barry’s decision to use this experience to better his life and the lives of others has opened a unique opportunity to find JOY in living regardless of circumstance. [continue reading…]
Michael Jordan Segal
In 1981, Michael Jordan Segal (son of Rabbi Jack Segal, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston Texas) was a pre-med student at the University of Texas at Austin when his career trajectory was abruptly altered one night, after unexpectedly finding himself in the midst of an armed robbery.
The injuries that Segal sustained during the robbery left him with minimal physical dexterity on the right side of his body. Segal eventually went on to graduate with the highest honors from undergraduate school at UT. He continued on to graduate school, earned his Masters of Social Work (MSW), was initiated into the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society and the National Leadership Honors Society, and also was featured in Newsweek Magazine.
David Sharif
David Sharif is a global autism advocate and motivational speaker. Born in Los Angeles, he graduated valedictorian from Village Glen West, a multi-disciplinary school administered by The Help Group, and became their first student to attend a four-year university out of state. In New York City, David spent most of his college lifetraveling abroad carrying his learning differences to new educational environments. He was a member of the award-winning Model United Nationsteam participating in global negotiations, delivering impromptu speeches. In his senior year, he received a research grant to conduct a study titled, “The Challenges and Successes of Post-Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” which he presented at several conferences. He was awarded the Indelible Mark Student Award for leaving a legacy of outstanding contributions that significantly and positively influenced the Pace student community. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Pace University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace & Justice Studies, David Sharif is an alum of Pace’s Oasis program, a comprehensive support setting for students with learning differences. He serves the world of neurodiversity as a job coach, community moderator, and author. [continue reading…]
Susan Sygall
As CEO and co-founder of Mobility International USA, Susan Sygall is an internationally recognized expert in the area of international educational exchange, international development, and leadership programs for persons with disabilities, and especially women with disabilities. Susan, a wheelchair rider, has had a personal and professional commitment to disability rights and women’s issues for more than 30 years. She has co-authored numerous publications and has lectured throughout the world on a variety of topics related to inclusive development, international exchange opportunities for persons with disabilities, women’s empowerment, and disability rights. [continue reading…]
