The Annual Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell Memorial Award honors a former or current Fellow of the National Leadership Program who demonstrates a strong commitment to the advancement of the disability community in policy, entertainment, or philanthropy.
The Annual Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award is in honor of Ben Spangenberg and Justin W. Chappell, who devoted their lives to human and disability rights. Ben Spangenberg passed away September 29, 2023 and Justin Chappell passed away September 9, 2021. This award serves as a lasting tribute to the enduring impact that Spangenberg and Chappell have on the National Leadership Program and the disability community at large.
Recipients of the award will be recognized in an in-person reception ceremony as well as with a $1,000 award.
Application Process
Nominee must be a former or current Fellow of the RespectAbility National Leadership Program who is not a prior recipient of the award. Anyone can submit a nomination. Self-nominations are accepted.
For full consideration, the application form must be submitted before the deadline of Monday, April 15, 2024.
Submitting Application for the Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award
All application materials should be submitted through the application form. If you are having any trouble accessing the application form, please reach out to awards@respectability.org for assistance.
Submit Your Application
Past Recipients of the Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell Memorial Award
2023: Elizabeth Kim
2022: Roy Payan
Learn More About Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell
(L-R): Justin Chappell and Ben Spangenberg
Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell were terrific public speakers and wonderful friends to everyone who met them.
Ben Spangenberg was a part of RespectAbility’s team since 2015, and from 2017 until his passing, served as the Senior Manager of RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. Under his leadership, more than 200 Fellows graduated from the program, going on to careers in disability advocacy, on Capitol Hill, in philanthropy, and many other sectors.
Spangenberg also assisted with RespectAbility’s democracy work, spending several weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire interviewing presidential candidates. He met 100 percent of the 2016 candidates on both sides of the aisle, educating their campaigns on the importance of not only ensuring accessibility of events and materials but also creating thoughtful policies for helping people with disabilities achieve employment goals.
Prior to working with RespectAbility, Spangenberg worked on Capitol Hill and spent seven years working with a government contractor on several disability-related projects pertaining to employment, education and community living. Spangenberg received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
Justin Chappell was an alumnus of RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program and was heavily involved in RespectAbility’s work for many years including traveling to Iowa and New Hampshire to educate presidential candidates on disability issues. Chappell wrote 19 pieces for The RespectAbility Report from the campaign trail.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Catholic University in 2001, Chappell worked as a consultant for several nonprofit organizations and worked on numerous political causes. He was a White House intern during the Clinton administration, a legislative correspondent for Sen. Tom Harkin, and a long-time board member of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance. In addition, he attended the Democratic National Convention twice as a delegate and ran as a candidate for several local positions. He advised people in the disability and LGBTQ communities to know they are loved and appreciated for their unique dreams, talents, and skills and that young people with disabilities need to engage in the political process.
He believed that “government needs to be educated on disability issues, and government works better when it engages people with disabilities in politics and policy.”
Chappell and Spangenberg became engaged in 2011, but they did not get married until marriage equality became the law in all 50 states. Together, they traveled throughout the country, visiting more than forty states.
The Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award serves as a lasting tribute to the enduring impact of this dynamic duo – Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell. As applicants consider this recognition, we encourage you to reflect on the legacy of these individuals whose dedication to creating a more inclusive world continues to resonate within RespectAbility’s core values.
