Message from the Executive Director

TASH was glad to once again support the annual Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC last week. TASH members were among the 900+ advocates from around the country who gathered to learn more about key issues and to visit Congressional offices to advance our common cause.

TASH brings a distinctive voice as an advocacy organization that includes educators, researchers, self-advocates, family members, direct support professionals and service providers who share a vision of an inclusive society that provides equal opportunities for all individuals in education, employment and community living. We remain committed to evidence-based policies and practice that advance inclusion.

If you are not already a member of TASH, please consider joining our movement. When you join TASH, you’re not just gaining access to resources such as our esteemed research journal RPSD and our practitioner journal Inclusive Practices as well as discounts to our annual Conference and other events; you are joining a network of people who are deeply committed to our mission to drive real change through advocacy, research, and practice. To learn more, please visit tash.org/join.

Together, we can amplify our voices, defend disability rights and promote policies that advance inclusion in all aspects of life.

With appreciation,

Michael Brogioli

TASH News

TASH’s tenth annual Outstanding Leadership in Disability Law Symposium and Award Celebration will take place on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at the American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC. This event will include a half-day symposium followed by an award celebration honoring Frank Laski for his exceptional leadership in disability law. Jennifer Mathis will be the keynote speaker. Learn more ad register here.

Call for Proposals and Key Dates

The Call for Proposals for the 2026 TASH Conference is open now, through Tuesday, May 12, 2026. To access the proposal application forms, visit our Conference website. Scroll down to the “Call for Proposals” section to access information about the Research format, General format or Research Colloquium. All proposals will undergo a de-identified peer review; results will be shared at the beginning of July.

This year’s Conference will be held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3 – 5, 2026. This year’s Conference theme is Liberty and Justice for All.

2026 Key Dates

Ten Tips to Creating an Inclusive and Independent Life
2:00-3:00 PM Eastern, Thursday, April 23, 2026

Raymond and his mom speak of their personal successes and strategies that they have used in Raymond’s life to promote independence and inclusion in his school career and life. Raymond will share some of his school stories of theatre, sports teams and belonging. Michelle will speak to a parents’ viewpoint, giving listeners ten tips and tricks she has used to gain more inclusion for Raymond.

This is the first episode on TASH’s 2026 Webinar series. The first three episodes are:

• Ten Tips to Creating an Inclusive and Independent Life
• Disability-Centered and Disability-Affirming IEP Meetings: Parental and Student Self-Advocate Roles
• Training Teachers to Use FLIP Recess to Improve Social Competence

Learn more and register here.

TASH Leaders Representing at Disability Policy Seminar and Capitol Hill Day!

Left to right: Bethany Smith meeting with Representative Deborah Ross, Kevin Nuñez attending a session, Ryan Duncanwood working with the California delegation to prepare for their Hill visit.

TASH was a significant presence at the 2026 Disability Policy Seminar with Board members, Chapter Leaders and other members going up to Capitol Hill to inform their Congressional offices about the issues that are important to them.

Seeking Member Testimonials

TASH would like to continue featuring a member each month and a testimonial about what TASH membership means to them. If you would like to be featured in a future member spotlight, you can submit your testimonial here. We would love to hear from you! Thank you!

Building Financial Independence:
The ABLE Age Adjustment Act and Tools to Support Financial Empowerment
3:00–4:30 PM Eastern, Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Celebrate #ABLEtoSave, financial capability, and Autism Acceptance Month by joining the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center and our partners for an empowering webinar on financial independence for people with disabilities. Hear from National Disability Institute’s ABLE National Resource Center (ABLE NRC) about recent updates to ABLE accounts and what they mean for individuals considering opening an account. The LEAD Center, a technical assistance provider funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, will highlight the Secure Your Financial Future toolkit, featuring financial literacy tools and resources designed to help all Americans, including individuals with disabilities, achieve greater financial stability at every stage of their employment journey. Plus, two ABLE ambassadors will share how using their ABLE accounts and the toolkit has helped them advance their independence within their communities.

Presenters
Rebecca Hines, PhD Commissioner Administration on Disabilities Administration for Community Living	Julie Hocker, MBA Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy U.S. Department of Labor	Rebecca Salon, PhD Senior Advisor LEAD Center National Disability Institute
Jody Ellis, MSW Director ABLE NRC National Disability Institute	Edward Mitchell, MBA Executive Director & ABLE Ambassador Tennessee Statewide Independent Living Council	Hector Ramirez Commissioner & ABLE Ambassador California Commission on Disabilities

We’re Here. Then, Now, Always.
The Evolving Role of DD Councils in Employment

In recognition of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), join DETAC for a webinar featuring partners from the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), the Nebraska DD Council, and NACDD self-advocate apprentice, Bryan Dooley. During this session, NACDD introduced this year’s DDAM theme and explored how DD Councils play a critical role in moving the needle on employment by convening partners, influencing systems, and elevating effective practices through capacity building. The Nebraska DD Council highlighted key state-level initiatives, partnerships, and lessons learned in their work to impact employment outcomes across Nebraska. NACDD apprentice, Bryan Dooley, shared how councils can meaningfully incorporate lived experience into policy and practice, drawing from his own employment journey. Watch the webinar as a recording here.

Follow DETAC on social media for news and resources:

Spotlight on Research

TASH Early Career Researcher Network Hosting Dialogue on Participatory Research

Next month, ECRN meeting will be facilitating a Q&A to understand how researchers and self-advocates alike can work together, conduct meaningful and equitable research, and move the field forward. We’ll be hosting three researchers and several self-advocates. Be sure to bring your questions to this interactive Q&A session!

All are welcome to join! We will be meeting on April 16th from 10:00 – 11:00 AM Central. If you would like to participate, e-mail Emily Malouf at emily.t.malouf@vanderbilt.edu.

Do you want to make research more accessible? The American Institutes on Research wants to hear from you!

The American Institutes on Research wants to do a better job including people with disabilities
in research. Your input and ideas will help them do that! They are looking for people with
intellectual or developmental disabilities and their supporters to participate in online research and help test a new way to take a survey. Read the flier here (you can scan the QR code), visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/QB8RVKL, or e-mail AIR at inclusiveresearch@air.org.

Community News

• Advancing Direct Support Professional Careers: Start Here, Go Anywhere!
  Access the LEAD Center webinar archive to hear from panelists from Georgia and New Jersey on practical strategies to strengthen recruitment, retention, and career pathways and learn how DSP experience translates into opportunities in workforce development, health care, education, social services, and related fields: bit.ly/3Z8oNpO.
• Direct Support Professional Career Exploration Infographic
  Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) make a real difference every day. This rewarding career helps people with disabilities build the skills they need to live independently, work, and engage in their communities. To help grow this essential workforce, LEAD Center is sharing a new DSP Career Exploration Infographic. This infographic outlines the skills and steps to start in a DSP role, career pathways, advancement opportunities, and ways educators, recruiters and employers can better coordinate workforce development. Download and share the infographic here: bit.ly/4rsVmLb.
• Universal Design as the Foundation of AI Literacy: Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow
  Artificial intelligence (AI) is showing up in more jobs every day, and workforce programs are being asked to help people prepare. That can feel like a big shift, but it doesn’t have to be. Watch the latest LEAD Center webinar to learn how AI skills can be taught in practical ways and how to use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to make sure AI training works for everyone, including job seekers with disabilities. Explore real-world examples, what’s working, and ideas you can use right away in WIOA-funded programs. bit.ly/4a4gXm1.

Three more episodes in Wise’s webinar series are coming up in April and May. Visit their webinars page to learn more about the following episodes:

• S.M.A.R.T. Goals in Supported Employment, April 1, 2026
• Customized Employment: An Employer’s Perspective, April 15, 2026
• Innovation in Action: One Stroke at a Time, May 6, 2026

Employment Opportunities

Seeking a Values-Based Employee or Employer?
Post Your Job or Resume on TASH’s Career Center

TASH has expanded our career offerings with our full-blown Career Center. When you post your resume as a TASH member, you will be listed higher in search results and e-mails to employers. Job postings start at $199 for a 30-day advertisement for TASH members and $249 for non-members. Join TASH today to make your next career move.

Upcoming Events

Thank You to Our Donors!

We would like to thank everyone who donated to TASH in March 2026. We are grateful to all of our supporters who help us achieve equity, opportunity, and inclusion for people with disabilities. Thank you!

TASH advances equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities, with a focus on those with the most significant support needs, in the areas of education, employment and community living through advocacy, research and practice. More information about TASH can be found at www.tash.org.

TASH
P.O. Box 10026, Washington, D.C. 20018-0026 | (202) 808-8148 | info@tash.org

Copyright © 2026 TASH, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this e-mail because you are or were a TASH member, attended a TASH event, or signed up to receive TASH newsletters.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
Unsubscribe from this List

Donate to TASH | Become a Member
View this E-Mail in Your Browser