Below, you can find two documents: the complete Summit agenda, including speakers, and the Summit at a Glance, which is a brief overview of what will be covered. Click the buttons below to download either document.
The schedule is subject to change.
Meet your presenters!
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Julie Hocker
Julie Hocker serves as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy. Sworn in on October 23, 2025, after confirmation by the U.S. Senate, she leads the Office of Disability Employment Policy with a clear mandate to expand opportunity, strengthen accountability, and deliver results for American job seekers, workers, and retirees with disabilities and mental health conditions.
Hocker brings a record of national leadership in workforce development, disability policy, and public private collaboration. As Assistant Secretary she leads the federal effort to expand opportunity, improve workplace safety, and strengthen long term economic security for disabled workers.
From 2018 to 2021, Hocker served as the U.S. Commissioner on Disabilities at the Department of Health and Human Services where she oversaw federal programs on developmental disabilities, independent living, brain injury, and limb loss differences. She launched several national initiatives, including the first federal prize competition for innovation in job training. In 2021, she testified before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the civil rights impact of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Before joining the Department of Labor, Hocker worked as a consulting executive, leading nationwide efforts to modernize vocational rehabilitation, Medicaid, and developmental disability programs. She supported clients advancing breakthrough therapies for rare diseases and worked directly with Congress on legislation expanding access to lifesaving care and strengthening savings and retirement accounts for Americans with disabilities.
Assistant Secretary Hocker previously served on the board of directors of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation and as a trustee of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
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Adrian Forsythe
Adrian Forsythe is the Policy & Advocacy Assistant for the National Down Syndrome Congress. Ever since he could remember, Adrian knew he wanted to become an actor. Being part of one of the first cohorts of students with intellectual disabilities integrated into the general classroom in his school districts in Maryland and Argentina, he had big ambitions for his future. Eventually, Adrian saw his younger brother go to college and decided that he wanted to go to college too. He believed that he had the right to higher education just like everyone else. After applying, Adrian got into George Mason’s LIFE program. In this program, he developed skills to become an actor and self-advocate through coursework and his congressional internship with Representative Hoyer. At the end of the program, he received awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advocacy and for Outstanding Achievement in Employment and Career Development; he graduated with concentrations in Communications and Theater.
Adrian’s college experience strengthened his belief that everyone should be able to pursue their dreams after high school. The acting skills he gained at college were invaluable in preparing him to advocate for higher education and meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since then, he has worked and served in various roles with different disability rights affiliates such as the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), People on the Go, the Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (MDAC), and the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC). Adrian furthered his qualifications in disability advocacy by completing Partners in Policy Making through the Arc of Maryland. Throughout the years, Adrian has led numerous workshops to empower and inspire self-advocates to be self-determined and advocate to their communities and government for equal rights.
Now, Adrian works as a staff member and Visiting Lecturer at TerpsEXCEED, a two-year post-secondary program at the University of Maryland for students with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, he works as the Teen Hangout Leader and Project Assistant for the Community Network, a program within the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County (DSNMC) that he started for adults with Down syndrome who want to strengthen their self-advocacy skills and build community. Outside of his work roles, Adrian acts at ArtStream, serves on the Board of Directors at The Arc of Maryland, and is co-chair of the Adult Workgroup at the Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. Finally, Adrian is using the passion and skills that he gained over the years as an ambitious advocate.
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Jeremiah Foster
My name is Jeremiah Joseph Foster. I am 19 years old and my birthday is July 4th, 2007. I just graduated from Paint Branch High School. As a senior, I used to love to play bocce with my team. I like making art, and I like to sing.
This summer I was part of the teen internship program at Sunflower Bakery in Rockville MD. Sunflower Bakery is a bakery where baked goods are made by individuals like me. I was honored to have this opportunity because it will help me become a chef.
I have always wanted to be a chef. I make a lot of food. I have cooking videos on my YouTube channel and on TikTok. My mom and I practice making my favorite meals together. I like to season food and make food from scratch. My favorite meal to make is pizza with mozzarella cheese. I can’t wait to cook for people in a restaurant because I’m a great chef!
I love to spend time with my friends, especially my best friend Dani. One day, we will both work and live on our own independently.
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Opal Foster
Opal Foster is a passionate disability advocate, educator, and President of Parents of Children with Down Syndrome (PODS) of Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she works to empower individuals with Down syndrome and the families who support them. Through her advocacy, she champions equitable access to services, and opportunities that strengthen the disability community.
Opal is an educator at Takoma Academy and previously served as Program Coordinator for the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, MD. She also served as Vice President of AccessAIR, the employee resource group at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), promoting workplace inclusion and accessibility for employees with disabilities. Her career includes roles as a paraeducator, Fine Arts educator, and creative arts instructor.
Her greatest inspiration is her 19-year-old son, Jeremiah, who has Down syndrome and dreams of becoming a chef. Together, they shared their family's story on ABC News Live during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the challenges and resilience of families in the disability community. Watch their story here: https://abcnews.com/video/70015201/
Guided by her faith, Opal remains committed to ensuring that every person with disabilities is valued, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive.
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Jocelyn Gaines
Jocelyn is a sophomore in the ClemsonLIFE Program at Clemson University. Her commitment to academics, personal growth and independence is evident in everything she does.
Jocelyn works part-time at Chick-fil-A as a Head Dining Room Hostess, providing friendly customer service and creating a welcoming environment for guests.
Her passion for music has grown through years of violin study, including three years performing with the Charlotte Symphony Youth Ensemble, and learning from professional musicians and conductors.
Jocelyn has excelled as a competitive swimmer, earning multiple medals at the NC Special Olympics State Games. She also earned silver and bronze at the 2024 Athletes Without Limits/USA Down Syndrome Swimming National Championships in Orlando, Florida, and seven gold medals at the 2026 Hartford Nationals in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is currently a proud member of the Clemson Club Swim Team.
Jocelyn is a member of the National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. She will participate in the 2026 NDSC Down Syndrome Policy Summit in Washington, DC, co-moderating a session and interviewing congressional staff. She is passionate about using her voice to advocate for people of all abilities, promote inclusion, and empower others to recognize and embrace their unique strengths.
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Heather Hancock Blackburn
Heather Hancock-Blackburn is a proud self-advocate, wife, professional, and disability advocate who believes that a disability should never stand in the way of achieving your goals and dreams.
Heather graduated from Westmoore High School and completed the Business Technology Program at Moore Norman Technology Center. In 2008, she began her dream career with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, where she currently serves as an Administrative Assistant in Special Education Services.
Heather also works with the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma, providing office support and motivational speeches to groups and organizations. She enjoys sharing her story to inspire others and promote inclusion and self-advocacy.
Heather is an active Special Olympics Oklahoma athlete, serves on the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Committee for Disability Concerns, the Oklahoma Developmental Disability Council, and is Vice President of the OKC Advocates in Action Club, a volunteer and social club for people of all abilities.
Heather has achieved many personal milestones, including being crowned Prom Queen and earning the titles of Oklahoma and National Senior Miss Amazing. She is married to her longtime sweetheart, Craig, and enjoys spending time with family and friends, girls’ nights, and cheering on the OKC Thunder and the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
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Sam Iannone
Sam Iannone graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design Communication from Philadelphia University, and has most recently worked as the Marketing and Design Coordinator for City Fitness. Sam has previously worked as an 18-21 Transitional Program Job Coach, mentoring students with disabilities in the workplace. She also serves as the Committee Chair of the Communications and Community Engagement Committee for the Down Syndrome Association of Southern New Jersey. In her personal life, she enjoys doing makeup, reading, and painting. Her younger sister Gabby (21) has Down syndrome, and their family is very involved in their local support group. Together, these sisters like to watch funny cat videos on YouTube with their two cats, Paw Rudd and Gizmo.
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Kelly Kulzer-Reyes
Kelly Kulzer-Reyes (she/her/ella) is mom to three children, one of whom has Down syndrome. Shortly after her daughter’s birth, Kelly became involved in legislative advocacy surrounding issues that impact people with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Her advocacy has focused on the federal ABLE Act, CalABLE legislation, and California’s Self Determination Program.
Kelly teaches ESL, English, and Disability Services at Taft College in Taft, California, and she lives in Bakersfield, California. Recently, she created the first California Community College noncredit certificates for professionals working in self-direction as independent facilitators and person-centered planners.
Kelly serves on the National Down Syndrome Congress's policy advisory committee, California's Master Plan for Developmental Services, Kern Regional Center's Self Determination Program Local Volunteer Advisory Committee, and the board of Cal-IF, a professional organization for independent facilitators. Kelly also co-founded and co-chairs the California Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition.
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Stephanie Smith Lee
Stephanie Smith Lee is the Co-Director of Policy and Advocacy at National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), where she previously served as Interim Executive Director, Senior Policy Advisor, and Vice President. With more than thirty-five years of experience in disability rights and public policy, Ms. Lee has held senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and on the Senate HELP Committee, as well as serving as Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education. In that role, she directed the development, implementation, and evaluation of the federal special education law, IDEA, overseeing billions in grants to states and national activities programs.
Since her daughter Laura was born with Down syndrome in 1982, Ms. Lee has been a leading national advocate for inclusive education, employment, and community living. She led the successful effort to amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) to include students with intellectual disability, securing federal financial aid and support for model programs and the national coordinating center. She continues that work as Co-Chair of the Inclusive Higher Education Committee and as Past Chair of the National Coordinating Center Accreditation Workgroup, and currently serves as Board President of the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council.
Her career highlights include key roles in the reauthorizations of IDEA 1997 and IDEA 2004, leadership on bipartisan initiatives such as the ABLE Act and Ticket to Work, and serving as a Senate appointee to the national Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel. Ms. Lee has trained thousands of grassroots advocates, built successful state and national coalitions, and delivered more than 300 presentations on disability rights, education, employment, and civil rights.
She has received numerous honors, including the “I.D.E.A. Hero Award” from The Arc of the United States, the “Distinguished Service to Education Award” from George Mason University, and the “National Leadership Award” from the State of the Art Conference on Postsecondary Education and Students with Intellectual Disability.
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Jawanda Mast
Jawanda Mast is the NDSC Grassroots Advocacy Manager. She has been involved in disability policy advocacy since her daughter Rachel was born with Down syndrome. Jawanda has graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Arkansas and was honored with the 2017 Alumni Community Service Award for her body of advocacy work. She and Rachel spent eight years advocating for the passage of the federal ABLE Act and have spoken around the country on ABLE, Advocacy, and Inclusion. She has provided written and oral testimony on a variety of federal and state policy issues and has served on many state-appointed committees.
Jawanda believes we all have a story and we can use those stories to impact change at all levels. She is passionate about the meaningful inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities in all aspects of the community and has presented at many conferences. Jawanda gives leadership to the NDSC National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC) and the NDSC Advocacy Training Boot Camp at the NDSC Convention. Jawanda says her work is a #laborofloveandconviction. Jawanda, her husband Jonathan, and Rachel live in Olathe, Kansas.
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Andre Pineda -
Rylin Rodgers
Rylin is the Disability Policy Director on Microsoft’s Accessibility Team, working on technology, workforce, and workplace policy. She previously led legislative and executive advocacy as Public Policy Director at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and held leadership roles at a pediatric training center at Indiana University School of Medicine. Her work is influenced by lived experiences. She is dyslexic and has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and is the mother of two young adults with physical disabilities and medical complexity. Her family is ALL IN for disability policy!
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Kathleen Romig
Kathleen Romig is a Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where she focuses on Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, paid leave, and federal budget issues. She brings deep expertise from her previous work at the Social Security Administration, the Social Security Advisory Board, and the Congressional Research Service. Kathleen began her career as a Presidential Management Fellow, including time at the Office of Management and Budget, and holds a master’s degree in Social Policy from University College Cork and a B.A. from Michigan State University’s James Madison College.
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Micah Rothkopf
Micah Rothkopf (he/him) is the Policy & Advocacy Associate for the National Down Syndrome Congress. Micah graduated with a B.A. from Brandeis University. While there, he researched home- and community-based services (HCBS) quality measures as a Fellow at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, helped launch the Legislative Action Center as an intern with the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC), and served as a policy intern for the Arc of Massachusetts.
After graduating, Micah worked as the Disability Policy Intern for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Marilyn Golden Summer Policy Intern at the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), and as a Paralegal at the Elder & Disability Law Center.
Micah currently serves on the Government Affairs Committee for MDSC and lives with his partner in Northern Virginia. He loves spending time with his family in New England, enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, and dreams of having a dog one day. -
Ricki Sabia
Ricki Sabia, is the Senior Education Policy Advisor for the National Down Syndrome Congress. Ricki graduated with a B.A. from Georgetown University and a JD from University of Maryland School of Law. Her work over the past two decades has focused on increasing state accountability for academic performance and improving educational opportunities and post-school outcomes for students with disabilities, especially those with Down syndrome. To achieve these goals, Ricki has worked on increasing access to quality inclusive education and the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). She founded and chaired the National UDL Task Force and was a member of the National UDL Council. In addition, Ricki has worked with a number of federally-funded projects on alternate assessment and access to the grade-level general education curriculum. Most recently she was the parent liaison to the TIES Center. TIES is focused on inclusive education for students who take alternate assessments.Ricki has received local, State and national awards for her advocacy. Local awards were the Montgomery County Maryland PTA Outstanding Parent Award and the Least Restrictive Environment Leadership Award. A State-wide award was the Family Leadership Award from the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. On the national level Ricki received the Champion for Every Student Award from CAST (the Center for Applied Special Technology) for “leading America to Universal Design for Learning.” Ricki also received the NDSC Exceptional Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes an individual whose service and contributions to people with Down syndrome and their families have had local, State, and national significance.Ricki lives in Maryland with her husband. She is a member of the Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition and was a board member for the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County. Ricki is lucky to live near her younger son who has Down syndrome, as well as near her older son’s family. When not working on education advocacy Ricki enjoys spending time with her family, including her grandchildren and 3 Boston Terriers!
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Heather Sachs
Heather Sachs is the Policy & Advocacy Co-Director for the National Down Syndrome Congress. She works with members of Congress and their staff, federal agencies, other national disability and civil rights organizations, and state and local advocates to educate them about policy issues that impact the civil rights and quality of life of individuals with Down syndrome. Residing Maryland (Washington DC metropolitan area) with her spouse, Heather is the proud parent of three children, one of whom has Down syndrome.
Prior to joining NDSC, Heather served as the Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy for the National Down Syndrome Society and has over a decade of advocacy experience on the national, state and local levels. Heather is a founding member of the statewide Maryland Down syndrome Advocacy Coalition and a longtime member of the board of the Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, Inc. in Maryland. Appointed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in 2015, Heather served on the Maryland Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Task Force which laid the groundwork for establishing Maryland’s ABLE program. In 2018, Heather was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women by the Maryland Daily Record. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and was featured for her disability advocacy work in Washington Lawyer magazine. Heather received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law. In her free time, Heather enjoys hiking, gardening, and playing with her dogs.
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Jessie Smart
Jessie Smart is a dedicated self-advocate, community leader, and passionate voice for individuals with disabilities. She lives in Olive Branch, Mississippi, where she works as a bookkeeper for a landscape company and is an employee at The Arc of Northwest Mississippi.
In 2024, she was appointed by the Governor to the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities. This past February, she delivered the opening prayer and remarks before the Mississippi House of Representatives on Disability Awareness Day—a powerful moment that reflected her deep commitment to advocacy and inclusion.
She is a proud member of the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) Policy & Advisory Council, Self-Advocate Council, and National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC). She has worked alongside the NDSC Policy Team for many years as part of the Advocacy Training Boot Camp team. Each year, she looks forward to helping train and inspire the next generation of advocates. Jessie was asked to be on the Microsoft Advisory Committee and is working with Microsoft to ensure AI technology is more accessible for people with disabilities.
When she's not advocating, she enjoys singing in her church choir and spending time with her friends. Her love for community, service, and advocacy shines through every aspect of her life.
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Bill Stumpf
Bill Stumpf lives in Dubuque, Iowa with his son Kyle. He is a graduate of Northeast Iowa Community College. Bill retired in 2021 after 15 years as a licensed practical nurse at an intermediate care facility for people with intellectual disabilities. Prior to pursuing nursing, Bill was employed in manufacturing for 30 years. His family consists of two adult daughters, their spouses, and one adult son. He also has two granddaughters and five grandsons.
Bill became active in disability advocacy shortly after his son Kyle, who has Down syndrome, was born in 1990. He has been active with many local, state, and national organizations including Family Voices, the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council, Disability Rights Iowa, the Association for People Supporting Employment First (APSE), the Iowa Guardianship Conservatorship Association, and the Iowa Coalition for Integration and Employment. Bill is also a member of the NDSC National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC). Bill advocates alongside Kyle for voting rights, access to voting for people with disabilities, and competitive integrated employment. In 2019 Bill was the recipient of the Iowa Chapter of APSE Advocacy Award and the 2020 recipient of National APSE’s Public Policy Award for his grassroots efforts supporting the employment first movement. -
Kyle Stumpf
Kyle Stumpf, 36, lives in Dubuque, Iowa, with his dad, Bill. After graduating high school in 2009, Kyle worked for approximately four years in a segregated setting, also known as a Sheltered Workshop, earning subminimum wage.
In 2014, Kyle began working at Papa John’s Pizza, where he has been employed for more than 11 years. Since 2025, he has also worked at Pizza Ranch. Kyle loves his jobs, earns above minimum wage, and saves money in his ABLE account to support his future independence and financial security.
Kyle is an active member of his community. Outside of work, he participates in a Day Habilitation Program that provides opportunities to volunteer with local organizations, including the public library. He enjoys live music, dancing, swimming, traveling, and participating in community events and activities.
In 2019, Kyle and his dad were invited to speak at a Competitive Integrated Employment legislative briefing in Washington, D.C. Kyle shared his personal experience and has continued advocating for an end to subminimum wages for people with disabilities. He is also a member of the NDSC National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC).
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Brad Thomas
Brad Thomas serves as Deputy Director of Education Policy for Chairman Tim Walberg with the House Committee on Education and Workforce, where he helps lead the education policy team. Brad has worked for the committee for nearly two decades across two different stints, during which he has served as the Republican staff’s lead K-12 and disability education policy advisor. He has also worked on a variety of higher education and workforce development policy issues. In between his two stints on the Hill, Brad was Senior Vice President for Government Relations for Learning Ally, a non-profit organization that provides accessible instructional materials and other supports to students with disabilities. Brad graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Education from the University of Georgia.
