Chat about Disrupting Ableism in Medicine as a Professional with a Disability

Andy Imparato

Executive Director of Disability Rights California (DRC)

Meeting Description:

Erin Jarrell and Andy Imparato underwent discussion about Andy’s over twenty-five year career as a leader in disability advocacy. It was discussed ableism in medicine and how we professionals have advocated for change. Andy shared about his lived experience with bipolar disorder and how open disclosure has impacted his career.

Speaker Bio:

Andy Imparato is the Executive Director of Disability Rights California (DRC), a state mandated legal services agency that serves Californians with disabilities. Over more than 25 years, his high impact career in disability advocacy and policy has also included:

1. acting as a key leader in the coalition that supported the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 and helped negotiate the disability provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014,

2. advocating for health and economic protections for Californians with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic,

3. serving as part of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee for Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Aging,

4. serving as the CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities and the executive director of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, and

5. serving as Disability Policy Director for the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,

6. serving as an attorney advisor to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and, most recently,

7. serving as one of 12 appointees of President Biden on the federal COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force

Meeting Agenda: