Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams

In this episode of Supercharge Your Bottom Line Through Disability Inclusion, Dr. Kirk Adams and his guest, Jeremy Grandstaff, dive into a powerful discussion on disability inclusion and its transformative impact on businesses. Broadcasting from his Seattle home office, Dr. Adams begins with an intimate account of his personal journey — from losing his sight at age five to becoming a leading advocate for accessibility. His early experiences, from mastering Braille to being the only blind student in mainstream education, laid the foundation for his resilience and passion for inclusion. But this episode isn't just about Dr. Adams.   TRANSCRIPT   00:00 Music.   00:09 Welcome to podcasts by Dr Kirk Adams, where we bring you powerful conversations with leading voices in disability rights, employment and inclusion. Our guests share their expertise, experiences and strategies to inspire action and create a more inclusive world. If you're passionate about social justice or want to make a difference, you're in the right place. Let's dive in with your host, Dr Kirk Adams,   00:37 hello, everybody. This is Dr Kirk Adams, talking to you from my home office in sunny Seattle, Washington. And welcome to my monthly live streamed webinar. Supercharge your bottom line through disability inclusion. And as you know, every month I have a wonderful guest host. This month, it is Jeremy grand staff, you'll hear more, a lot more from Jeremy in a bit, but Jeremy, could you please say hello?   01:07 Well, hello, Dr Kirk, it's such an honor to be with you and and to be part of your space. I just appreciate such a great opportunity to collaborate with you on many levels, but this is definitely one of the highlights of my week. So thank you for having me on great and I'm going to, I'm going to give you a little bit of background about me, in case you don't know me yet, and I'll keep it brief, I promise. And then we'll, we'll talk to Jeremy at some length   01:39 about disability inclusion, employment of people who are blind, the importance of accessibility, and his very interesting life story as well. And then we'll let you know how you can get in touch with me, how you can get in touch with Jeremy, and we'll open it up for any questions, comments, any of you may have who are joined with us here live today. You're watching the recording. We'll let you know how to get in touch with us. So again, I'm Dr KURT ADAMS. I am a blind person. Have been since age five, when my retins Both detached. I was in kindergarten and I went to a school for blind children, State of Oregon, Oregon State School for the Blind. First, second, third grade had a wonderful teacher named Mrs. Summers who taught me how to read Braille, which opened up my world and write Braille. Then I had a great O and M instructor, Mr. Pearson, who taught me how to travel confidently and independently with a long white cane. Wasn't it wasn't very long when I was six years old, but I was, I was using a cane and then learned how to type on a typewriter. Today, it would be called keyboarding, but the model then   02:57 blind kids and deaf kids went to state residential schools primarily and learn the skills of disability to the point where we could then go to public school in our hometown, our neighborhood. So I started that in fourth grade, went all the way on through school, lived in small towns here in the Pacific Northwest, was always the only blind student in all of my classes after I left the school for the blind so through through elementary, middle school, high school, college masters, PhD, always the only blind person. So I've had that experience. Also had the experience of graduating from college with great academic credentials, phi, beta, kappa, cum laude, four point by econ degree, then running into those barriers to employment that so many of us significant disabilities face. I've had that experience also through many twists, through many twists and turns.   04:01 Became the president and CEO of the Lighthouse for the Blind here in Seattle, the social enterprise employing about 250 people who are blind and deaf blind, and a variety of businesses, including aerospace manufacturing, making parts for all the Boeing aircraft later was privileged to step into that same president and CE role at the American Foundation for the Blind, which is the most iconic organization in the blindness field. Helen Keller was the brand ambassador there for 45 years. And when I moved from Seattle to New York, and we're in those offices at AFB, I could walk down the hall and sit at Helen Keller's desk, play with her typewriter if I ever needed a shot of inspiration. So I've, I've had the opportunity to be a frustrated person with a disability seeking employment, an opportunity.   05:00 To be a successfully employed person with a disability in corporate America. I was in banking and finance for 10 years, and then an opportunity to be the employer of   05:12 hundreds of people who are blind and deaf blind. And so I have, I have good 360 degree views of employment for people who are blind, and I formalized that experience by pursuing and earning a PhD in leadership and change through Antioch University. And my scholarly focus was on employment of people who are blind. My dissertation is called journeys through rough country, an ethnographic study of blind adults successfully employed in American corporations. And no, I just, I just had it brailled and hard copy Braille. I've had the electronic file since 2019 when I completed but I just started rereading it, and it's pretty good. I'm pretty I'm pretty happy with the first 25 pages I've read this week.   06:10 I set up a consulting practice a little over two years ago when I made the change from leading the American Foundation for the Blind, relocated from the Washington, DC area back to Seattle, very much driven by my   06:27 commitment to family. My wife and I are joyous grandparents. We have a 232,   06:34 month old grandson, eight month old granddaughter. They live a mile away from us here in Seattle. So quite, quite a lifestyle change happened a couple of years ago, I set up a consulting practice, primarily to work with companies who are interested in winning the fierce competition for talent by expanding their thinking around diversity, equity and inclusion, to embrace intentional employment of people with disabilities, in particular people who are blind, and having those conversations about the fact that only 35% of us significant disabilities are in the workforce, there are many people who are eager to work, looking for those opportunities, have pursued education and training and may not have had the chance to get that foot on the career ladder, and we talk about how people develop talent and skills, and that we develop mastery through overcoming challenges and the lived experience of disability gives us ample opportunity to face and overcome challenges on a very regular basis, which leads to development of resilience and perseverance, creative problem solving,   07:57 the ability to analyze and manage risk, the ability to put together diverse teams and work with teams as we're all interdependent on one another, and good communication skills, I think, which are necessary we are to not only survive, but thrive as people with disabilities And in these environments that were not surprisingly, created primarily to fit people without disabilities, and as we strive to create a good person, a fit between ourselves and the environment, the creativity that goes along with that.   08:35 So I've been working directly with companies. I will note one partnership with a cyber security company called Nova coast, we've developed a fabulous program to launch blind people into cyber security careers.   08:51 You can find that it's called the apex program. You can find that at WWW dot the apex program.com   09:00 and it's a 10 week virtual training that leads to certification network plus and security plus certifications, and then opportunities to interview with employers who are desperately seeking qualified, certified   09:16 Cyber Security employees. As on any given day, there are 755,000   09:22 open cybersecurity jobs in our country, and we're set up with vocational rehabilitation in 20 states now. So if anyone listening is interested in cybersecurity careers,   09:37 please visit www dot the apex program.com,   09:41 another aspect of my consulting business which is really interesting is working with startup companies that are seeking to be very innovative and using technology in order to create a more inclusive world for people with disabilities. When I was a.   10:00 Uh, in the President's CEO role at the American Foundation for the Blind, I was quite regularly contacted by companies who thought they had a great idea of some sort of technological innovation that would be helpful to people who are blind. Sometimes these were well intended people who were seeking to solve a problem that really didn't really exist. Sometimes they were seeking to solve a problem for which there was already a solution, and sometimes they had a pretty cool, new, innovative idea. And inevitably, they were all seeking funding and wanting to know if AFD could provide startup funding. And I was   10:46 easy, easily, quickly able to say, No, we don't do that.   10:52 But as I shifted into an entrepreneurial space myself, with my company, which is called innovative impact LLC, I continued to be contacted by by innovative people wanting to do good in the world   11:12 through scaling their companies, and I have found myself now an advisor To and a shareholder in four different companies, one of which is called curb cut OS. And curb cut OS is one of several intersections between myself and Mr. Grand staff Jeremy, who's who's on the call. So   11:42 a mirror, a tangled web we weave sometimes. So I met Jeremy at an NFB conference. He

Dr. Kirk Adams and Evan Amundson discussed the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and its benefits for businesses hiring individuals with disabilities. Evan highlighted that WOTC can provide tax credits ranging from $1,200 to $9,600 per eligible new hire, with over 2 million eligible new hires in 2023. He emphasized the importance of vocational rehabilitation agencies in connecting employers with qualified candidates. Kirk added that only 35% of people with significant disabilities are in the workforce, despite many being highly motivated and qualified. They also mentioned other tax credits, such as the Disabled Access Credit and Barrier Removal Deduction, to incentivize businesses to hire and accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Dr. Kirk Adams, Managing Director of Innovative Impact LLC, hosted a webinar discussing disability inclusion and employment. He highlighted that only 35% of blind individuals are employed, compared to 70% of the general population. Lucas Behnken, producer of the documentary "Surpassing Sight," shared the film's goal to change perceptions of blind capabilities through the story of a blind team in the Race Across America. The film aims to catalyze social impact by connecting employers with training programs and tracking employment outcomes. The project includes private screenings, a red carpet premiere, and a long-term strategy to raise awareness and funds for employment opportunities for the blind. Introduction and Overview of the Webinar Speaker 1 introduces the podcast, emphasizing its focus on disability rights, employment, and inclusion. Speaker 2, Dr. Kirk Adams, welcomes everyone to the fourth episode of his monthly live-streamed webinar series. Dr. Adams mentions the partnership with the documentary film "Surpassing Sight" and introduces its producer, Lucas Behnken. Lucas Behnken introduces himself and his production company, Sterling Light Productions, and provides a brief background on the film and its foundation. Dr. Kirk Adams' Background and Employment Statistics for Blind Individuals Dr. Adams shares his personal story of being blind since childhood and his education at the Oregon State School for the Blind. He discusses the employment challenges faced by blind individuals, noting that only 35% are employed compared to 70% of the general population. Dr. Adams highlights the disparities in employment outcomes, including higher unemployment rates and lower income levels for blind individuals. He emphasizes the importance of meaningful employment in providing financial stability, dignity, and positive self-identity. Success Stories and Personal Experiences of Blind Professionals Dr. Adams shares success stories of blind professionals who have achieved significant careers in large corporations. He recounts the story of a blind woman who overcame obstacles to become an executive in a telecom company. Another story involves a blind man who participated in freestyle bike tricks with his sighted peers, fostering a strong sense of self-efficacy. Dr. Adams discusses his professional career dedicated to creating opportunities for blind and disabled individuals to thrive in employment. Dr. Adams' Professional Achievements and Leadership Roles Dr. Adams details his role as President and CEO of the Lighthouse for the Blind in Seattle, where he oversaw businesses employing blind and deaf-blind individuals. He highlights the success of these businesses, including aerospace manufacturing and advanced manufacturing for the U.S. Army. Dr. Adams shares his experience serving on the Board of Trustees for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and his leadership role at AFB. He recounts his meeting with Jack Chen, a blind Assistant General Counsel for Google, and their shared commitment to creating opportunities for blind individuals in the workforce. The Race Across America Project and AFB's Involvement Dr. Adams describes the Race Across America project initiated by Jack Chen and Dan Berlin, involving blind professionals on tandem cycling teams. AFB sponsored the Race Across America team, marking a significant milestone in their efforts to change perceptions of blind capabilities. Dr. Adams shares his transition to a new role as a consultant and his partnership with Dan Berlin, leading to the Apex Program for training blind individuals in cybersecurity. The Apex Program has expanded to 16 states, with a target of training 400 blind individuals annually in cybersecurity. Introduction of Lucas Behnken and the Surpassing Sight Film Project Lucas Behnken introduces himself and his background in creating social impact campaigns around documentary films. He explains his involvement in the Surpassing Sight project, which began with footage from the Race Across America. Lucas and his team, including director Ramon Fernandez, interviewed subjects and created the film to highlight the capabilities of blind professionals. The film includes a diverse team of blind and low-vision professionals, ensuring authenticity and impact. The Film's Social Impact Campaign and Distribution Strategy Lucas emphasizes the importance of using the film as a tool to make long-term change and enhance lives. The film includes an audio description track, ensuring accessibility for blind viewers. Lucas and his team have been conducting private screenings to build advocates and gather feedback on the film's impact. The goal is to create a concierge service to connect blind professionals with companies and track their employment outcomes. Lessons Learned from Previous Social Impact Campaigns Lucas shares insights from his work on the documentary "Molly," which focused on adoption and foster care. The campaign involved private screenings, partnerships with nonprofits, and a large theatrical release to raise awareness and funds. The campaign resulted in significant donations and increased visibility for the organization, highlighting the power of a well-structured social impact effort. Lucas emphasizes the importance of building a team dedicated to the social impact campaign to ensure long-term success. Call to Action and Invitation to Get Involved Dr. Adams and Lucas invite viewers to get involved in the Surpassing Sight social impact initiative. They provide contact information for those interested in volunteering, donating, or collaborating on the project. Dr. Adams shares his email and LinkedIn information for further discussions. The webinar concludes with a call to action, encouraging viewers to check out the Surpassing Sight website and join the effort to change employment outcomes for blind individuals. SUMMARY KEYWORDS disability inclusion, employment opportunities, blind professionals, Race Across America, social impact, documentary film, employment statistics, internal locus, meaningful employment, cybersecurity training, private screenings, social action campaign, employment disparities, film distribution, stakeholder connections 00:00 Music.   00:09 Welcome to podcasts by Dr Kirk Adams, where we bring you powerful conversations with leading voices in disability rights, employment and inclusion. Our guests share their expertise, experiences and strategies to inspire action and create a more inclusive world. If you're passionate about social justice or want to make a difference, you're in the right place. Let's dive in with your host, Dr Kirk Adams,   00:36 wonderful. Welcome everybody. This is Dr Kirk Adams, Managing Director of innovative impact LLC, welcome to my monthly live streamed webinar. Supercharge your bottom line through Disability Inclusion, I began this monthly series in February, so this is the fourth episode. It is being recorded so we can share with folks later. Every month, I partner with another ecosystem that shares my passion and focus on accelerating inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce. This month, we're featuring a documentary film and social impact project called surpassing site, and the documentary films producer Lucas Behnken is with us today, Lucas, if you want to say hi and just a brief headline about who you are, and we'll dig deeper into your amazing background in a bit.   01:35 Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm Lucas Behnken and I'm a producer, and have a production company called Sterling light productions. And I was the producer and production company for this film titled surpassing site, which we have now established what is called surpassing site foundation to be the distribution campaign for the film,   01:57 fabulous. So a little background, I want to talk just a little bit about myself, a little bit about employment of people with disabilities, employment of people who are blind in particular, and then tell a very interesting story about how we all came to be here today. So again, I'm Dr Kirk Adams. I am a blind person. My retina is detached. When I was five years old in kindergarten, I attended a school for blind children in the state of Oregon. Oregon State School for the Blind first, second, third grade. Learned to read and write Braille, travel confidently with a white cane type on a typewriter, and was given some real gifts there. As I went to school with 120 other blind kids, I was given a strong internal locus of control, which meant I felt in my bones, as I left third grade and went to public school in fourth grade that I could be successful in whatever I chose to do with my life. I also was given the gift of lofty expectations from the school and my parents about what I could accomplish. And I was given skills. I was given, like I mentioned, Braille skills, key it was typing then, but keyboarding skills, skills to travel confidently and independently. And those are three of the main factors that lead to successful employment for blind people as we become adults, unfortunately, the employment outcomes for us are not even close to what they should be. Only 35% of us are working, compared to about 70% of the general population that are working age, that are that are in the workforce. So about half, if you look at the actual Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment rate people who are actively seeking employment, if you see the general population is 4% for people with disabilities, is going to be 8% so our outcomes are always half as good or twice as bad as the general population. As far as employment goes, for those of us who are employed, we're in a much narrower, narrower band of occupations than the general population, and over half of us that work are working for government or nonprofits, which are great places to work, but they definitely have caps on the level of income one can achieve As composed to other employment settings. So this persistent unemployment

Dr. Kirk Adams hosted a webinar on disability inclusion in cybersecurity, highlighting the Apex program, which prepares blind individuals for cybersecurity careers. The program, developed by Novacoast, offers a 10-week training course for CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certifications, costing $7,500. The program aims to place 400 blind individuals annually in cybersecurity roles, addressing a significant employment gap. Key features include flexible learning, employer support, and a strong industry network. The webinar emphasized the transferable skills from contract management services to cybersecurity and the potential for career growth, with starting salaries around $35,000 and potential earnings of $95,000. Outline Introduction and Overview of the Webinar Speaker 1 introduces the podcast, emphasizing its focus on disability rights, employment, and inclusion. Speaker 2, Dr. Kirk Adams, welcomes everyone to the monthly live stream webinar titled "Supercharge your bottom line through Disability Inclusion." Dr. Adams introduces himself as the Managing Director of Innovative Impact LLC and shares his background in disability inclusion. He introduces two teammates, David Main and Katie McAuliffe, and welcomes a new team member, Kalana. The agenda includes a video about the Apex program, perspectives from David and Katie, and a Q&A session. Background of the Apex Program Dr. Adams recounts the history of the Apex program, which began during his tenure at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). The AFB was named as the third central nonprofit agency under the Ability One program, leading to a five-year cooperative agreement. The research phase identified three lines of business: contract management, digital health, and cybersecurity. Despite the pandemic, the research highlighted cybersecurity as a promising field for people who are blind. Dr. Adams transitioned to his consulting practice, Innovative Impact, and connected with Dan Berlin and Jack Chen, who were involved in the Race Across America. Development of the Apex Program Jack Chen and Dan Berlin were organizing the Race Across America and seeking sponsors. AFB sponsored the race, and Dan Berlin introduced Dr. Adams to Novacoast, a cybersecurity company interested in hiring blind individuals. Dr. Adams met with Novacoast's CEO, Paul Anderson, and was given the green light to develop the Apex program. Katie McAuliffe joined the team later, bringing extensive experience from IBM and Novell. The Apex program was created to prepare blind and visually impaired individuals for certifications in networking and cybersecurity. Personal Stories and Success of the Apex Program A video featuring personal stories of individuals involved in the Apex program is shown, highlighting their struggles and successes. One participant, David Jr., shares his journey from a severe accident to pursuing a cybersecurity degree. Curtis Jackson, another participant, discusses his experience with unemployment and how the Apex program changed his life. The video emphasizes the potential for blind individuals to succeed in cybersecurity careers. David Jr. and Curtis both found employment at Novacoast, proving the program's effectiveness. Vision and Future of the Apex Program David Main outlines his vision for the program's growth, including expanding to more states and potentially international markets. The program aims to offer high school students the opportunity to earn certifications before graduation. The goal is to support students beyond entry-level training, providing further certifications and job opportunities. Dr. Adams expresses his admiration for the program, stating it aligns with his career-long mission to create opportunities for people who are blind. Katie McAuliffe discusses the unique features of Novacoast and how the company's support enhances the Apex program. Career Opportunities and Industry Support Katie McAuliffe explains the various career paths available in cybersecurity, from entry-level roles to specialized positions like threat hunters and penetration testers. The industry is supportive of continuous learning and certification stacking, allowing for career advancement. Novacoast's annual cybersecurity conference provides opportunities for graduates to network with industry leaders. The company's staffing division, Novaco Staffing, helps place graduates in positions. Dr. Adams emphasizes the importance of vocational rehabilitation partnerships and other funding models to support the program. Q&A Session and Closing Remarks Amanda Gomez from Vibrant Works asks about accessing the training independently of state vocational rehabilitation. Dr. Adams confirms that alternative funding models are possible and shares examples of successful partnerships. Katie McAuliffe provides pricing information for the program, which costs $7,500 and includes both CompTIA certifications. The program is designed to be flexible, with students having 10 weeks to complete the training, but the pace can be adjusted. Dr. Adams invites further questions and encourages viewers to visit the Apex Program website for more information. 00:00 Music. 00:09 Welcome to podcasts by Dr Kirk Adams, where we bring you powerful conversations with leading voices in disability rights, employment and inclusion. Our guests share their expertise, experiences and strategies to inspire action and create a more inclusive world. If you're passionate about social justice or want to make a difference, you're in the right place. Let's dive in with your host, Dr Kirk Adams, 00:36 and welcome everybody to my monthly live stream webinar, webinar called Supercharge your bottom line through Disability Inclusion, I am Dr Kirk Adams talking to you from my home office in Seattle, Washington, where it's pouring rain outside. For those who don't know me, I am the Manning managing director of a consulting practice called innovative impact. LLC and I work with companies to help accelerate inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce and to help them supercharge their bottom line through Disability Inclusion. Immediate Past President and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind. I before that held the same roles at the lighthouse for the blind Incorporated, and I am featuring today a wonderful partner Apex program, which prepares blind people for careers in cybersecurity. And I have two of my Apex program teammates here, David main and Katie McAuliffe, and you'll hear from both of them a bit later. I also want to welcome kalana to the innovative impact team. She joined us Monday, and she'll be working with all of you to share social media and so welcome. Thank you. Thank you, kalana, so the and then we'll after I tell, after I tell my story of what brought us all here today. Then we'll show you a six minute video produced by working nation about the apex program, to give you a flavor of what we're doing here in creating these career opportunities for people who are blind. And then we'll hear perspectives from David and Katie. We'll make sure you know how to connect with Apex program, and then we'll have some time for discussion Q and A. So the story really has two, two interweaving narratives. The first is, when I was at the American Foundation for the Blind, we were given the opportunity to be named as the third central nonprofit agency under the Ability One program, which is a federal procurement and employment program that allows nonprofits employing people with disabilities to obtain government contracts. And we entered into a five year cooperative agreement with the AbilityOne commission, and the first phase was called research and study, and we we spent two years doing in depth research. AFB is a renowned research organization, and our charge was to identify three new lines of business that could be introduced into the Ability One program that would create career pathways into competitive, integrated employment and fulfilling careers for people who are blind in knowledge based work. And we identified three lines of business. One was contract management or civilian federal agencies. The second was digital health, or telehealth, and the third was cyber security. And the criteria we were using in our research work, we wanted to find industries with a wide range of career paths, industries that have projected long term above average growth and employment opportunities, industries where there were career paths that were accessible to people who are blind and have other disabilities, industries where advanced degrees were not required, 04:21 industries that had 04:24 strong infrastructure around commonly accepted certifications, industry associations, and finally, industries that that had indicated that They were being proactive around Diversity Equity and Inclusion and cybersecurity fit all of those criteria. We finished our research and study phase, delivered our line line of business analyzes to the AbilityOne commission, and then the pandemic set upon us, and we did not see a way to. Operationalize at that point. So we exited the cooperative agreement after phase one. But cyber security is something I immerse myself in for several years, as far as a field of endeavor for careers, for people who are blind. Fast forward a little bit as I made my change then stepped out of my role at AFB and launched my consulting practice. Innovative impact I did. I did what they call activate your network. So I went, went through my LinkedIn, and reached out to people that I had great relationships with and shared my passion for employment of people with disabilities and let them know I was setting off on a new adventure and was just looking for fun, innovative, high impact projects with cool people that would accelerate inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce. And I reach out to a blind friend and colleague named Dan Berlin, and now I'll start the second part the second narrative. In 2020 as