Bios
for the IL NET Regional Coordinators
Julie Ballinger, Region
8
Julie Ballinger is a Region 6 RRCEC Organizational
Consultant and the IL Net Region 8 Coordinator. She works with Region
6 & 8 CILs concerning all aspects of IL, capacity building in
American Indian communities, and leadership development. She is
a person with disabilities who has worked in the movement for 15
years, with over 6 of those years as a CIL Director. As the New
Mexico SILC Legislative Chair, she was instrumental in obtaining
nearly one million state dollars for IL services. Julie works as
a NCIL State liaison in their national campaign to increase congressional
CIL funding. Julie is also a private consultant who has given IL
and Disability Rights technical assistance/trainings nationwide
to CILs, businesses, nonprofits, and state/local governments and
is a Regional Affiliate for the Disability Law Resource Project.
Richard Farruggio,
Regions 1 & 2
Richard Farruggio has a bachelor's degree in Community
and Human Services and has worked in the independent living field
for 16 years, specializing in peer counseling, benefits counseling,
advocacy, technology and all types of media. He has also coordinated
a mentoring and employment project in the Ithaca, NY area. Richard
has been involved in several community groups, including an ADA
advisory group to the Mayor, and groups and projects related to
ADA transportation.
Carri George,
Region 6
Carri George is the lead Organizational Consultant
for the Region 6 Rehabilitation Continuing Education Center for
the core areas of Independent Living and Advocacy and Legislation.
She brings 19 years of experience in independent living to her position
as the Region 6 IL NET Coordinator. Before moving to the RCEC, Carri
worked for four years at ILRU on the IL NET, developing and editing
publications and coordinating the on-line courses. As director of
the center for independent living in El Paso, Texas, she led advocacy
efforts related to voting rights for people with disabilities and
enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Kathy Hatch,
Regions 5 & 7
New
Regional Coordinator for Regions V and VII, Kathleen Hatch, will
be working through APRIL (Association of Programs for Rural Independent
Living), where she comes via the Ohio Statewide Independent Living
Council. As Communications Specialist for the SILC, Kathleen edited
and produced SILC Threads magazine and has developed working relationships
with a wide network of knowledgeable independent living advocates.
During her five year tenure at OSILC, she has gained a thorough
understanding of the issues facing CILs and SILCs in both urban
and rural settings. She has been very involved in systems change
issues in Ohio and continues to be an active member of both the
Medicaid Buy-In and Ohio Olmstead Taskforces.
Bob Michaels,
Regions 9 & 10
Bob
Michaels has worked in the field of disability since 1972. Initially,
Bob developed and implemented programs in mental health and developmental
disabilities in Pennsylvania and Arizona, respectively. Since 1984,
he has worked in independent living as a center director, consultant
and trainer, assisting both on-site and through a variety of distance-learning
technologies. He provides considerable training and technical assistance
to the field, oversees research efforts on the management and administration
of centers for independent living and statewide independent living
councils, and writes articles and briefs on a variety of related
topics.
Bob
has considerable experience advocating for both federal and state
legislation promoting civil rights, services, and independent living
programs for persons with disabilities. Since 1995, Bob has worked
as a private consultant and trainer from his home in Tempe, Arizona
and serves on the Arizona Governor’s Statewide Independent
Living Council. Prior to his current activities, Bob was President
and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Resources, Inc. in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania for four years. Bob also served as director of Arizona
Bridge to Independent Living in Phoenix, Arizona for seven years.
Michael Morris,
Regions 3 & 4
Michael
has worked as an Independent Living Specialist with the Independent
Living Center in Birmingham from 1982 to 1995. He worked in El Paso
Texas from 1995 to 1998 with the El Paso Lighthouse For The Blind,
as Director Of Community Out-reach and Adaptive Technology. He also
worked as a free-lance trainer of people who were blind and visually
impaired, teaching several adaptive computer software packages and
off-the-shelf software applications.
In 1998,
Michael returned to the Independent Living Center to provide information
and referral services and to coordinate the Peer Mentoring Program.
This Peer Mentoring also extends to the Nursing Home Transition
Project. Michael also coordinates the ADA training activities at
the Birmingham Independent Living Center. He has been the Alabama
Network Administrator for DBTAC, the Disability Business Technical
Assistance Center, which provides ADA training in the Southeast
Region.
In 1993,
Michael received training in Saint Louis and in Bethesda pertaining
to the Americans With Disabilities Act. This training was sponsored
by NCIL and DREDF.
Michael
is the past President of the Birmingham Council Of The Blind, and
is current president of The National Federation Of The Blind. He
is also actively involved with other disability related organizations
in Birmingham.
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