President Donald Trump's Intent to Appoint Personnel to the President 's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID)
April 6, 2018
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Background:
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson established The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID), formerly The President's Committee on Mental Retardation, to ensure the right of a "decent, dignified place in society" for people with intellectual disabilities. Since that time, PCPID has served as a federal advisor to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters relating to persons with intellectual disabilities.
Membership and Activities
The PCPID has 31 members: 18 citizens, and 13 ex officio (federal government) members. A maximum of 21 citizen members is allowed. Citizen members are appointed by the President and serve for a maximum of two years. A variety of individuals are appointed as citizen members, including parents of individuals with intellectual disabilities, scientists and professionals from the field, community and business representatives, and systems advocates.
The 13 government members include the secretaries of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Transportation, the Interior, and Homeland Security; the U.S. Attorney General; the President and CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service; the Chairs of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and National Council on Disability; and the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration. PCPID is also supported by a team of federal employees.
Formal meetings are held at least twice per fiscal year and the Committee convenes informally throughout the year. In addition, PCPID is mandated to submit an annual report to the President. This report is the vehicle through which members provide advice and recommendations pertaining to intellectual disabilities.
Summary:
On March 30, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to appoint eight individuals to PCPID:
- Annette Liike of Michigan for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Christopher Glenn Neeley of South Carolina, for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2018 and an additional two year term, and upon appointment to be designated Chair.
- Claudia Horn of North Carolina for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Emily Colson of Massachusetts for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Karen Moderow of California for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Olegario D. Cantos VII of Virginia for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Stephanie Hubach of Pennsylvania for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
- Vijayalakshmi Appareddy for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
References:
- Visit the PCPID website to learn more about PCPID members and its activities.
- Read the official White House press release.
New Appointee Biographies
Annette Liike is a Child, Youth, and Family Caseworker at Oakland County Circuit Court. Liike is the owner of "Jon and Company," a clothing brand specializing in special needs apparel named after her son Johnny, who was born with Down syndrome. Liike found it difficult to find clothing that fit her son well and encouraged independence while dressing, all while remaining stylish. Her line focuses on addressing the needs of clients who have challenges in dexterity by offering many choices on the clothing such as Velcro, magnetic snaps, elastic, and buttons. Liike lives in Michigan alongside her husband Tom and other sons Joshua and Lucas. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Christopher Glenn Neeley is a native South Carolinian, is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Since 2016, Neeley has served as Executive Director of the Meyer Center for Special Children. He has previously served as the Director of Development for the USC's Arnold School of Public Health, and has worked as Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for both Reynolds American and Wal-Mart Stores. He also has an extensive background in public relations, marketing, non-profit fundraising, and politics. Most recently, Neeley has worked with "Made in USA Works," a global consulting company that is designed to bring manufacturing jobs back from overseas. He lives in South Carolina with his three sons, one of whom, Marsh, has Down syndrome. He will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2018 and an additional two year term, and upon appointment will be designated Chair.
Claudia Horn previously served as the Senior Director of Employment Services for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and head of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Services for the Blind, and Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. Horn has a vocational rehabilitation background, having experience in every part of the vocational rehabilitation continuum of services from vocational evaluation, work adjustment, to placement. Previously, Horn served as Rehabilitation Director for the national office of Goodwill Industries of America, Inc., where she spent nearly ten years employed. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Emily Colson is a motivational speaker and author of the book, Dancing with Max. Colson frequently addresses churches and organizations nationwide, and has appeared on various media outlets including Focus on the Family, the Huckabee Show, and Hallmark's Home & Family. In her book, Dancing with Max, Colson and her father, Chuck Colson, share their experiences surrounding raising Max, her 23 year-old son with autism. The book has recently been awarded "Book of the Year" by the Autism Society. Colson recounts how through "faith, life, love, and a whole lot of laughter," she was able to persevere through many of the obstacles and see the gifts. Colson lives in Massachusetts with her son. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Karen Moderow is a conference and church speaker, radio and television guest, as well as public relations coordinator for her local church capital campaigns. She has authored books such as The Parting and Back Roads Home: The True Story of a Family Lost and Found, the latter recounting the trauma her family went through when her teenage son, Michael, was in a car accident and went into a coma. In the book, Moderow describes the gradual disintegration of her family preceding the accident, and the progressive rebuilding that followed it. Her account reveals her own spiritual growth along with that of her family. Moderow was previously named Atlanta Woman's Magazine "Woman of the Week" for her work with the Brain Injury Resource Foundation. She is currently the owner of "Jordan West Publications," and has been published by numerous Christian periodicals for over a decade. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Olegario "Ollie" D. Cantos VII started his career as an attorney at the Disability Rights Legal Center in Loyola, later becoming General Counsel of a 60,000-member non-profit. Afterwards, Cantos served as Special Assistant and later Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, Vice-Chairman of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, and Associate Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President George W. Bush. He has served as a long-time attorney mentor for the American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law and was once a member of the Commission as well. In addition, Cantos has mentored foster children living in Washington, DC while serving on the board of a local non-profit organization providing social services to the local low-income community. Ollie has also spent years on disability-related issues including assistive technology, civil rights, criminal justice, emergency preparedness, employment, entrepreneurship, parenting, special education, transportation, veterans' issues, and independent living. In addition, with a uniformed equivalent rank of Lieutenant Commander, he was the first blind person to serve as "District Staff Officer - Legal Parliamentarian" in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. He is also President and CEO of a consultancy business, providing individuals and organizations tools and techniques to enhance branding, visibility, marketability, and influence. Today, Cantos continues his public service under President Donald J. Trump as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. At the center of Cantos' life are his three adopted blind triplet boys - Leo, Nick, and Steven. He will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Stephanie Hubach is a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and Visiting Instructor for Educational Ministries for Covenant Theological Seminary. Previously, Hubach served as Special Needs Ministries Director of Mission to North America (MNA), an organization associated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). She has also served on the Lancaster Christian Council on Disability (LCCD) and on the advisory board for Chosen Families. Prior to her appointment at MNA, Hubach and her husband led the Special Needs Ministry at Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ephrata, PA. She also volunteered as a member of the Board of Directors for The Arc of Lancaster County, Chairperson of the Lancaster County Mental Health Advisory Board, and President of the Board of Directors for the Infant Evaluation Program of State College, PA. Hubach has authored books such as Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability and All Things Possible: Calling Your Church Leadership to Embrace Disability Ministry, and has been featured in numerous magazine publications. She resides in Lancaster County, PA alongside her husband of 34 years, Fred, and her two sons Fred and Tim, the younger of who has Down syndrome. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
Vijayalakshmi Appareddy is a psychiatrist in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She received her medical degree from Osmania Medical College NTR UHS and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Appareddy previously served on the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities under President George W. Bush. She was a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Brown University Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island, and also the medical director of the residential unit of Columbia Valley Hospital. Appareddy has co-authored two textbooks, The Siblings of the Psychiatrically Disordered Child and Normal Sleep in Neonates and Children. Appareddy has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations. She was the president of Chattanooga Chapter of American Medical Women's Association, member of International Task Force of American Medical Women's Association, founder and secretary of Chattanooga Association of Physicians from India, board member of HCA Valley Psychiatric Hospital, secretary/treasurer of Chattanooga Psychiatric Network, member of Medico-Legal Committee of Chattanooga Hamilton County Medical Society, delegate to the Tennessee Medical Association from local medical society, and co-chairman of Women Physicians Committee of AAPI. Appareddy currently resides in Chattanooga with her husband of 21 years, Ramesh, and her two daughters, Mayuri and Nina. She will serve for the remainder of the two year term expiring May 11, 2019.
