1. Engaging Veterans with Disabilities and Wounded Warriors in National and Community Service July 26, 2011 We will begin shortly! Upon joining us, please press *6 to mute your phone. Please feel free to say hello by typing in the Chat or Q & A text boxes on the bottom.

2. www.serviceandinclusion.org Toll-free hotline: 888-491-0326 (voice/TTY)

3. National Partnerships The National Service Inclusion Project partners with the following organizations to further enable all CNCS grantees to collaborate with the disability community. These disability organizations are committed to promoting national service and volunteering as a valued option for individuals with disabilities to their respective communities. Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Denver Options CTAT Operation TBI Freedom

4. Gentle Reminders… Please press *6 to both mute and un-mute your phone. Please do not use your “hold” button. Please ask questions, share ideas, and comments: We invite participation and conversation “Raise hand” icon Chat/Question window on the right The session will be recorded. Please complete our brief survey when the webinar is finished.

5. Engaging Veterans with Disabilities and Wounded Warriors in National and Community Service Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde Corporation for National and Community Service Rev. Zernial M Bogan AmeriCorps Veteran, Champaign County Regional Planning Commission-No Limits Program Joanne E Cohen CTAT at Denver Options Alfredia “Fredia” Johnson Operation TBI Freedom at Denver Options Paula Sotnik National Service Inclusion Project, ICI, UMB July 26, 2011

6. Welcome and Overview (Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde) The Corporation for National and Community Service Veterans and Military Families Initiative, Objectives, and Strategies Increase the number of veterans and military service members and their families

7. Serve America Act The 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act authorized the Corporation for National and Community Service to establish a Veterans Corps to engage more veterans in service. CNCS launched the Engaging Veterans with Disabilities Initiative to enhance the capacity of national service programs to successfully recruit, engage and support veterans with disabilities as active service members in structured volunteer experiences.

8. Engaging Veterans with Disabilities and Wounded Warriors in National and Community Service

9. Overall Project Plan (Paula Sotnik and Joanne Cohen) Background Objectives Methods Target Participants Current Status www.serviceandinclusion.org/veterans

10. Profile of a Veteran with TBI/PTSD (Fredia Johnson) Acronyms You May Hear: WTU-Warrior Transition Unit DOD-Department of Defense VA-Veterans Administration CAF-Challenged Athlete Fund AW2-Army Wounded Warrior Program Down Range-Front Line Combat Zone

11. PTSD and TBI Clarification (Fredia Johnson) TBI PTSD Overlap

12. Wounded Warriors (Interview with Fredia Johnson) Who is a Wounded Warrior? How do I find them? (Who do I call? What do I say?) What do they need? What do their families need? Once a Wounded Warrior becomes a member of a national service group, what resources are needed?

13. 1:1 Interview with AmeriCorps Veterans (Joanne Cohen) Demographics 45 pages of notes > 1 page Executive Summary Common themes Suggestions to engage other Veterans in National Service Quotes (see dog tags)

17. Anonymous Veteran (Joanne Cohen) “My experience as a volunteer in the AmeriCorps Program has given me the will to get out of bed everyday. It has given me the education and knowledge to understand my disability and it has given me a purpose in life. If you don’t have a purpose in life, it’s hard to get out of bed every morning.”

18. Discussion Groups April 6 & 8, 2011 Colorado (Joanne Cohen) Veteran Demographics Themes Suggestions to engage Veterans in National Service Poster

19. April 2011, Veteran Discussion Group (Ten Veterans in Denver, CO)

20. April 2011, Veteran Discussion Group (Ten active duty soldiers, soon to be veterans, from the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) at Fort Carson, CO)

21. Discussion Groups April 6 & 8, 2011 Colorado (Joanne Cohen) Veteran Demographics Themes Suggestions to engage Veterans in National Service Poster Webpage: www.serviceandinclusion.org/veterans

23. AmeriCorps Veteran View and Experience (Reverend Zernial M Bogan) Why I joined AmeriCorps What engaged me in National and Community Service Most current national service experience Highlights of my contributions to the community What I gained from my experience Iraq and Afghanistan active duty soldiers and veterans—how AmeriCorps will benefit them and their community

24. Interactive Discussion: (Paula Sotnik) What are YOU doing? What will YOU change in your recruitment strategies based on what we’ve learned in Colorado? What do YOU need to get there? (e.g., Products) http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/598784/Engaging- Veterans-with-Disabilities-and-Wounded-Warriors-in- National-and-Community-Service

25. Wrap-Up (Rev. Zernial M Bogan and Paula Sotnik) Zernial - What final suggestions do you have that would help us engage veterans and wounded warriors with disabilities, such as yourself, in National and Community Service? Final Comments…(Paula and Team)

26. Q & A

27. Resources Engaging Veterans with Disabilities in National Service Initiative http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/ CNCS Veterans Corps http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/serveamerica/veterans.asphttp://www.nationalservice.gov/about/serveamerica/veterans.asp CTAT www.ctat-training.comwww.ctat-training.com Denver Options www.denveroptions.orgwww.denveroptions.org Operation TBI Freedom www.operationtbifreedom.orgwww.operationtbifreedom.org American’s Hero’s at Work www.americasherosatwork.govwww.americasherosatwork.gov Invisible Wounds: Serving Service Members and Veterans with PTSD and TBI http://www.disabilityrightsoregon.org/search?SearchableText=invisible+wounds Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) A Handbook of Hope for Our Military Warriors and Their Families www.braininjuryhopefoundation.org

28. Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde, Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde, joined CNCS in its formative days in 1994 and currently serves as a Senior Training Officer for Disability Inclusion and Evaluation in the Office of Strategy and Special Initiatives. Her responsibilities include working to strengthen the capacity of national service programs to effectively develop, manage and implement fully inclusive programs; embrace and practice performance management systems; and implement programs that intentionally impact participants toward the achievement of successful post- service outcomes. She manages the provider agreements for the Corporation’s disability inclusion and evaluation capacity building initiatives; represents the Corporation on various disability inclusion cross-agency federal initiatives; and works to ensure that national service grantees develop and sustain inclusive environments that positively impact program participants during and after service. Jewel has extensive experience in program management, organizational development, cross-cultural communication, human and community development through training and technical assistance, and continues to be passionate about helping others realize their full potential. Her previous assignments before joining the Corporation include directing a multi disciplined clinical fellowship program; managing an international primary health care and community development project; and working on the faculty and institutional development of an international university. Jewel is fluent in four languages and has a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a Master’s from Columbia University in New York, NY.

29. Rev. Zernial M Bogan Rev. Zernial M Bogan is a Viet Nam Veteran who served in the United States Air Force (USAF) in the early 70’s and went to St. Joseph’s Military Academy in the early 60’s. He currently is a volunteer member of AmeriCorps, serving at the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission, Social Services, No-Limits Program. Zernial is currently enrolled at Ashford University studying to obtain his Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Management, with a specialty in Heath Care Administration and is a member of the Human Services Council in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree from Ashford University, Clinton, Iowa in Human Resources, Organizational Management. Zernial is President of the Champaign County Black Chamber of Commerce since 2005. He is the Director of the computer lab at Salem Baptist Church, Champaign, Illinois, a Pastor of a Prison Ministry in Champaign- Urbana, Illinois, and became a licensed Minister in the 90’s, ordained in January of 2006.

30. Joanne E Cohen Joanne E Cohen, Organizational Consultant, CTAT, Denver Options, has over thirty years combined experience in coaching, consulting, and facilitation, with twelve years internally directing and managing her teams to focus on successfully supporting strategic and tactical corporate initiatives. She has consulted and coached executives and their teams in the planning and implementation of new strategic directions that are in alignment with the business goals and objectives of their companies. Joanne has kept pace with the current business needs and has provided clients with excellent resources for understanding and managing change. Her expertise domestically and globally spans the telecommunications, hi-tech, manufacturing, service, mining, biomedical, oil and gas, and aerospace industries. Joanne also has non-profit experience and joined CTAT, Denver Options in May, 2010 as an Organizational Consultant and Trainer. Joanne was in a car accident in the Bahamas in 1992 that left her unable to walk. A year later she discovered many of her personal challenges were due to TBI from that accident and two TBI’s from previous rear-end accidents four and ten years prior to the “BIG” one in ’92. She has overcome many obstacles and has exceeded the medical diagnosis, leading to a remarkable and inspirational story and recovery.

31. Alfredia “Fredia” Johnson Fredia Johnson is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Her educational background is in Human Services where she received her B.S. from Troy State University in Phoenix City, AL. She enjoys working with the Military/Veteran community. Currently Fredia is an OEF/OIF TBI Care Coordinator for a privately funded Care Coordination Program for returning military service members who have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the Global War on Terror. Having spent over 25 years in the Human Services field, one of her favorite things to do is to be with people and helping them recover by advocating access to the services that will change their lives. In addition to her current role, Fredia has worked as a TANF Case Manager and as a substance abuse counselor. Fredia is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the American Academy for Certified Brain Injury Specialists. Fredia is located in Denver but often travels down to Colorado Springs.

32. Paula Sotnik Paula Sotnik has over twenty-five years of experience working as a director, curriculum developer, trainer, and diversity and disability specialist. She oversees the National Service Inclusion Project, the national T&TA center on accessibility and disability issues funded by CNCS. She also oversees the ICI Community Capacity Building team, which houses federal and state projects designed to support underrepresented communities and individuals to access mainstream services. Ms. Sotnik has served as a lead training consultant and author on culture brokering for the Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. Prior to this project, she developed and coordinated several capacity- building projects with community organizations that examined the experiences of individuals with disabilities from diverse cultures related to person-centered planning and assistive technology. She also developed and directed several federal- and state-funded assistive technology projects for individuals with cognitive disabilities to live more independently in their homes. Paula has served on several consumer advocacy boards, consulted nationally, and conducted presentations and published on topics related to diversity and disability, accommodations, responsive outreach strategies, and developing the capacity of organizations to include individuals with disabilities. Paula has undergraduate degrees in social work and psychology and has taken graduate courses in business and nonprofit management.