March 4, 2020
Welcome! 2020 Developmental Disabilities Awareness and Advocacy Day!
Every year we celebrate March as National Developmental Disabilities
Awareness Month. This year we are celebrating, “Live, Work, and Go
Where We Want.”
Today’s event is the kickoff of a month-long effort to help others un-
derstand who we are as individuals with disabilities, family members,
or stakeholders, and how we are all changing the way we can partici-
pate in our communities as friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
The DD Awareness & Advocacy Day Planning Committee
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Agenda & Speakers
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Welcome – Shari Cooper
Live
Patti Ruble
Work
Joseph Trisler
Go
Nicholas Comstock
Advocacy
Marci Straughter
DODD Update
DODD Director Jeff Davis
Closing – Shari Cooper
Shari Cooper
Director Jeff Davis
Patti Ruble
Joseph Trisler
Nicholas Comstock
Marci Straughter
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SHARI COOPER
Shari is a strong advocate for everyone who lives with a disability, and her resume proves it. In her position as Public Relations Assistant for
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, Shari is their, “blogger-in-chief.” (Check out her blog at https://gesmv.org/category/make-things-
happen.) She’s also a columnist for the Dayton Daily News Editorial pages, and an award-winning speaker. She even gave a TED talk at
TEDx Dayton in 2014 called, “Are You OK with Yourself?” But the role she cherishes most is that of disability awareness advocate.
Shari’s impact as an advocate is far-reaching. She has served on the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, and currently serves on The
Disability Foundation Board.
JOSEPH TRISLER
Joseph Trisler has a cognitive disability. He was not born with this disability; some damage to his brain happened because of an accident at 3
days old, some from hydrocephalus, and some from years of seizures. But, with years of very hard work and the support of his parents,
family and friends, Patti Moore and Project Search, and SCBDD and OOD. He has been able to get his 1-year landscaping and 2-year auto
services certificates AND his high school diploma from Upper Valley Career Center, complete a year of Project Search, and finally, get a full-
time job at Wappoo Wood Products. Joseph is here as living proof that a "diagnosis" does not have to mean "disaster." Life is good!
PATTI RUBLE
In 1984, Patti graduated from the Ohio State University College of Social Work with a master’s degree, preparing her to teach independence and self-
advocacy to persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. She also worked with those who fought profound depression due to economic circumstances,
homelessness, or lack of motivation to make their own lifestyle choices. Through Jobs and Family Services she was able to help these clients find and get all
the things they would need to begin life from square one with rent, food, furniture, etc. It was a wonderful adventure to watch many of them reclaim the
independence necessary to fly and again successfully live on their own.
Then, in 2010, Patti had the opportunity to work with the founder of Ohio At Home Healthcare Agency and Medforall Technologies. The founder of both is
an engineer, Ali Rahimi, and while he takes care of the high-tech concerns of his clients (which include the remote support and assistive technology they
need), the rest of the staff makes sure the hands-on services with clients are kept up and working well. As a quadriplegic woman, she personally benefits
from these advantages and is truly blessed to live in a time when they are available to her. There are many other conceptual ideas waiting down the road
for those whose time may not have come yet, and she can’t wait to see the miracles that are waiting in the pipeline. What a wonderful world of technology
is evolving for those developmentally disabled persons who need them.
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DIRECTOR JEFF DAVIS Jeff Davis was appointed Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities by Governor Mike DeWine in January of 2019. Davis previ-
ously worked for the Department of Developmental Disabilities from 1991 to 2007. He returns to the Department of Developmental Disabilities after
serving as the director of the Ohio Provider Resource Association and as director of integrated health services for Buckeye Community Health Plan.
Throughout his career, Davis has been an advocate for Ohioans with developmental disabilities and their families. He previously served as a City
Council Member for Grove City.
NICHOLAS COMSTOCK Nick Comstock, will be 30 years old on March 24, 2020. He has CMV; they are linking it to cerebral palsy. He has been living in the state of Ohio for
the last four years; Nick has been living in Columbus, Ohio since August 2019. Since living in the state of Ohio, he has become an advocate for
people with disabilities; he speaks up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. He was a part of the Richland County Human Rights
Committee. Nick was also a part of the People First Ohio board representing Richland County. He was the first person with a disability while
receiving services to be appointed to the Richland County Board of DD in the Board's 50-year history. Now that Nick is living in Columbus, he is
working with the Empowerment Center for People with Disabilities on an initiative called the Family Network Project. This project is designed to
help people with disabilities and their families become more integrated with the folks in their communities.
MARCI STRAUGHTER
Marci Straughter is a passionate advocate from Franklin County. She was appointed by Governor Kasich to the DD Council in April 2014 where she
served for 6 years. Marci works with Nisonger Center on the Disability Experience Expert Panel and currently serves as a self-advocate representa-
tive on the State ISP workgroup. Marci is active with the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) as both a Statewide Project STIRTM trainer and
a member of the OSDA Council of Ohio Leaders (COOL). Marci also represents on the Self-Advocate Advisory Council for Franklin County Board of
Developmental Disabilities with Superintendent Jed Morison. Recently, Marci was appointed to the APSI board. Marci graduated in May 2015 from
Columbus State Community College. She currently works at ARC Industries East as a Human Services Assistant. She has a second job with Ohio At
Home as a Self-Advocate Consultant. She is a highly sought after speaker and has traveled across the state to present at different events and con-
ferences. In the past year, Marci started a cooking blog which focuses on how to be a better self-advocate. She has 200+ followers! Marci is proud
she is achieving her dream of helping people with disabilities live the lives they want.
Arrive on Time
Be sure to keep to
your scheduled
time.
Introduce Yourself
Shake their hand, say
“Hello,” and tell them
your name.
Reason for Visit
Tell them why you’re
there to visit with
them.
Explain Your Topic
Briefly explain your
topic and tell a story
about your topic.
Tips For Legislative Visits
Answer Questions
If you don’t know the
answer, offer to get the
answer later.
Give a Fact Sheet
Leave a copy of the Fact
Sheet about your topic or
issue.
Thank Legislators
Remember to thank them
for meeting with you.
Ask for Support
Ask the legislator to
support or vote for your
topic or issue.
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Food, Map, Social Media
6 H
igh Stree
t
Broad Street
State Street
Tim Hortons
Pizza Rustica
Potbelly
Einstein Bagels
Zoup
Riffe Café (19th Floor)
Subway
Cinco
Elia Athenian Grill
Café Napolitana
Jack & B
enn
y’s
Din
er M
arket 65
Jimmy John’s
Starbu
cks Burgerim
Don’t Forget to Share Your
Pictures on Social Media!
#liveworkgo B
road
Street
Bagels
Tell Us How We Did!
Point the camera on your phone at the QR Code
to take a quick survey about today’s event
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BBPSTZB