MN APSE's If You Believe It You Can Achieve It

Chris Davies is joined by Lis Vukelich. Vukelich, who has a BS in Human Services with an emphasis in Disability Studies, has over 20+ years supporting individuals who have disability barriers. Despite her critical car accident that resulted in a TBI in July 2017, Lis is more passionate about supporting people with disability barriers than ever. She is currently the Referral & Quality Assurance Specialist at Kaposia, Inc. A special thank you to guest co-host Dupree Edwards from the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration.

Christ Davies is joined by Sophie Iverson. Sophie currently works as an Options Counselor at the Disability Hub MN and provides information and referrals to callers and families navigating the disability community and state agencies. With over 10 years of disability advocacy and lived experience, Sophie also founded Access 2 Advocacy LLC with a hope to share her passion for empowering others to feel confident advocating for disability policy important to them.

Chris Davies is joined by Aaron Weikum, a Senior Labor Investigator with the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry. In this episode, Weikum shares his personal journey as an adult living with Autism, shedding light on the myriad challenges he has navigated within the workforce.

Host Chris Davies is joined by The Amazing Jeffo, the second of a two-part MN APSE documentary podcast special. Jeff details how he got started as a magician, the support he has had to build his act to the point where he's done over 4000 shows in nearly 30 years as The Amanzing Jeffo, America's only multiply-disabled magician who is blind (at least as far as he can see).

On the next episode, Chris Davies is joined by Jeffrey Smith, better known as, Amazing Jeffo! Jeffrey, a blind, multiply disabled magician, joins us in studio to share his story. There is truly on better way to introduce the Amazing Jeffo than in his own words: - How, as a child, the legend of Houdini planted in him a seed that would grow into a dream, that just maybe, someday… - How as a 37-year-old, unemployed, disabled man still living with his parents, he fulfilled his vision of becoming a magician – traveling to 16 states, performing 4,000 presentations, and having dozens of TV appearances. - How, long magical paths, he met his wife, Devon, Mrs. Amazing. - How they live with the effects of Jeff's blindness, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Devon's traumatic brain injury. - How life threatening disease and disability ignited laughter, healing, and hope.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Sumukha Terakanambi. Sumukha 25 years old and lives in Lakeville, Minnesota. He is a policy consultant with the Minnesota Council on Disability and the Rare Disease Advisory Council. He is also involved in disability advocacy and serves on the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Dakota County Disability Advisory Council.

Chris Davies is joined by Gary Otto, onsite at Epic Enterprise in Dundas, MN. Gary fought and conquered alcoholism in his early 20s, only to lose his eyesight in a hunting accident just a year later in 1978. Since, he married the love his life, raised a family and has utilized his special gift of caring for others in a number of different life & career experiences. Gary is a Life Enrichment Associate in his current position at Epic, where he helps people with different disabilities enjoy meaningful social and recreation experiences.

Dupree is employed at the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration – supporting the ICI training team that works on training and technical assistance related to the Minnesota DHS Systems Change project.He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Arc of Minnesota, teaches at Upstream Arts, and is an active recording artist!

Chris Davies is joined in the studio by Daniel Hool, not just as a guest, but also as a host. Daniel has an education in radio broadcasting and hosts his own podcast over at HoodWave Disability Radio - covering topics from policy to self-advocacy. After interviewing Daniel on his experience as a self-advocate, Chris sat back to answer questions Daniel had for him.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Jay Magrisso. Jay is a project management professional, with over 15 years experience in team development. In 2019, he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma (AN). As a result of the tumor and surgery, he lost his hearing completely on one side and needed to relearn how to walk before reacclimating to the workplace. Jay is now a member of the Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA) Board of Director. He is currently working at Stoneridge Software as a Senior Project Manager. He lives in Lakeville, MN, with his family.

Said Shaiye joins our host Chris Davies in the studio. Said Shaiye is an Autistic Somali Writer & Photographer who lives in Minneapolis. His debut book, Are You Borg Now?, was named a 2022 Minnesota Book Award Finalist in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir. Learn more about Said on his website: https://www.saidshaiye.com/about/

Host Chris Davies is joined by Laura Andert, a self-advocate who works for Inclusive Networking as a Disability Consultant/Benefits Coach. Andert lives with cerebral palsy; she details her experiences growing up and talks about how her career has unfolded to date, moving from retail work into human services in a position where she helps others with disabilities overcome their own barriers to employment and educates employers.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Elise Knopf. Born deaf, Elise learned ASL when she attended Gallaudet University, where she graduated with a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling. Elise joins our podcast now as the Rehabilitation Area Manager for the Deaf/HOH Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, which is under the State of Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Chris Marble provides ASL interpretation for the conversation.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Larissa Beck, the Director of Community Living Supports from Reach for Resources and, Jon Alexander, the Chief Executive Officer of Kaposia. Beck and Alexander talk about the work that is being done by the Taskforce on Eliminating Subminimum Wages in Minnesota during the 2023 legislative session.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Kevin Kling, a playwright and performer from Minneapolis. Along with performing stories and plays around the country and abroad, he also has been a commentator for National Public Radio's “All Things Considered”, is a frequent contributor on PBS/TPT's “Almanac”, and was featured in the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary “Kevin Kling: Lost & Found”. Kevin is also a committed disability advocate and frequent public speaker whose messages speaks to both resilience and the on-going barriers faced by people with disabilities. Born with TARS Syndrome, his left arm is shorter than his right and is missing a wrist and thumb. A 2001 near-fatal motorcycle accident paralyzed his right arm.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Don Lavin & Danielle Mahoehney. Mahoehney is an education program specialist at the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration, and Lavin, a consultant who started a private consultancy called Strengths@Work which advances competitive, integrated employment outcomes in support of youth and adult with disabilities. The two discuss the history of the Employment First Movement, current initiatives to grow competitive, integrated employment in the state and a future where everyone who wants to work, has the opportunity to do so.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Alex Tabatabai. Tabatabai is a 2nd year dental student attending the University of Minnesota. He has severe to profound hearing loss in both ears and wears cochlear implants to function well in the hearing world. He talks about his childhood, his colleges years, the decision to make dentistry his career path and barriers he's had to overcome to reach his goals.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Michael Sack. Sack, who has Cerebral Palsy, is a disability advocate from Minneapolis. Among his many projects, he founded the Minneapolis Sidewalk Repair Hunters in 2021 and assisted two political campaigns with disability- and accessibility-related matters. He also talks about his own work experiences and his thoughts on the phasing out of sub-minimum wage in Minnesota.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Jillian Nelson. Nelson is the Community Resource and Policy Advocate at the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM). Nelson discusses her background living as an adult with autism, the long road to finding work that aligns with her unique set of talents and skills, the work she is helping to do as the co-chair of the Task Force on Eliminating Subminimum Wages in Minnesota and her hope for a brighter future ahead.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Jake Lieser and Bryan Boyce. Lieser is an intern and Boyce is the Executive Director at Cow Tipping Press. The two talk about the formation and mission of the organization and speak to their experiences in helping people with disabilities share their stories through writing. As they say, its about "relishing assets rather than pitying deficits."

Host Chris Davies is joined by Pallavi (Vi) Shattuck. Shattuck is a self advocate & aspiring chef from the Twin Cities who is legally blind. She speaks to her journey in the culinary world, barriers that she has overcome and her hopes for a bright future where everyone has the chance to do what they love.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Brittanie Wilson. Wilson is a self-advocate and Disability justice leader living in St. Paul. In addition to working as a communications officer for the Minnesota Council on Disability, Brittanie serves on the Arc MN Board of Directors, the Governor's Council for Developmental Disabilities, the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, and is actively engaged in the community. She talks with Davies about her background, her journey to employment, advocacy efforts that she has spearheaded and what she thinks needs to happen for a more inclusive future for all.

Host Chris Davies talks with Katrina Simons. Simons currently works as a community program specialist at the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration. Katrina is passionate about improving quality of life for individuals living with developmental disabilities and their families, allies and communities. She talks about her journey to employment, the challenges that she has overcome and speaks to her hopes for disability employment in the future.

Host Chris Davies talks with self-advocate, trainer and psychologist Bob Wagner (St. Paul. Wagner shares his personal story of disability and getting back to work, talks about the failures of the system over the last forty years and what we can all do to do better.

Self-advocate Riss Leitzke joins host Chris Davies to talk about their experience overcoming dual-sensory loss and landing a dream job at Wilderness Inquiry. The podcast is interpreted in ASL by Emily Engel.

Long-time APSE contributor and one of the pillars of customized employment in the state, Bob Niemiec joins host Chris Davies to talk about the early days of supported employment, the birth of MN APSE and what's left to be done today.

Two MN APSE board members come together for this next conversation. Host Chris Davies is joined by Ajani Lewis-McGhee, Corporate Associate for Allianz. Chris and Ajani discuss inclusion efforts with large organizations, the tough questions about inclusion and Employment First values.

Host Chris Davies talking with Alli Strong-Martin, Business Development Assistant at Lifeworks Services Inc.. Davies & Strong-Martin discuss the evolving theoretical ‘models' of how society thinks about disability and how those models have impacted job opportunities for people with disabilities over time.

Host Chris Davies is joined by Alicia Munson, Public Policy Director at the Arc Minnesota. Davies and Munson discuss the impact of Covid-19 in the disability community, the recent elections and how they are likely to impact work around disability policy initiatives and chat for a bit about the upcoming legislative session in Minnesota.SHOW MORE

Host Chris Davies is joined by Barb Ziemke, Co-Director of PACER's National Parent Center on Transition and Employment. Davies and Ziemke discuss concerns that families and job seekers are having about working during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as what employment service providers are doing to help people land and retain jobs safely.

The first episode has our host Chris Davies talking with father and son advocates Kevin and Erik Marschel about Erik's journey to competitive, integrated employment.