DAY TWO SPEAKERS
August 18th - Friday
Session Three: All In - Disability Employment and Corporate Social Responsibility
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Keynote Speakers: James Thurston & James Reid
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Closing Remarks: Brian Calley
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Session Three: All In - Disability Employment and Corporate Social Responsibility
Jason Allen
Catastrophe Regional Manager/Diverse Abilities ERG Lead, AAA - Auto Club Group
Jason Allen’s insurance career began with The Auto Club Group (AAA/ACG) in 2003. His tenure with the organization has afforded him opportunities to acquire vast insurance expertise and experience. His work has included various positions from first notice of loss, auto and property claims adjusting and claims leadership. Jason’s industry persistence and service excellence has also yielded various opportunities to lead at ACG. In his current role as Regional Claims Manager, he leads the operational oversight of catastrophe claims in 11 states spanning from the Midwest to the southern coast. He is charged with management of the Home and Auto Catastrophe program which includes; scaling of staff, initial responses to large weather related events (water, wind, hail & hurricane), agent relationships, training, customer service initiatives and ensure service level agreements are achieved. Jason is a life-long learner; he enjoys studying various insurance ideas, presenting on various insurance topics, increasing diversity in the insurance industry and representing ACG to ensure fair resolution of all claims. In his spare time Jason enjoys investing, coaching basketball with NBA Jr., playing basketball recreationally, participating with social and civic organizations (BBBS) and most importantly spending time with his family. Jason has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Wayne State University, Master of Business Administration from Lawrence Technology University, he is a member of National African American Insurance Association – Detroit Leader, ACG Employee Resource Group Leader – Diverse Abilities ERG, graduate of Leadership Detroit 41 (BCE) and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Sam Bills
Outreach and Education Coordinator, Detroit Field Office of the EEOC
Samuel Bills is the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Detroit Field Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Since joining the EEOC in 2018, he has served as a Federal Investigator. Before joining the EEOC, Samuel served as a Department of the Army Civilian - Human Resource Manager and in the U.S. Army, retiring after 22 years of service, where he served as an Equal Employment Opportunity Advisor and trainer.
Diana Domenech
Disability Inclusion Advocate, Disability:IN
Diana Domenech is a proven professional in leading organizations, influencing groups, and developing people and businesses. She specializes in advising and assisting organizations to strategize and execute Diversity programs. Diana currently serves as a Consultant to corporations participating in the DisabilityIN Inclusion Works program. Diana brings more than 20 years of experience in the private sector, having worked up the ranks in the banking and insurance industries. She most recently served as Head of Sourcing Process, Technology, Governance and Risk at AIG. In that role she led special sourcing programs such as Supplier Diversity and Sustainability. She previously held roles at AIG in supplier relationship management and transformation. Prior to AIG, Diana spent 14 years at JPMorgan Chase where she was Vice President of Supplier Diversity, responsible for leading the company global efforts for the $1.3 billion+ program. She also held various roles at the bank in operations, and before that was trained as an underwriter for the Executive Protection Practice at Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. Diana holds an MBA from NYU; B.S. from Cornell University; certificate from the University of Granada Spain; and is Six Sigma Green Belt Certified. She is Chair Emeritus of the Financial Services Roundtable for Supplier Diversity and currently serves as a Class Parent at her daughter’s school.
Alison Sutton Levy
Director, Office of Technical & Information Services at U.S. Access Board
Alison Sutton Levy joined the U.S. Access Board in June 2022 as the Director of the Office of Information and Technical Services (OTIS) where she oversees the technical assistance team for both the built and digital environments. The Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. OTIS currently includes a team of eight staff members who write the guidelines and standards, provide answers to technical questions via a hotline and email, and present training in person and virtually. Alison most recently served as the Manager of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC is a centrally funded office that supports internal supervisors and employees in creating an accessible and inclusive workplace through recruitment, hiring, outreach, education, and reasonable accommodations. Previously, Alison served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), providing leadership over the recruitment, hiring, advancement, and retention of individuals with disabilities, including reasonable accommodations. She developed and implemented policies, procedures, and strategic plans, and facilitated programs through a diverse team of more than 50 contacts across USDA’s 34 mission areas, agencies, and staff offices. Her efforts with a team of diversity and inclusion colleagues yielded USDA’s six-level rise in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey to #2 for Large Federal Agencies in Diversity Support. As a person with disabilities, and with over 30 years of experience in the disability profession, Alison has worked toward improving workplace attitudes and accessibility, and in providing equal opportunity in the post-secondary, public, and private sectors. She is a person with disabilities and is fluent in American Sign Language.
Keynote Speakers
James Thurston
Digital Accessibility Lead, Atos
James Thurston is an international technology and inclusion leader. As an Accessible Digital Transformation Lead at Atos, he works with organizations and workplaces across all sectors to become more accessible and inclusive as part of their digital transformation. He has experience applying both technology and public policy to important social and economic challenges, ranging from promoting the inclusion and human rights of people with disabilities worldwide to using technology to increase the competitiveness of U.S. industrial centers. He has broad policy and management experience in both the private and public sectors and at the federal, state, and international levels of government.
James Reid
Employment & Labor Attorney
James Reid is a labor and employment attorney who counsels business owners, entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, in-house counsel, and human resources directors to make strategic business decisions, from hiring to firing, while complying with the ever changing and overlapping laws, including the ADEA, FLSA, FMLA, NLRA, and Title VII. He brings a business focused and proactive approach to legal matters to help employers make strategic business decisions to minimize the potential for litigation and business disruption. His deep understanding of his clients' businesses enables him to deliver clear and concise counsel to meet each client's specific needs. If litigation is involved, he enforces restrictive covenants and defends employers against charges filed with the EEOC, state, and federal agencies. James regularly conducts audits and investigations into employers' wage and hour practices and claims of discrimination and harassment. He provides training and prepares employment documents, including employee handbooks, employment agreements, and separation agreements, to cover all aspects during the life cycle of an employee. James is also a sought after keynote and national speaker at conferences and events, including the American Payroll Association, SHRM, Tedx, and HR Day.
Closing Remarks
Brian Calley
CEO, Small Business Administration of Michigan
Brian Calley is a collaborative leader who combines the skills from an accomplished private sector career with an extensive record of public service and a reputation for getting things done. He is passionate about making the world work better for all people and uses an inclusive problem-solving approach to make a difference. As President and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian is able to put his passion for Michigan’s small businesses to work. He serves as a director of a publicly traded community bank, and as a Trustee of Oakland University. Additionally, he sits on various boards, including Special Olympics Michigan, Sparrow Health System, Disability Rights Michigan, and the Autism Alliance of Michigan. Calley had the honor of serving as Michigan’s 63rd Lieutenant Governor from 2011-2018. Prior to that, Calley served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, two terms as an Ionia County commissioner and worked for over a decade in community banking. He holds a BA from Michigan State University, an MBA from Grand Valley State University and an MPA from Harvard University. Calley is an avid runner, having completed more than a dozen full marathons and a capable piano player. He and his wife Julie live in Portland with their three children: Collin, Reagan and Karagan.