WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today appointed 15 members to the Youth Advisory Council to the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities.
“I am pleased to announce the names of 15 outstanding appointees to the Youth Advisory Council,” Chao said. “These young men and women will bring unique and creative ideas to the Administration to identify and solve some of the complex issues affecting young American with disabilities.”
The appointees are Benjamin Snow of Woodland Park, Colo., Jessica Steinbeck of Rockville, Md., Ashley Caveda of Fort Wayne, Ind., Earl Mikell III of Florence S.C., Michael Beers of Missoula, Mont., Miranda Pelikan of Schoolcraft, Mich., Cady Shirey of Richmond, Va., Cornelius Butler of Bainbridge, Ga., Jessica Hunt of Tompkinsville, Ky., J. Paul Chase of Florence, Ala., Shane Jeffreys of Defiance, Ohio, Marissa Johnson of Roseville, Minn., Don Rettberg of Austin, Texas, Natalia Manning of Somerville, N.J. and
Sharon Nguyen of Anaheim, Calif.
During the Department of Labor’s 11th anniversary celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Chao announced the creation of the Youth Advisory Council. The Council is comprised of 15 members between the ages of 14 and 28.
Through the President’s Task Force, the Council will advise the Secretary of Labor and her designees, including the Office of the 21st Century Workforce and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, on education, training, employment, health and rehabilitation and independent living issues affecting young people with disabilities. In addition, the Youth Advisory Council will make recommendations to increase positive employment outcomes for young people with disabilities.
Chao announced the members of the Youth Advisory Council during a “kick off” event for National Disability Mentoring Day. During the day, more than 40 local high school and college students will work side-by-side with mentors at the Department of Labor. Twenty-five federal agencies and businesses in more than 30 states plan to participate in National Disability Mentoring Day.