Policy Panel on the Purchasing Power of People with Disabilities

People with disabilities have nearly half a trillion dollars in disposable income—the after-tax dollars for basic necessities such as housing, food, and clothing. In the marketplace, people with disabilities—as well as their families, friends, and advocates—wield considerable spending power.

On April 22, 2021, the Institute for Educational Leadership, AIR, and a panel of regional and global business leaders met for a discussion about the benefits to the business community in serving customers with disabilities. The panelists discussed business strategies for inclusion of people with disabilities and their families, from design to marketing to hiring.

Panelists:

• Howard Arden, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Novo Health Services
• Apoorva N. Gandhi, Vice President, Multicultural Affairs and Business Councils, Marriott International, Inc.
• Steve Pemberton, Author/Executive/Speaker and Chief Human Resource Officer, Workhuman
• Hale Pulsifer, Vice President for Accessibility, Fidelity Investments
• Dahlia Shaewitz, Vice President, Transition Disability & Inclusion, Institute for Educational Leadership
• Dr. Michelle Yin, Principal Economist, American Institutes for Research, and Director and Assistant Professor, Northwestern University

This webinar is brought to you by the American Institutes for Research, in partnership with the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL).