Career Biographies
Katherine Lawson
Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
Community Outreach and Program Manager
A native of Virginia, Katherine has undergraduate (Psychology) and graduate (Public Administration) degrees from VCU. She has worked with several Virginia state agencies, as well as faculty appointments and on several governor appointed boards.
While serving the faculty appointments, "I was interested in the migration of populations in social services into foster care, and into incarceration. I was stunned to uncover the prevalence rate of individuals with disabilities in special needs adoptions, foster care, and criminal justice services," says Katherine.
As a person with a disability, Katherine indicates that she developed a better understanding of the value of accessibility and accommodations while employed with another disability service agency. "I was primary support to the Rehabilitation Council, and made sure the public was included in the state planning process."
Today, Katherine works with the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, the largest governor appointed Board (40), with the smallest staff (10) of Virginia's state Agencies.
What is a typical day like? A typical day includes working with Governor appointed Board members to craft state plan activities such as request for proposals in the area of community integration. Community integration includes services such as personal care services and positive behavioral supports to help individuals live in the community. Katherine also conducts research and evaluation activities, engages public policy analysis, and facilitates the development of outreach products, such as an interactive CD that demonstrates differing abilities of individuals who work in the community, so that the public is more "disability friendly" in including people with disabilities at work and play. She manages grant projects and leads the work of an Outreach Planning team about new target markets for dissemination of the calendar and other educational products. She conducts seminars at conferences to inform community about the work of the Board to examine service delivery systems and engage such audiences from students to medical professionals about the differing abilities of individuals with developmental disabilities to live in community and contribute substantially.
What makes this work valuable? Katherine, who often describes herself in or leadership institutes as a "catalyst," loves working for the Virginia Board. She says, "This is the third governor appointed board I have had the pleasure to serve, and our work in grant making to bring about systems change and to improve service capacity is complimented by supporting self advocates. Our Youth Leadership Forum, and the Partners in Policy Making," two Board sponsored programs are the most exciting gift to citizens I have seen. It is a privilege to work in systems examination and bring about improvement of services for people with developmental and other disabilities. The Board is now advising the Governor fulfilling its most basic charge.
