PRESENTERS' BIOS
Rafo A. Correa, Director of Operations
MaTech, Inc.
Rafo A. Correa is an energetic presenter who offers a fresh outlook on business. Rafo graduated Summa Cum Laude from Salisbury University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society and Rugby Club. Upon graduation he joined KPMG LLP in Baltimore, Maryland, working in both the Audit and Risk Assessment Divisions. Rafo joined AviTech LLC in Salisbury, Maryland in June 2005 as the Operations Manager. In June 2007 Rafael transferred to MaTech Inc. as the Director of Operations. As a generation Xer, Rafo's successful management style is one to be emulated by those both new and old in the business. Rafo is currently pursuing his Masters in Business Administration from Salisbury University and he is a mentor in the HCI Youth Mentoring Group which serves youth with disabilities. Rafo's interests include travel, exercise and water sports. He takes pride in maximizing his and other's ability to achieve to their fullest potential through education, experience and maintaining a positive attitude. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination”.
Michelle M. Evans, Vice President, Director of COO
Employee Development Programs, Fifth Third Bank
In 2007, Michelle M. Evans, as Vice President & Director of Employee programs at Fifth Third Bank, managed $34 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Having joined Fifth Third Bank in March 2005 as the Operations Associate (OA) Leadership Program Manager, her responsibilities have grown to include college graduate IT and Operations Leadership programs, and Project SEARCH – a high school to work transition program for individuals with cognitive disabilities. Ms. Evans is involved locally and nationally in Formal Mentoring, New Hire Peer Advisor Mentoring Program, Employee Safety Program and a variety of other talent management initiatives, including leading a team of professionals specializing in College, Non Traditional & Diverse Work Recruiting Streams, and Talent and Business Consulting. She is currently finalizing Green Belt Certification. In addition, Ms. Evans finds time to be active as both a board member and/or volunteer for several humanitarian programs, including Project SEARCH World-wide Advisory Board, Habitat for Humanity, and Madisonville Education Assistance Center.
Robin G. Hall, SPHR, Human Resources Manager
K&L Microwave, Inc.
Ms. Hall has been in the Human Resources field for approximately 25 years, with 11 years as the HR manager for K&L Microwave. Manufacturers of a broad spectrum of RF and Microwave filters that are used in military and commercial wireless communication systems, K&L Microwave employs over 400 globally, from electronic assemblers and design engineers to CNC programmers and IT personnel. Ms. Hall has been involved in all facets of the Human Resource field, including Compensation/Benefits, Recruitment and Retention, Policy & Procedure Development, Payroll Administration, and Environmental, Health and Safety. She received her Senior Professional Human Resource distinction from the Society of Human Resource Management in 2004. Ms. Hall's background has given her a wide breadth of opportunities to support her surrounding community. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for Lower Shore Enterprises as well as the Eastern Shore Business Leadership Network and is a current member of the Society of Human Resources (locally and nationally). She is an active public speaker supporting the hiring of people with disabilities, and was nominated for the New Freedom Initiative Award in 2007. Ms. Hall has also served on the Governors Manufacturing Workforce Incentive Board and is involved in her company's “Green Sustainability” initiative.
Kevin Holden, Esq.
Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.
A partner and member of the K&C Employment Team, Mr. Holden has nearly 20 years of experience in the field of employment and labor law. Much of his time is devoted to defending claims of disability discrimination, wrongful discharge, non-compete agreements, sexual harassment, breach of contract, unpaid overtime compensation and various other workplace violations. His practice takes him before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor, and various human rights and unemployment commissions. A substantial amount of Mr. Holden's time is devoted to counseling employers – regional, national, and local – with respect to personnel policies and practices in an effort to ensure awareness of and compliance with applicable employment laws and avoid the disruption, expense and uncertainty of litigation. He is a frequent lecturer on a variety of workplace issues, and was selected to give presentations at the last five Virginia Employment Section Annual Bar Meetings, and to speak before the the USBLN's national conference as featured presenter for the last two years.
Mr. Holden has been selected by the Virginia Business Magazine as one of Virginia's “Legal Elite” for Employment and Labor Law for 2007.
John D. Kemp, Principal
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville
John D. Kemp is widely respected for his many achievements, both in the corporate and non-profit worlds. With personal disability experience using four prostheses, John inspires others to achieve the impossible through knowledge, experience, vision, personality, and persistence. Mr. Kemp graduated from Georgetown University in 1971 and from Washburn University School of Law in 1974. Mr. Kemp was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Washburn University School of Law in May, 2003.
With more than 45 years of direct experience in the disability movement, currently, John D. Kemp is a principal at the Washington, D.C. Law Firm of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, P.C.. In his practice, he serves as the CEO of ACCSES, HalfthePlanet Foundation and The One Percent Coalition, as well as the Executive Director and General Counsel to the US Business Leadership Network. In addition, Mr. Kemp represents several technology companies interested in disability.
In October 2007, Mr. Kemp received the New Freedom Initiative Award which annually recognizes non-profits, small businesses, corporations and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities. In March 2006, Mr. Kemp received the Henry B. Betts Award, widely regarded as America's highest honor for disability leadership and service. Presented jointly by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the Betts Award recognizes a person's work and scope of influence that have significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in the past and who continues to be a force for change in the future.
Appointed by Secretary Leavitt of Health and Human Services, Mr. Kemp served on the Medicaid Commission from July 2005 through December 2006. He currently serves on the State Department's Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities which guides the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (USAID) in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and assistance with respect to people with disabilities.
John D. Kemp has led, partnered, worked for and served on the Boards of Directors of many of the leading disability and nonprofit organizations such as: United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Very Special Arts, Independent Sector, The Abilities Fund Inc., Disability Service Providers of America, Easter Seals, Goodwill Industries of America, and the U.S. International Council on Disabilities, to name a few. In 1995, Mr. Kemp co-founded AAPD and continues to be active with the organization today. During his tenure with Kemp & Young, Inc., John D. Kemp developed disability employment management training and consulting services.
He may be reached by contacting Laurie Blair at 202-466-6550 or via email at Laurie.Blair@ppsv.com
Catherine A. Raggio, Secretary
Maryland Department of Disabilities
Spanning over 35 years, Catherine A. Raggio's dedication to the care and welfare of children with disabilities began with her studies in speech and language disorders at Bloomsburg State College, in Pennsylvania. Following her position as speech therapist in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, she served as Executive Director of United Cerebral Palsy, both in Wyoming Valley and Prince George's County. She has been on the Board (and been president) of the National Association of Developmental Disabilities Council and was the principal investigator of the Nursing Home Reform Project of the United Cerebral Palsy Association.
The founder and Executive Director of Independence, Now, Inc., a nonprofit organization created by people with disabilities that provides services that promote independence, Catherine Raggio has received numerous awards from such groups as the ARC of Maryland, and United Cerebral Palsy, and was a recipient of the Gilbert John Zucchi AWard.
Catherine Raggio is currently a member of the Governor's Executive Council, and has been Secretary of Disabilities since March 6, 2007.
Debra Ruh, President and CEO
TecAccess, LLC
A major advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, Sarah Ruh is an internationally recognized leader in the electronic and information technology (E&IT) accessibility arena. Her steadfast dedication to making Section 508 and other accessibility legislation truly helpful to persons with disabilities is inspired by her daughter, Sara, who was born with Down syndrome. When Sara reached middle school, Debra realized her daughter's employment options were going to be limited, and decided to become an employer that values the talents and skills of persons with disabilities.
Drawing upon her more than 25 years of international experience developing and implementing solutions for government agencies and organizations, Debra started TecAccess in 2001. Her award-winning company works tirelessly to create a fully accessible world of technology.
Debra Ruh is a keynote speaker and has authored numerous articles appearing in such consumer publications and trade journals as Learning Solutions eMagazine, Washington Technology and Entrepreneur Magazine. She has spoken before the European Union, Executive Offices of the President, USDA Conference on Disabilities, IDEAS, CSUN, GSA Usability Universes, Fed Web Conference, USPTO Panel on Accessible E-Learning, and the Leadership Institution on Design of Accessible Online Education at Georgia Tech Global Learning Center
Tonya Plylar, Director of Business Solutions/Human Resource Consulting
ISG International / A Division of Arther J. Gallagher & Co.
Tonya Plylar is Director of Business Solutions for ISG International, an Arthur J. Gallagher Company. She is also part of the Gallagher Corporate Training Team, training over 9000 employees and managers throughout the U.S., and on the Merger and Acquisition team where she evaluates potential M&A partners and works to complete the integration of the new business afterwards. Ms. Pylar has been in the HR corporate and consulting world for over 15 years working for Fortune 500, domestic and international companies, and worked with the 1996 Olympics in staffing the games in Atlanta, GA. She received her bachelor's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from The University of Alabama and her Masters Degree from Wilmington College, with a thesis in Succession Planning and Organizational Structure. Ms. Pylar is a board member for Lower Shore Enterprises.
Max F. Verbits, AIA Architect, Associate,
Davis, Bowen, & Friedel, Inc.
Mr. Verbits recieved his Bachelors in both Architecture and Fine Art from the Rhode Island School of design. He studied at the University of Maryland and was an American Field Exchange Student in the late 1970's. Since 1996, he has served the A&E firm, Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., where his extensive experience in architectural design and project management has contributed to projects that include office buildings, schools, auditoriums, hotels, commercial, health care, institutional, recreational facilities, fire halls, and single-family residential homes. He has prepared designs, as well as technical documentation for new construction and renovations on both small and multimillion dollar projects. Mr. Verbits is the President of the Board of Directors for Deaf and Independent Living Association Inc. in Salisbury, MD.
Michael Whitehill, Prop L.S., Vice President,
McCrone, Inc., Centreville Office
Mr. Whitehill has experience in the survey and civil engineering fields, and is the branch manager of our Centreville, Maryland office. He has completed all phases of survey work, from simple lots to complete state boundary surveys. Mr. Whitehill has also been involved with various street rehabilitations, design of new streets, utilities (including water and sewer), lift stations, dredging containment, storm drain systems, storm water retention, and various land surveys. In 1991, he introduced Global Positioning Systems (GPS) satellite-surveying to McCrone, Inc.. Since that time we have provided this service to a variety of clients in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Mr. Whitehill takes a pro-active role in the community, preferring to help formulate regulations and ordinances instead of just following them. He currently sits on the Property Review Board for Queen Anne's County, and was appointed by the governor to the Upper Eastern Shore Tributary Implementation Team.
