Central Valley Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Institute overview
The CSU Fresno Rehabilitation Counseling Program and CIL Fresno have been working with the San Joaquin District DOR office and others to form the new Institute. The Institute will be a totally unique organization that will combine research in best practices for services for people with disabilities, the education of graduate level students in Rehabilitation Counseling and university students in other disability-related fields, and direct services to people with disabilities through CIL Fresno, job placement services, and counseling services.
There are plans to build a $25 million building on the campus of CSU Fresno that will be totally accessible and totally green, to the point of being showcases in both areas.
On September 26 & 27, 2008, the Institute will sponsor the Western Regional Conference on Disabilities at the Exhibit Hall in downtown Fresno. On that Friday evening we will have a special ceremony announcing the official launching of the Institute; we hope to have many supporters there, including possibly the Governor. CIL Fresno’s Recognition Dinner will follow the official launching.
We plan for this to be a major event that will draw many hundreds of students, professors and community leaders. We currently have a number of special keynote speakers throughout the two days, including Cindy Daniels, head of disability issues for FEMA; Claudia Gordon, head of disabilities issues for Homeland Security; Kim Peek, the person that the movie “Rain Man” was originally written about; Ollie Cantos; Tony Sauer, and others.
For additional information, please contact Bob Hand at (559) 221-2330 or b_hand@cil-fresno.org
Fellows of the Institute
DR. CATHERINE CAMPISI
Ex Director, California Dept. of Rehabilitation
MICHAEL VILLINES
California State Assemblyman
DAVID COGDILL
California State Senator
Institute steering committee
CHARLES AROKIASAMY, Rh.D., CRC., CCM.
Professor/Dept. Chair, California State University
ART LOPEZ
District Administrator, Dept. of Rehabilitation
ROBERT HAND
Director, Center for Independent Living, Fresno
PATTY O ’ SULLIVAN
Global Disability Program Manager, Agilent Technology
SAMEH EL KHARBAWY, Ph.D., IDEC
Associate Professor, California State University
CARLEEN DARK
General Sales Manager, KMJ
HARVEY TATSUMURA, CPA
Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche
STEVE GEIL
President, Fresno Economic Development Corp.
DARIUS ASSEMI
Vice President, Granville Homes
RUSSELL RYAN
Motschiedler, Michaelides, & Wishon, LLP
ARTHUR DYSON
Arthur Dyson and Associates, Architects