WASHINGTON, DC – Today, National Council on Disability (NCD) welcomed Rebecca Cokley as Executive Director. Cokley was appointed to the position by NCD Chairperson Jeff Rosen on the recommendation of the Council. The appointment marks a return of sorts for Cokley, who previously served on NCD’s Youth Advisory Commission as Vice Chair.
The Council promotes policies, programs, practices and procedures that further the objectives of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) to ensure that Americans with disabilities have the same level of access to civic, social and economic participation as their non-disabled friends, family members and peers. NCD has 15 Presidentially-appointed Council Members who live across the nation, and 11 professional staff based in Washington, DC. NCD will hold its next quarterly meeting next week in the nation’s capital, April 22 and 23.
“Rebecca’s outstanding experience in disability policy will equip NCD with the desired leadership needed to address the challenges and opportunities for people with disabilities going forward,” said Jeff Rosen, NCD’s Chairperson. “She adds a proven track record to NCD’s continuing efforts to ensure that the precepts of the ADA – equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency -- are accessible for the growing number of Americans with disabilities from diverse circumstances with a multiplicity of issues and increasingly intersecting identities.”
“I am thrilled, humbled, and invigorated to be able to work with such a dedicated team of staff and Council members,” added Cokley. “NCD helped serve as a catalyst for my initial advocacy work. It’s incredibly rewarding to be returning to a place that has always served as a leader in disability policy. I’m looking forward to what NCD will achieve as we continue to bring the voices of Americans with Disabilities from all backgrounds and perspectives to the policymakers making the decisions that impact our lives on a daily basis.”
Cokley comes to NCD after serving 4 years in the Obama Administration. Most recently, she was the Special Assistant to the Principal Deputy at the Administration for Community Living (ACL) at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Before serving at ACL, Cokley was the Director of Priority Placement for Public Engagement in the Presidential Personnel Office at the White House where she was responsible for outreach to diversity and minority organizations to recruit qualified individuals for roles in the Obama Administration. Prior to her time at the White House, Cokley was the Confidential Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. She is also the proud spouse of Patrick and mother of Jackson.
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