National Council on Disability Welcomes Phoebe Ball as Legislative Affairs Specialist

June 16, 2014

Washington, DC –– The National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency that advises the President, Congress, and other federal officials and entities on policies and programs affecting Americans with disabilities has added Phoebe Ball to its team as their Legislative Affairs Specialist.

Phoebe comes to NCD from Disability Rights Florida (DRF), a non-profit organization providing protection and advocacy services in the state of Florida where she was a staff attorney for the last seven years. At DRF, Phoebe regularly worked on Medicaid-related issues including access to home- and community-based services, self-determination, and guardianship.

“The National Council on Disability is very excited to welcome Phoebe Ball aboard as our new Legislative Affairs Specialist,” said Anne Sommers, NCD’s Director of Legislative Affairs & Outreach. “Phoebe’s personal and professional experiences make her well positioned to bridge the gap between policy concepts and how policy plays out in real lives – a skill set we look forward to utilizing as the agency continues its important work with elected officials and their staff on Capitol Hill.”

Prior to working in Florida, Phoebe worked for the Law, Health Policy and Disability Center at the University of Iowa on projects focused on advancing the economic, social, and civic empowerment of people with disabilities. Phoebe’s also long been active in the Independent Living movement, having worked for and been board chair of the Center for Independent Living in Iowa City.

Finally, as a person with Spina Bifida who is also the proud parent of a 9-year old daughter, Ms. Ball is thrilled to be joining NCD at a time when the Council has focused significant and unprecedented attention on the concerns of parents with disabilities.

About the National Council on Disability (NCD): NCD is an independent federal agency of 15 Presidentially-appointed Council Members and full-time professional staff, who advise the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy, programs, and practices.