Senate Appointee Bob Brown Begins Tenure with the National Council on Disability
Nov. 13, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 13 — The National Council on Disability (NCD) – an independent federal agency that recommends disability policy to the Administration, Congress and other federal agencies announced Bob Brown as a new member of NCD. Mr. Brown’s appointment to NCD by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) was published in the Congressional Record Wednesday, November 12.
Under a new provision in the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act signed into law by President Obama July 22, 2014, four Council Members whose terms are about to expire will be replaced by appointments made by the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House, and the House Minority Leader. In time, NCD’s membership will be reduced from fifteen to nine as the next six Council members will not be replaced when their terms expire.
Brown joins NCD Chairperson Jeff Rosen, Co Vice-Chairs Katherine D. Seelman and Royal P. Walker, Jr. and Councilmembers Gary Blumenthal, Chester A. Finn, Sara Gelser, Captain Jonathan F. Kuniholm USMC (Retired), Janice Lehrer-Stein, Kamilah Oni Martin-Proctor, Ari Ne’eman, Benro T. Ogunyipe, Lynnae Ruttledge, Clyde Terry, and Alice Wong all previously appointed by the President, to round out NCD’s roster. Mr. Brown’s biography is included at the end of this release.
“The Council looks forward to working with Mr. Brown in our collective quest to ensure the full human, civil, and legal rights of Americans with disabilities from across the nation,” stated NCD Chairperson Jeff Rosen.
NCD also expresses its unified gratitude to the outgoing member Stephanie Orlando for her terrific work on behalf of Americans with disabilities and for her commitment to public service.
Biography of Bob Brown:
Bob Brown is currently the Foundation President of Opportunity Village, Nevada’s largest habilitation organization providing services to people with intellectual and related disabilities. Bob is also the incoming Chairman of the Board for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. He is on the boards of directors of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, the Public Education Foundation, and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. He was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Nevada 150th anniversary committee. He was a past publisher of the Las Vegas Review Journal. He was also a coach for the Special Olympics and served on the Board of the Special Olympics of Nevada. Bob is currently a member of ACCSES, which represents more than 1,200 disability service providers across the country as the Voice of Disability Service Providers.
About the National Council on Disability (NCD): NCD is an independent federal agency and full-time professional staff, who advise the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy, programs, and practices. Members are appointed by the President and by members of Congress.