Kathy Bates (LEND 2014) has decades of experience as an advocate for people with disabilities in the areas of education, employment, self-directed care, and rights – all informed by her personal experience with disability. During her LEND fellowship, Kathy worked with the New Hampshire Disability & Public Health Project to provide insights into health care practices for individuals with disabilities. Eventually hired as a disability policy and training specialist, Kathy was part of a team that recently produced an online training entitled Responsive Practice: Providing Health Care and Screenings to Individuals with Disabilities. This free online, on-demand training is designed to educate healthcare providers to recognize barriers to accessing care and develop strategies to facilitate the provision of culturally competent, responsive care to all patients, including individuals who experience disabilities. Throughout the training, Kathy describes challenges she has experienced personally and offers practical solutions to improve accessibility of care. Kathy also shares her expertise through her blog “From Where I Sit” as part of her work with the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability.
Additionally, Kathy has inspired numerous family members, other self-advocates, and professionals through her work with NH Leadership Series, People First NH, and Self-Advocacy Leadership Team (SALT), and taught classes at Great Bay Community College and the University of New Hampshire. In April 2018, Kathy was awarded the Brianna Dillon Leadership Award at the Annual Gala of the NH Leadership Series in recognition of her decades of creative leadership in, and commitment to, the full participation of people in the political and cultural life of New Hampshire. She currently runs Wings and Wheels Consulting Services.
Read Kathy’s blog, "From Where I Sit."
To learn more about efforts to make public health accessible, visit the NH Disability & Public Health Project.
Learn more information about the NH Leadership Series.
