“Would you hire a person with disabilities to lead your team?” This question set the stage for the Coast Guard’s recent National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) panel, sparking a conversation about inclusivity, leadership opportunities, and the value that workers with disabilities bring to the workforce.
On October 15th, Coast Guard Headquarters held the panel discussion in recognition of NDEAM, celebrating the contributions of workers with disabilities to workplaces and the economy. Rear Adm. Adam Chamie served as the executive champion and moderator for the event, guiding a conversation on this year’s NDEAM theme, “Access to Good Jobs for All.”
The panel featured Mr. Drew Robarge, Co-Chair of the Smithsonian Institution Disability Employee Resource Group, and Ms. Roberta Mather, Chief Communications Officer for the Bureau of International Labor at the U.S. Department of Labor. Both panelists, who are deaf or hard of hearing, engaged with American Sign Language (ASL) and ASL interpreters throughout the event, which showcased accessibility in action.
Chamie’s questions to the panelists focused on ways to create a more welcoming workplace for people with disabilities and how the Coast Guard can better leverage their skills.
Rear Adm. Adam Chamie asks Ms. Roberta Mather a questions during CGHQ's NDEAM observance event, 15 October 2024.
Mather emphasized the importance of individualized support through reasonable accommodations, noting, “It’s important to ask and empower the individuals requesting a reasonable accommodation about what they need and give them that accommodation so they can do their job.” She pointed out that viewing accommodations as an investment rather than a cost can foster greater loyalty and dedication within the workforce.
The panel also addressed the need for leadership opportunities for employees with disabilities. Mather challenged the audience to consider if they would hire a person with a disability as a leader on their team, emphasizing that “not just work but also leadership opportunities” are vital for growth. Robarge added that employees with disabilities should be given the same challenging assignments as others as well as other leadership opportunities, cautioning against “boxing people with disabilities into one role or assignment.”
Mr. Drew Robarge responds to a question during CGHQ's NDEAM observance event, 15 October 2024.
The panel closed with a call for continuous improvement. Mather left the audience with a thoughtful question: “Can you imagine if all of you just made a small commitment thinking about what we can do better going forward and understanding more about disability employment issues? It would have that ripple effect of positive change.”