Notable founding members of the ADA Watch/CDRJ National Advisory Council also include the late Judy Heumann, the renown international disability rights leader often cited as the “Mother of the disability rights movement; and Becky Ogle, former Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities

Jim Ward, a former elected official, longtime human rights advocate and person with a disability, is our founder and executive director.

In 2008 and upon passage of the ADA Amendments Act, ADA Watch/CDRJ—and our Road To Freedom tour—were recognized on the floor of the US Senate and in the Congressional Record, for educating America about the rolling back of our rights and the need for restoration of vital disability rights protections.

Our coalition initiatives have included diverse disability organizations and leaders from ADAPT to the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD); from the National Black Deaf Advocates to the National Council on Independent Living; and from the National Disabled Student Union to Paralyzed Veterans of America. Throughout our history, we have relied on the legal expertise of our coalition partners including the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

Our founding National Advisory Council was also led by organizations and leaders from the larger progressive community, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, AARP, People For the American Way and the Alliance For Justice.