2025 Employer Summit Schedule

9:30- Doors Open/Check-In

10:00- Welcome and National Disability Employment Awareness Month Proclamation Reading

Employer Track

  • Employer Workshop 1

    Presenter: Carlos Phillips, Greenville Chamber

    Description: The future of inclusive work isn’t reactive—it’s designed. In this workshop, HR professionals, managers, and executives will explore how to shift from an accommodations-based mindset to one rooted in proactive, inclusive design. This means building systems, environments, and policies that anticipate diverse needs from the start, benefiting not just employees with disabilities, but everyone. 


  • Take some time to get to know our vendors ready to benefit your business.

  • Employer Workshop 2

    Presenter: Able Access Team of Able SC

    Description: As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into the tools and systems we use every day, it’s critical to examine its impact on accessibility. This session, led by Able Access, will guide participants through the evolving relationship between AI and disability inclusion—highlighting where innovation meets risk. Designed for accessibility coordinators, program managers, HR professionals, and anyone involved in inclusive workplace efforts, this workshop will explore how AI can support accessibility goals, where it may fall short, and what questions organizations should be asking when adopting AI-driven solutions.

    Together, we’ll examine real-world examples, current limitations, and emerging best practices to ensure technologies align with the values of universal and digital communication.

Provider Track

  • Provider Workshop 1

    Presenter: Aurora Young Smith, Babcock Center

    Description: Securing competitive integrated employment is a major milestone—but it's just the beginning. This workshop will explore the ongoing support individuals may need to sustain long-term employment and identify opportunities for career advancement. We'll discuss strategies to help consumers envision a clear career path, build skills for upward mobility, and work toward long-term financial stability. Join us to discover how to support employment growth beyond the initial job placement.

  • Get to know the vendors supporting people with disabilities.

  • Provider Workshop 2

    Presenter: Cali Sandel, Able SC

    Description: Individuals with disabilities bring valuable lived experiences that provide unique insight into navigating the employment process. This session will highlight practical strategies from those with firsthand experience, offering real-world tips for overcoming barriers to employment, crafting effective resumes, submitting applications, preparing for interviews, and making informed decisions about disability disclosure. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of how lived experience can empower job seekers and inform inclusive employment practices.

Group Sessions

  • All attendees are welcome to lunch provided my Michelin. Vendors will have the opportunity to speak briefly from the keynote speaker stage during the luncheon.

  • Presenter: Anna Schmid

    What does it take to create a workplace where disabled employees feel safe, seen, and valued? For many, the answer lies in the ability to disclose their identity without fear and in knowing they won’t be defined by it. In this keynote, disability advocate and writer Anna Schmid shares a personal journey with disclosure, systemic bias, and the bridges we all have the power to build.

    From the emotional toll of hiding a disability to the empowerment of embracing it fully, Anna guides audiences through the realities of living and working with a disability and the critical role employers play in creating spaces where people don’t have to hide who they are. Through honest storytelling and clear, practical takeaways, this session highlights the daily decisions disabled professionals face and the meaningful actions employers can take to drive inclusion forward.

  • Take some time to get to know our vendors ready to benefit your business and supporting people with disabilities.

  • Moderator: Director William Floyd, Department of Employment and Workforce

    Panelists: Allison Fleahman, Bon Secours Health System; Valeria Green, SC BCBS; Benita Benson, Community Options; Dan Alexander, SC Vocational Rehabilitation

    Providers and employers from across South Carolina will convene to explore and strengthen their cooperative relationships—an essential component in securing and sustaining competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. This dialogue aims to advance shared understanding, align efforts, and promote long-term success for job seekers with disabilities in the workforce.

  • Closing remarks from Able South Carolina CEO, Kimberly Tissot.