NISH to hold National Training and Achievement Conference

The conference will offer federal government officials and other attendees the opportunity to choose from more than 70 training sessions and network with members of the disability community who primarily work through the AbilityOne Program, a federal government initiative that creates employment opportunities for people with severe disabilities through federal contracts for services and products.

The conference tracks include the AbilityOne Program, federal government, business development, services, products, quality, leadership and work force development. Continuing education credits are available through a full-day program on performance-based service contracting.

The conference will kick off with an opening session featuring keynote speaker Sherry Lansing, founder and chairwoman of the Sherry Lansing Foundation and former chairwoman of the Motion Picture Group of Paramount Pictures from 1992 to 2005. In this position, she oversaw the release of more than 200 films, including Academy Award winners “Forrest Gump,” “Braveheart” and “Titantic.” She also was the first woman to serve as president of production at 20th Century Fox.

The conference will close with an evening of recognition and salute to the 2007 NISH National Awards Program recipients. The NISH National Awards Program Banquet, held in conjunction with the conference, will honor more than 20 award recipients for their outstanding achievements and support of the AbilityOne Program.

NISH creates opportunities for people with disabilities

Established in 1974, NISH is one of two national nonprofit agencies designated by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (an independent federal agency) to support nonprofit agencies participating in the AbilityOne Program, formerly Javits-Wagner-O’Day, or JWOD. The AbilityOne Program provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities by procuring federal contracts for goods and services.

Headquartered in Vienna, Va., NISH supports a network of more than 2,100 nonprofit agencies as well as federal customers by providing the legislative and regulatory assistance, communications and public relations materials, information technology support, engineering and technical assistance and extensive professional training needed for successful contract management.

In fiscal 2006, through the AbilityOne Program, NISH-affiliated agencies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam reported a record 43,344 jobs for people with severe disabilities, according to NISH. During the same period, AbilityOne-producing nonprofit agencies reported more than 136,000 jobs for people with disabilities supporting a wide range of companies, organizations and federal customers.

For more information about the 2008 NISH National Training and Achievement Conference, click here.