Conference Sessions & Workshops
We are excited to bring you a wide variety of eductaional and informational programming. The general sessions (keynotes and plenaries) will be held in the main ballroom, including the Achievement Awards Banquet. Workshops will take place in breakout rooms located on the same level as the ballroom.
General sessions, plenary, and workshop development is ongoing. When topics and speakers are confirmed they will be updated on this page.
Achievement Awards Banquet Keynote Speaker
Uniquely You - You Were Made To CONQUER!
Tanisha Carter
Monday, May 8
Honor through celebration and praise. This inspiring keynote lifts up the 2023 Achievement Award honorees for the ways in which their circumstances inspired success. For having the audacity to overcome insurmountable challenges. To unapologetically live in their truth.
How do we do it? The focus will be to exemplify how adversity, though painful and unforgiving can also be hopeful and motivating, leading one to fight even harder, dig deeper and understand profoundly what it means to conquer. Beginning with personal testimony, Tanisha will use her story as a backdrop to highlight the resilience and determination of people with disabilities, whose collective stories share one common theme: refusing to be confined to life’s limitations, and reimagining what their life can be by choosing to conquer daringly.
To know who you are is to face the world with intrepidness, determined to live with purpose. The brave men and women being honored have abided by this truth, dispelling the idea that individuals living with a disability in today’s world can be considered anything less than extraordinary. This attitude in part is attributed to the evolving social acknowledgment and action from conscious minds (agencies, businesses, and government) whose innovations and intentions need also be saluted. Such forward thinking has created spaces for acceptance and opportunities for people with disabilities, while influentially modeling best practices for inclusion.
Tanisha Carter is a native of Philadelphia. As an infant she was severaly burned in a fatal house fire resulting in facial and body disfigurement. She has experienced continual employment discrimination, lack of support and resources, resulting in chronic homelessness for her and her family. What many would consider hardships, Tanisha saw as experiences necessary to understand and walk in her purpose. Tanisha has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and has worked in numerous social and educational service settings providing counseling, outreach, educational, and trauma informed expertise. Tanisha currently works as a call center manager for UniqueSource Member InspiriTec. Tanisha is an accomplished public speaker who has also shared her story internationally. She has been speaking her truth since the age of 11 and has appeared on numerous stages, including on the Maury Pulvich Show and with celebrity personality, internist and Addiction Medicine Expert, Dr. Drew Lapinsky. Her book More Than a Conqueror: Confessions of a True Testimony was published by Christian Faith Publishing in 2018. In 2022, Tanisha received the UniqueSource Achivement Award.
Proudly Sponsored by 
Re!magin
e Keynote Speaker
Dis-labeled: Re-!magining Who You Are
Susan Robinson
Tuesday, May 9
Susan Robinson is an international speaker, business consultant and advisor, author, world traveler, tango dancer, yogi and cyclist. And she is legally blind. But she has never let that fact disrupt or interfere with her pursuit of audacious dreams. Susan uses her experiences and humor to uncover, challenge and flip generally-accepted ideas upside down…and then creates new, inclusive narratives for success. Her inspiring TED Talk “How I fail at being disabled” has more than 1.5 million views. She has worked with global firms and Fortune 500 companies, top not-for-profit organizations, leading universities and the United Nations. Susan is an Executive Board Member and Governance Committee Chair of the Penn State Alumni Association's Alumni Council, and is a Board Member of both the New York State Preferred Source Program for People Who Are Blind and InTandem Cycling. Susan received her Master of Public Administration, specializing in Health Policy and Management, from New York University, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service; and her Bachelor of Science, Health Policy and Administration, with minors in Business and Economics, from The Pennsylvania State University.
Workshops
Re!magine is offering 12 individual workshops across four focused tracks. Attendees can choose nay session that they find interesting. The four education tracks are:
- Sales & Marketing - Workshops A
- Organizational Operations - Workshops B
- Innovation & Policy - Workshops C
- Photo ID - Workshops D
Pre-registration to workshops is not necessary. It is our hope that the variety of educational offerings provides something for a larger cross section of the Membership. Workshops will take place in breakout rooms located on the main conference level of the hotel.
Tuesday, May 9
Workshop sessions A
9:30 am to 10:45 am
Workshop A1: Business Development Roundtable – Matt Dickens & Joe Ostrander, UniqueSource
The UniqueSource Sales & Communications teams are joining forces to host this lively and informative sharing session. Member agencies will have the opportunity to showcase 1 to 2 new products or services they have, or are getting ready to, launch. Each organization will get 7 minutes to wow the crowd. This is sure to be a fun, fast, and educational 75 minutes. Submit your idea by April 14 to be considered for inclusion in the session. Space is limited, so don’t delay.
Workshop B1: Still under development
Workshop C1: Still under development
Workshop D1: Ready Response/Direct Labor – Ellen Mazzocchi, UniqueSource
This workshop designed specifically for those working within the photo ID program and will focus on two important items for coordinating around staffing.
- The Ready Response platform is an important tool to manage employees and your photo ID site. There are many benefits to the tool. Get a how-to demonstration and make your daily coordination easier.
- The direct labor invoicing process can be confusing. Let us unpack it for you and layout the how-tos along with some process enhancements.
Workshop sessions B
1:45 pm to 3:00 pm
Workshop A2: Now That’s Interesting! – UniqueSource Sales Team
So just what type of things has the UniqueSource sales team been working on? This workshop will let you see behind the curtain at some of the new and innovative approaches that are in the works. Topics will include a case study on the Brookaire/VisionCorps HVAC filter production partnership that is re-shaping how we tackle barriers to entry in a new industry.Bring your notebook!
Workshop B2: Money, Protecting & Planning – Doug Berman, RKL & Dave Hanson, Fulton Financial Advisors
This workshop will provide a look at the trends in accounting and global banking. Doug Berman from the accounting firm of RKL, will discuss the Top 8 Financial Reporting Errors Facing Nonprofit Organizations. He will examine some of the most common reporting errors many nonprofit organizations are making, touching on the budget process, internal financial reporting, and also the year-end audit and tax filings. Dave Hanson from Fulton Financial Advisors will continue the discussion by examing global financial outlooks, including an economic and market update with short, intermediate and long-term trends and considerations.
Workshop C2: Still under development
Workshop D2: When They Come, and When They Go – Donna Cifarelli, UniqueSource
Onboarding new employees requires consistent and careful planning. This is true of all roles, but non-more-so than in the photo ID world. The procedures for the onboarding, and off boarding, of photo techs comes with some unique requirements. Learn the ins and outs of the process while staying mindful of compliance & security, orientation procedures, and training requirements.
Workshop sessions C
3:15 pm to 4:30 pm
Workshop A3: Let’s Tear this Up – Steve Stasko, UniqueSource & Tim Miller, Westmoreland County Blind Association
Shredding is back and taking off. Learn more about the growthopportunities of this service within UniqueSource and hear from a member who has been doing it for a long time. Whether you are considering getting into the shred biz, already taken the leap, or up to your ears in confetti, this session will be sure to provide you with some insights and tips to be successful.
Workshop B3: Still under development
Workshop C3: Still under development
Workshop D3: Liquidated Damages Reduction: Positive Outcomes – Marla Langley, UniqueSource
No one likes to make mistakes, especially those that can cost you money. Good news is this workshop is all about helping you to identify and reduce errors. In the photo ID program, liquidated damages, or non-compliances to the contract, that can occur within the photo ID program. Learn:
- How to proactively identify behaviors/concerns which may result in a liquidated damage fine,
- About tools/resources on how to reduce the most common and costly errors,
- Best practices around damage reduction, and
- How to implement a plan that provides for positive outcomes.
Plenary Sessions
The various plenary sessions will take place in the main ballroom and cover topics that are of interest across multiple staff levels. There are a total of five plenary sessions being held over the two days.
Tuesday, May 9
11:00 am to 12:00 pm
What's Going On...Nationally - Kate McSweeney, ACCSES, Stephanie Walker, Porter Group LLC & Lisa Biggica, SUPRA
Updates on federal policies and programs from three national perspectives.
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
UniqueSource Annual Membership Business Meeting
The annual business meeting provides the Membership an opportunity to hear about UniqueSource initiatives and progress made on the strategic plan. The new slate of officers for the Board of Directors will be introduced as will the FY 2024 focus areas. UniqueSource Member Representatives are required to attend the Annual Membership Businesss Meeting.
4:45 pm to 5:45 pm
Finding Trained & Qualified Staff – Kristy Richards & James Marker, Hiram G. Andrews School
The Commonwealth Technical Institute (CTI) at the Hiram G. Andrews Center prepares Pennsylvanians with disabilities for the careers they want with individualized, affordable education and training. Learn the unique ways that the school support individuals through specialized programming, externships, and a flexible career path. These individuals are educated and trained in fields such as business, culinary arts, information technology, and a variety of skilled trades.