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August 01, 2011 
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Disability Policy Consortium Transitions
Dear william,
The Board of Directors is pleased announce the election of a new President and the appointment of a new Executive Director.
John Chappell has assumed the leadership of the DPC following the resignation of John Pirone as President. Mr. Pirone will continue as a valued Board member while pursuing a E.D. at Northeastern University.
Bruce Menin has been selected to be the new Executive Director. Bruce brings broad experience and a long standing commitment to human rights to the DPC.
I will be assisting Bruce with transition through September.
Please welcome John Chappell and Bruce in their new advocacy roles. More detailed information is included below.
Bill Allan
Disability Policy Consortium
wfallan@dpcma.org| 617-542-3822
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John Chappell:
John Chappell was the Deputy Commissioner for Community Services for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission for nearly 24 years. His
responsibility with the Commission was to direct the many services that promote living in the community in the most integrated setting and includes the following programs: Statewide Head Injury Program, the Homecare Assistance Program, the Work Personal Care Assistance Program, the Consumer Involvement Program, the IL Center/Services Program, the Turning 22 Program, the Protective Services Program, the Housing/Supported Living Program, the Home Loan Modification Program, implementation of the Roland
deinstitutionalization decision for MRC, the Assistive Technology Program and the Community Based Employment Services Program.
John has been involved in the independent living and disability rights movement for nearly 40 years and has been involved both locally and nationally. He was a co-founder of the National Council of Independent
Living (NCIL) and was the co-founder and President and Executive Director of Virginia's Coalition of persons with disabilities. He was also a member of
the Board for the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. John also played a major role in enactment of the ADA, the 1992 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act and other pieces of legislation at the state and federal effecting persons with disabilities.
John's original background was in Technology, specifically Electrical Engineering. He has a BS degree in Electrical Engineering From Florida Tech and was the Director of the Army's Instrumentation Laboratory at Fort Eustis, VA for many years. During that time he received a patent for his work on an interface for combining signals from two separate digital instrumentation systems. He also received a commendation from the Army for his work on crash tests conducted regarding the redesign of the Army's
Helicopters. In addition, John was awarded the Meritorious Service Award, the highest civilian award that can be given by the US Army. He received
this award as part of his recognition by the Federal Government as one of the Handicapped Employees of the year award winners in 1977.
John has also been involved with the use of technology here in Massachusetts. He assisted in the development of the first Management information system for the Independent Living Centers and was also instrumental in pushing for the development of one of the nation's first real-time databases of accessible apartments and their related vacancies. He also assisted in the development of New England Index's I&R system and
has been involved in many activities related to ensuring that technology is accessible to persons with disabilities. |
Bruce Menin:
Bruce Menin has been selected to be the new Executive Director. Bruce lives in Newburyport where he has served on the School Committee for ten years; the last two as Vice Chair. He has also served on the Charter Commission. He is currently the Exec at the Family Self Sufficiency Center in Salem, MA. Previously, he was the founding Executive Director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, Executive Director of the North Shore Shelter Committee; and was Assistant Executive Director of NUVA, Inc., a substance abuse and prevention program in Gloucester. He has also taught Middle School and been a Montessori teacher, and has both a Bachelor's and Master's in Special Education, and a CAGS in Conflict Resolution. He has also been a freelance journalist for over 30 years, and has had three short plays he has written performed at festivals in MA and New York. Bruce brings broad experience with a wide range of populations and a long standing commitment to human rights to the DPC.
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