E6 S2 – W/ Liam DoyleWelcome to the Dissing My Ability Podcast. On this episode we continue the conversation with disability advocate, ADA Certified Coordinator, and TedX speaker, Liam Doyle. Liam and podcast host, Ken Meeker, as they discuss why advocacy is so important, the value in choosing our own path, and why embracing challenge can lead to positive outcomes, leading Liam to where he is today. It's an inspiring and authentically honest conversation we hope you will enjoy.  Watch Liams TedX talk.To watch the video discussed in the interview, follow this link.Connect with Liam on LinkedIn.Dissing My Ability Podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is the owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, a boutique leadership & career coaching company focused on customized workshops and training programs tailored to client’s unique needs. Ken is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, & Accessibility consultant, speaker, & advocate who’s been a featured panelist for multiple national organizations on discussions of workplace inclusivity, disability inclusion, accessibility, and more. A graduate of the AFB Blind Leaders Development Program, fellow in the National Career Development Association’s Leadership Academy, and recipient of the 2023 AFB Llura Gund Leadership Award. Ken is a regular contributor to the Bold Blind Beauty lifestyle magazine, Beyond Sight, a member of NCDA, SHRM, and holds multiple professional credentials and designations.

E5 S2 – W/ Liam DoyleWelcome to the Dissing My Ability Podcast. On this first of two part series, we welcome disability advocate, ADA Certified Coordinator, and TedX speaker, Liam Doyle. Join Liam and podcast host, Ken Meeker, as they discuss Liam’s journey with disability, the challenges he’s faced along the way, and how is positive reflection has led him to where he is today. It's an inspiring and authentically honest conversation we hope you will enjoy. He does public speaking and is currently open to opportunities as an ADA coordinator. Watch Liams TedX talk.To watch the video discussed in the interview, follow this link.Connect with Liam on LinkedIn.Dissing My Ability Podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is the owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, a boutique leadership & career coaching company focused on customized workshops and training programs tailored to client’s unique needs. Ken is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, & Accessibility consultant, speaker, & advocate who’s been  a featured panelist for multiple national organizations on discussions of workplace inclusivity, disability inclusion, accessibility, and more. A graduate of the AFB Blind Leaders Development Program, fellow in the National Career Development Association’s Leadership Academy, and recipient of the 2023 AFB Llura Gund Leadership Award. Ken is a regular contributor to the Bold Blind Beauty lifestyle magazine, Beyond Sight, a member of NCDA, SHRM, and holds multiple professional credentials and designations.

Welcome to the Dissing My Ability Podcast. Our guest on this episode played an important role in the life of podcast host, Ken Meeker. Orientation and Mobility (also known as O&M) plays an important part in accessing the world safely and independently for people who are blind/low vision. Tamara Amavilah met Ken in 2018 to provide white cane training, and left Ken with so much more. We hope you find this conversation inspiring and hopeful. Thank you for listening. Dissing My Ability Podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is the owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, a boutique leadership & career coaching company focused on customized workshops and training programs tailored to client’s unique needs. Ken is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, & Accessibility consultant, speaker, & advocate who’s been a featured panelist for multiple national organizations on discussions of workplace inclusivity, disability inclusion, accessibility, and more. Ken is a Certified ADA Coordinator, Certified Professional Coach, graduate of the AFB Blind Leaders Development Program, fellow in the National Career Development Association’s Leadership Academy, and recipient of the 2023 AFB Llura Gund Leadership Award. Ken is a regular contributor to the Bold Blind Beauty lifestyle magazine, Beyond Sight, a member of NCDA, SHRM, and holds multiple professional credentials and designations.

The Dissing My Ability Podcast welcomes back the first guest from Season Two, Sarah Harris, for part 2 of her extended conversation with podcast host, Ken Meeker. Join them as they talk about the challenges faced when trying to adjust to disability and access to services, being engaged with your community, and why it is important to get involved. To connect with this weeks guest, Sarah Harris, email her at crazyblindlady@gmail.comThe Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

E2 S2 – W/Guest Sarah Harris - Part 1 Welcome to season two of Dissing My Ability! The first guest on this new season is the fabulous Sarah Harris. On this episode, join Sarah and host Ken Meeker as they discuss encountering disability as an adult and learning to carve out a space for yourself. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

Welcome to the Dissing My Ability Season 2 opener. In this episode, host Ken Meeker discusses the importance to language and how it relates to disability. Words matter. The language and words used to discuss disability convey attitudes about people living with disability. Tune in to this introductory episode for Season Two of the Dissing My Ability Podcast. Are you someone who lives with disability and are interested in sharing your story? Please reach out to us - we want to hear from you. Ken Meeker CPC is the owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, a boutique leadership, executive, and career coaching company. Ken develops customized workshops and training programs tailored to client’s unique needs. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility consulting are essential aspects of this work. He has been featured nationally as a panelist with multiple organizations for discussions on workplace inclusivity, disability inclusion, accessibility, and other topics. He is a graduate of the AFB Blind Leaders Development Program, a fellow in the National Career Development Association’s Leadership Academy, and recipient of the 2023 AFB Llura Gund Leadership Award. Additionally, Ken is a regular contributor to the Bold Blind Beauty lifestyle magazine, Beyond Sight. He is a member of NCDA, SHRM, and holds multiple professional credentials.

On this Season Finale episode, join podcast creator and host, Ken Meeker as he recaps season one. The Dissing My Ability Podcast began was originally conceived around engaging in meaningful, candid conversation about what it is like to live with disability. In this first season, the Dissing My Ability Podcast featured guests who live with a wide range of disabilities and health conditions. While most, but not all guests identify as living with disability, the common thread with all guests is that at some point in their life, something happened that was at a minimum disabling. Living with feelings of “otherness,” shame, stigma, or self-doubt due to a health or mental condition is not something anyone should experience. I started the Dissing My Ability Podcast to help others feel seen, heard, and that they are not alone. I also hope it helps to create and foster ally-ship, empathy, and opportunity.As preparations begin for Season Two, if you are living with disability and are interested in being a guest, please reach out to us. If you know someone who you believe would be interested in being a guest, please share this podcast with them. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

After a brief hiatus, the Dissing My Ability Podcast returns with this very important and special episode featuring guest, Arthur Gywnne. In this episode, podcast host, Ken Meeker CPC and Arthur engage in an open an honest conversation on how attitudes, stigma, and trauma associated with mental health can lead to debilitating scenarios.Arthur is an ally to the disability community and discusses how his work aligns with the disability community. Arthur also opens up about his experiences within the health care system and the struggles faced by many who identify or are neuro-divergent. Please join in and listen on this relevant and important topic.The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz. Arthur Gwynne manages the career of EDM recording artist and cultural activist Lachi. Arthur runs a diverse team of about twenty employees and agents, booking national tours, negotiating major appearance contracts, and working creative projects and music releases cradle-to-grave. His mission is to break down the silos and barriers between disability-oriented projects and organizations, laying the seeds for a national conversation about Disability Culture and what Inclusion and Universal Accessible Design means at a practical and industrial level.

On this episode of the Dissing My Ability podcast, host Ken Meeker CPC continues the conversation with special guest, April Alexander on the relationship between mental health and how it often intersects with disability. They discuss why psychological safety is important when discussing mental health. Ken and April share their experiences and to encourage others about being open their own struggles and seeking the help they need. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz. April Alexander PHR, SHRM-CP, is an executive level Human Resources Director. Her self-described passion is “people.” If you would like to connect with April, she can be found on LinkedIn.

In this first part of a two part series of the Dissing My Ability podcast, host Ken Meeker CPC welcomes special guest, April Alexander for a conversation about their personal experiences in discovering the importance of taking care of our mental health.  The correlation between mental and physical health can often intersect with disability. Discussions around mental health and mental illness require sensitivity and compassion. It is important to know that psychological safety is an important component when discussing mental health. Ken and April share their experiences to encourage others about being open their own struggles and seeking the help they need. Please tune in and come back for the next episode where the conversation continues on the important topic of mental health. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

In this episode of the Dissing My Ability Podcast, we continue the conversation with guest David Snyder for part 2 of our extended conversation. Join podcast host, Ken Meeker CPC and David as they discuss how disability has personally affected their lives in honest and candid conversation.David shares how we coped with the accident he had as a teen that left him with a permanent disability. Together, Ken and David share their thoughts on how the non-disabled can engage in conversation with people living with disability – and why these conversations are important for everyone. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

This episode of the Dissing My Ability Podcast welcomes guest David Snyder for part 1 of this extended conversation. Join podcast host, Ken Meeker CPC and David as they discuss how disability has personally affected their lives in honest and candid conversation.David shares the details of the terrifying accident he had as a teen that left him with a permanent disability. Together, Ken and David share their thoughts on how the non-disabled can engage in conversation with people living with disability – and why these conversations are important for everyone. The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

Welcome to the Dissing My Ability Podcast, a place where host, Ken Meeker CPC and guests engage in honest, candid conversations about living with disability. In this episode, Ken is joined by fellow career success coach, Marcia Wall. Together, they discuss how individuals can benefit from working with a coach and why these benefits can greatly help individuals who are differently abled. They explore working with individuals with mental illness, disability, and on greater accessibility.Marcia Wall is a credentialed career coach working in private practice. You can connect with Marcia via her LinkedIn profile here.The Dissing My Ability podcast is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, the founder and owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC. To learn more about Ken please visit www.vitalitycareercoaching.com or connect with him on LinkedIn @kenmeekeraz.

The Dissing My Ability podcast is about having open and honest conversation about living with disability. Through these conversations, we hope to help remove the stigma, shame, and feelings of otherness that so often accompany living with disability. In this Season 1 recap episode of the inaugural season, a few highlights and messages of positivity are featured.Living with disability is challenging on a daily basis. No two disabilities are the same and with there is usually a wide spectrum of how every disability affects those who live with it. This makes addressing the challenges, barriers, stigma, shame, and feelings of otherness associated that much harder to overcome – because disability never affects two people in the same way. However, what we can do, is work to remove the shame, stigma, and feelings of otherness by not hiding our disability. Thank you for listening to the Dissing My Ability podcast. Thank you to all the guests and we look forward to sharing even more thought-provoking conversations in future episodes.Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in executive and career coaching, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, published writer, public speaker and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

In this episode, guest ‘host’ Montreece Hardy asks Dissing My Ability creator and host, Ken Meeker about his thoughts on intersectionality and living with disability. Join in on this important discussion on the DEI space and how they fit into it.Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in executive and career coaching, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, published writer, public speaker and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Montreece Hardy is an Executive Assistant, DEI&A Consultant, emerging leader, and Blind Fellow who finds joy in the meaningful work of accessibility awareness. Montreece is passionateabout equitable leadership opportunities for all and her commitment to DEI&A is shown by her work specializing in written and verbal communication focused on understanding Disability and Accessibility, workplace accommodations, and WCAG 2.1 compliance.  Her lived experience fuels her passion for building a more empathetic, inclusive, and accessible future for professionals living with disability. Connect with her at Diversity Crew.

This week’s episode of the Dissing My Ability Podcast features guest, Montreece Hardy. Host, Ken Meeker CPC and Montreece openly discuss some of the barriers to accessibility and inclusion for differently abled individuals. They also candidly talk about the issue of ablism and language use in the disability community. Please join in on this episode’s important discussion.Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in executive and career coaching, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, published writer, public speaker and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Montreece Hardy is an Executive Assistant, DEI&A Consultant, emerging leader, and Blind Fellow who finds joy in the meaningful work of accessibility awareness. Montreece is passionateabout equitable leadership opportunities for all and her commitment to DEI&A is shown by her work specializing in written and verbal communication focused on understanding Disability and Accessibility, workplace accommodations, and WCAG 2.1 compliance.  Her lived experience fuels her passion for building a more empathetic, inclusive, and accessible future for professionalsliving with disability. Connect with her at Diversity Crew.

This episode of the Dissing My Ability podcast features guest, Brooke Beatty. Brooke and Podcast host, Ken Meeker discuss the challenges individuals living with disability face with regard to interpersonal communication and relationships. Brooke and Ken invite you in on this uplifting and candid conversation on the value each of us bring, why disability does not have to be a disadvantage, and why you are important just as you are. Brooke Beatty is an Employment Services Specialist, Disability Advocate, Artist, and believes in the power of possibility. To connect with Brooke please visit her LinkedIn.Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in executive and career coaching, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, published writer, public speaker and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. You can connect with Ken on Linked In.

In this episode, host Ken Meeker is joined by Bay Area Realtor, Stephen Beard for an important discussion on accessibility and some of the challenges that individuals living with disability face with housing. Given the current housing affordability and availability issues in most parts of the country, this wide-ranging conversation gives people living with disability and the public at large some insight as to what can be done, and what work still needs to take place to increase access and availability of housing. Stephen Beard is a Realtor in the San Francisco Bay area. Stephen is the host of the Accessible Housing Matters podcast and is an accessibility specialist. You can connect with him via his Linked in.Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker. Ken is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in executive and career coaching, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC, published writer, public speaker and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. You can connect with Ken on Linked In.

This weeks guest, Athena Garcia, opens up about the challenges she faces as a young woman living with disability while on her journey towards becoming an educator. Join host Ken Meeker as he and Athena discuss the importance of finding your voice through advocacy. Dissing My Ability is hosted by Ken Meeker CPC, owner of Vitality Career Coaching LLC,  specializing in executive and career coaching, published writer, public speaker, and disability advocate who advises on how to build equity within organizations committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

This weeks amazing guest is Dr. Martin Mendelson of Metamorphosis Coaching. Join Martin and host, Ken Meeker as they openly and honestly discuss the mental struggle of encountering disability, and what they have done to move through the challenges.