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WesternU Advisor Named to Chair Federal Agency Charged with Improving Accessibility for the Disabled

by Rodney Tanaka

November 23, 1999

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President Clinton has announced his intent to reappoint June I. Kailes as

chair of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

In addition to chairing the Access Board, Ms. Kailes, of Playa del Rey,

California, operates a full-time disability policy consulting business

focusing on health, wellness and aging with a disability. She also

specializes in technology, telecommunications, and disaster preparedness

and relief issues for people with disabilities, as well as planning

barrier-free events. Ms. Kailes works with many local, state, national,

and international organizations including Western University of Health

Sciences (WesternU) Center for Disability Issues and the Health

Professions (CDIHP) in Pomona. Ms. Kailes serves on the Center’s Policy

Advisory Committee.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is an

independent federal agency with a governing board of 25 members. The

Access Board establishes minimum guidelines for accessibility under the

Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, the Americans with Disabilities Act,

and the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Board also provides technical

assistance on architectural, transportation, and communications access.

“”WesternU is taking a national leadership role in issues regarding access

to health care for people with disabilities, as well as recruiting more

people with disabilities into the health professions,”” said Kailes. “”These

are critical areas that will affect the quality of life for hundreds of

thousands of people in the coming years. I’m proud to have a voice in

shaping their efforts.””

CDIHP was established in 1998 to enhance health professions education and

improve access for people with disabilities to health, health education

and health care services. The initial goals of the Center are to develop

disability awareness curriculum at pre- and post-graduate levels; to

increase the number of qualified health professionals with disabilities;

and to train people with disabilities to become active participants in

their health care. CDIHP also aims to develop and distribute research on

community-based health care education, prevention and services for persons

with disabilities.

“”I am privileged to have years of working experience with June,”” said

CDIHP Founding Director Brenda Premo, who is the former director of the

California Department of Rehabilitation. “”June is an excellent advocate to

have speaking on our behalf in Washington, and I am sure that she will

continue to effectively advance many of our program’s goals among the

nation’s decision makers.””

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