NCD announces new Chair Claudia L. Gordon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

April 9, 2024

WASHINGTON–The National Council on Disability (NCD) – an independent, nonpartisan federal agency that advises the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on disability policy – announces Claudia L. Gordon, Esq., of Washington, D.C., as its new Chair.

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. designated Gordon as Council Chair, as announced by the White House on April 5. Gordon was originally appointed to NCD by Biden and took her oath of office November 17, 2022.

Previous Chairman Andrés J. Gallegos, Esq., died Dec. 1, 2023. Gordon had been serving as Acting Chair since that time.

During her time at NCD, Gordon was designated by Gallegos as Vice Chair and served on NCD’s Executive Committee.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the country in this capacity as Chair and look forward to continuing our journey of increasing accessibility and inclusion in all walks of life,” said NCD Chair Claudia Gordon. “I also plan to continue and build on the policy endeavors of our late Chair Gallegos during his tenure, to elevate the importance of addressing health disparities of people with disabilities and securing their equal access to quality healthcare to the forefront of policy progress.”

Chair Gordon and the current Council members and staff of NCD all extend their heartfelt gratitude to the late Chairman Gallegos, who served in the role from January 2021 until his passing.

Current NCD Council members include Hoskie Benally Jr., Sascha Bittner, Theo W. Braddy, Shawn Kennemer, Risa Jaz Rifkind, Neil Romano, and Emily Voorde.

Appointments to NCD are made by the President of the United States, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House, and the House Minority Leader pursuant to Section 451 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Pub. L. 113–128). By law, NCD’s Chair is designated by the president.

Biography of Claudia L. Gordon, Esq.:

Claudia L. Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise, with a personal mission to level the playing field and ensure the same opportunities are provided for all. She currently serves as the Senior Accessibility Strategist with T-Mobile US, Inc. In this role, she drives strategies for a disability inclusive culture and an accessible plus equitable work environment. Gordon has held senior leadership positions with Sprint Corporation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Council on Disability, and the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Gordon served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Associate Director of Public Engagement for the White House Office of Public Engagement. Adding to Gordon’s professional expertise is her lived experience as an immigrant at the intersections of race, disability, and gender, which is the foundation for the strong emphasis on disabled individuals with multiple marginalized identities that she brings to her work. For her unrelenting commitment to advocacy, compliance, civic engagement, and mentoring, Gordon has been recognized by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Google, AT&T Humanity of Connection, National Disability Mentoring Coalition, National Association of the Deaf, National Black Deaf Advocates, and The Root 100. Gordon is a native of Jamaica, graduate of Howard University, and graduate of the American University’s Washington College of Law.

About the National Council on Disability:

First established as an advisory Council within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Rehabilitation in 1978 and Department of Education in 1979, NCD became an independent federal agency in 1984. In 1986, NCD recommended enactment of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and drafted the first version of the bill which was introduced in the House and Senate in 1988. Since enactment of the ADA in 1990, NCD has continued to play a leading role in crafting disability policy, and advising the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policies, programs, and practices.

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