Events

9:30-11:00: Emily Shuman, Director, Rocky Mountain ADA

Session Description: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) opens the doors to participation in society by prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and mandating accessible healthcare environments. This training explains how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to hospitals, clinics, and public health facilities. We will review common barriers that people with disabilities face when accessing healthcare, and overview best practices that can support enhanced disability accommodation.

Bio: Emily Shuman leads the Rocky Mountain ADA Center, overseeing strategy, operations, and a six-state service region. Since joining the Center in 2018, she has become a trusted consultant on the Americans with Disabilities Act, known for her clear, compelling education on complex ADA issues. Drawing on her lived experience with non-apparent disabilities, Emily brings both insight and leadership to the national accessibility landscape.

11:00-11:55: Donna Sheen, Attorney, Wyoming Children's Law Center

Session Description: This session with discuss the legal implications of Guardianships, focusing primarily on their use in health care decision-making and exploring the less restrictive alternatives of supported decision-making and autonomy for health care decisions.

Bio: Donna Sheen is an attorney with the Wyoming Children's Law Center, where she advocates for children and vulnerable adults in matters involving guardianships, health care access, disability rights, and special education. She has more than 25 years of experience representing vulnerable individuals and families navigating complex legal and service systems and regularly speaks on topics involving disability advocacy, guardianship, juvenile justice, and access to services for vulnerable populations.

Her professional advocacy is informed by personal experience as both the parent and guardian of individuals with significant disabilities, including autism. Ms. Sheen has also published several law review articles addressing disability rights and juvenile justice issues, including “Suspects, Defendants, and Offenders with Mental Retardation in Wyoming,” “Juvenile Injustice in Wyoming,” and “Professional Responsibilities Toward Children in Trouble With the Law.”

1:00-1:55: Dr. Melinda Poyer and Nena Janes

More information coming soon.

2:00-3:00: Panel - Chele Mecomber Porter

Bio: I am the daughter, mother, aunt and sibling of diagnoses and labels. I live on a ranch in eastern Laramie County Wyoming and am a 6th generation Wyomingite. My husband, Doug and I are the parents of 4 grown children.  We currently have 3 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and counting.  I am versed in many diagnoses and learning daily on others.  I love my horses and the western way of life.  I am passionate about making things easier for those who follow.

2:00-3:00: Panel - Brain Be

More information coming soon.

2:00-3:00: Panel - Rebecca Millet

Bio: Rebecca is a Registered Nurse with a background in community-based, correctional, and labor and delivery nursing, bringing a practical, patient-centered approach and experience working with underserved and marginalized populations. She also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and is a member of the Mayor’s Council for People with Disabilities in Cheyenne, reflecting her commitment to advocacy both professionally and in her community. Her professional and volunteer experiences, combined with her role as the parent of an adult son with Down syndrome, give her a deeply personal understanding of advocacy, long-term planning, and the challenges families face when systems fall short. She brings an honest, grounded voice to conversations about care, independence, and the need for more compassionate, inclusive support systems.

2:00-3:00: Panel - Sandy Hubert

Bio: My son, Gregory Hildebrand, 53, was born with a rare genetic syndrome, Smith Lemli Opitz Syndrome that was diagnosed in 1974 by geneticists at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL, now Ann & Robert H. Lurie Chrildren’s Hospital. Gregory had many years of surgeries and childhood illnesses, and I was his caregiver and advocate. As an adult, he has been quite healthy but with some health-related issues. Although he has lived at ARK Regional Services for 30 years and has a wonderful support system, I am still Gregory’s major caregiver and advocate.