It’s November, and we just had a special election here in California. We’re spending today’s show talking about the voting process for people with disabilities, how voting is made accessible, and the importance of voting as a way to engage in the political process.

We’re joined by three guests. From right here in Nevada County, Corey O’Hayre is with us. Corey has been the Assistant Registrar of Voters for Nevada County since August 2023 and served as Acting Registrar of Voters from June to October of this year. Donna Johnston is also with us. Donna is the Registrar of Voters for Sutter County. She has served in county government since 1990 and has been the Sutter County Registrar of Voters since 2008.

And from outside of Sacramento, Peter Mendoza is with us. Peter is currently a Community Program Specialist at the Sacramento Regional Office of the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. He is also a member of the Sutter County Voter Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Today, we’re joined by the incoming Executive Director of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Lisa Hayes. Lisa has had a long career in health and disability policy, leadership, and advocacy. For the past 7 years, she has served as the Executive Director of Rolling Start, Inc., an independent living center in southern California. She also serves as an appointed commissioner of the California State Independent Living Council and a board member of the National Council on Independent Living. Prior to her service in the nonprofit sector, Lisa worked for more than two decades in healthcare operations and contracting.

The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, or CFILC, is a membership organization comprised of twenty-four independent living centers across the state. CFILC’s mission is to increase the capacity of independent living centers to support community living and independence for Californians with disabilities by providing advocacy, training, and resources. Lisa will officially assume her role as CFILC Executive Director on November 3.

This month, FREED is celebrating our 40th anniversary. We were founded in 1985 through the efforts of people with disabilities in Nevada County and the Nevada County Committee on the Disabled. This was a natural outgrowth of the Independent Living Movement, which grew out of Berkeley in the 1970s. FREED was one of California’s first rural independent living centers.

To celebrate our 40th anniversary, we’re hosting a fun-filled night of music and storytelling at the Gold Miners Inn in downtown Grass Valley on Saturday, September 27, from 5 to 9 p.m.. More about that event later in the show. But today, we’re joined by a very special roundtable of guests. Tony Sauer was the Executive Director of FREED from 1995 to 2001. He went on to be the Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation.

Ana Acton is also with us. Ana started at FREED in 2004 as the Disability Community Advocate and then was Executive Director of FREED for 11 years. She then went on to lead the Independent Living division at the California Department of Rehabilitation. She’s now with the California Department of Aging. Our Co-host Carl Sigmond spoke with Tony and Ana on Monday.