KALAMAZOO, MI — Yvonne Fleener has been named the third president and CEO in Disability Network Southwest Michigan’s 40-year history.
Founded in 1981 by a small group of advocates, Disability Network educates and connects people with disabilities to the community resources they need to live independently. In addition to advocating for social change, Disability Network’s advocacy work is focused on creating communities that value disability as human diversity.
The position of president and CEO at the organization opened up with the recent retirement of Joel Cooper, who served in the role for the past 20 years, according to a news release from Disability Network.
“Our search committee engaged in an extensive recruiting process to find the right person for the job,” Disability Network Board Vice Chair Bill McElhone said. “We feel that Yvonne’s experience and skills make her an excellent leader for the organization.”
Fleener has over 30 years of experience in human services and has become an active and dedicated advocate on behalf of people with disabilities in a variety of roles, the organization said. As a person with family and personal experiences with disabilities, Fleener uses her background as a driving force in her advocacy efforts.
Fleener has an older sister, who was born with developmental disabilities and has never been able to talk.
Growing up, Flenner felt like an advocate for her sister by explaining what she wanted and needed, the release said. She explained she has hidden disabilities herself, though different from her sister’s because you cannot physically see them.
“I was always that person that was always making sure nobody felt excluded and stood up for people, it’s just something that has always been important to me,” Fleener said. “I would say my driving force comes from a couple of different places; there’s a well-known advocate that said, ‘Disability is a family that you can join at any time in your life.’ So, the work we do is so important.”
Disability Network of Southwest Michigan oversees two of the 15 Centers for Independent Living in Michigan; with offices in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph, the two centers serve the eight-country Southwest Michigan region.
Before joining the Disability Network of Southwest Michigan, Fleener served as the executive director of LAP Respite Center in Lansing, MI.
“Career-wise, I got really lucky, and I happened to fall into the right job at the right time after college,” Fleener said. “I got to be around some phenomenal people who helped shape what is important to me as an advocate. For me, being back here just feels right, and I’ve been blown away by the dedication and the knowledge that the team has here.”
Fleener has been instrumental in ensuring critical changes in Medicaid health care in Michigan, according to the release from Disability Network, through her health policy advocacy and coalition building; advocacy to ensure voting education, rights and accessibility for people with disabilities; and years spent working in state institutions supporting people with disabilities as they return to community-based living.
“The people I work with, even though it’s been a short time, inspire me because they are so dedicated and they aren’t willing to settle; when you are around people that are like, ‘That’s not good enough, they deserve better,” Fleener said. “It brings tears to my eyes because it makes me a better person; it’s a challenge, but it’s a good challenge.”
Fleener is also a board member of the Michigan Disability Action Committee, which works to educate employers on successfully employing people with disabilities, and serves on the IMPART Alliance Leadership Council working to develop a competent and fairly paid direct care workforce.
Additionally, Fleener has been appointed to serve on several councils by various governors, including the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, the Michigan Adult Foster Care Advisory Council, the Michigan Council of Rehabilitation Services and, most recently, she served as Chairperson of the Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council.
“The challenge is that we still have a lot more work to do,” Fleener said. “I started in this field almost 30 years ago now and being back in it, some of the challenges are still the same; continuously teaching people about disabilities.
“What I will say has changed for the better is the disability pride, and it’s really exciting to see people own it by saying, ‘I have a disability and I am proud of it. It makes me who I am.’”
To learn more about Disability Network Southwest Michigan, head to www.dnswm.org.
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