Press Release
Rockville, MD – The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) today announced the appointment of Theo W. Braddy to their Board of Directors. A lifetime advocate for people with disabilities, Mr. Braddy brings a deep personal and professional commitment to the work of disability inclusion and community living.
With Mr. Braddy’s addition to the AAHD Board, the organization has eight directors engaged in leading their cross-disability health equity work engaged in research and public health.
Board President, Dr. Rick Rader, welcomed the newest addition to the AAHD leadership team: “We are pleased to bring Theo’s wealth of lived experience and tremendous advocacy to serve our mission of advancing health equity for all people with disabilities.”
Theo Braddy recently served as the moderator for AAHD’s January 24th conversation on disability health and intersectionality as part of the 2023-2024 Disability and Health Webinar series. Mr. Braddy spoke of the importance of our collective work towards greater health care inclusion for all: “We’ve got a population here that’s not being seen; are not being addressed. People with all types of different disabilities, identities and socioeconomic status are not getting adequate health care, not being recognized.” In a call to continue this work, he asked the audience to join us to continue the movement for disability rights together.
AAHD Executive Director, Karl Cooper spoke about the importance of this appointment: “Theo is a person who has been living the work of disability advocacy throughout his life, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to work with him in service of the disability community.”
About Theo W. Braddy
Theo W. Braddy is an esteemed leader and advocate for disability rights. He holds a Master of Social Work from Temple University and his BSW from Edinboro University. He has been a consistent champion for the rights of people with disabilities since he acquired a disability during a high school football accident. Over forty years, he has worked in service of advancing the human and civil rights of people with disabilities.
For over thirty years, he served as CEO of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, where he ignited a community hub for disability empowerment across the Harrisburg capitol region. In February 2023, he became the Executive Director for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), the largest cross-disability grassroots organization that fights for the rights of people with disabilities.
Across a lifetime of service, Mr. Braddy has been recognized for his work at the state and national level. He has held multiple appointments as Commissioner for the PA Human Relations Commission; as a member of the PA State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation; and with the PA Statewide Independent Living Council. Senator Robert Casey, Jr. has recognized Mr. Braddy for his leadership at events including a Senate proclamation in 2022.
In September 2022, Mr. Braddy was appointed to the National Council on Disability under President Biden, where he advises the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on the national concerns of people with disabilities. He was also involved with Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s Transition Team working on education and workforce development.
Mr. Braddy has held Adjunct Professor positions at Temple and Millersville University. He is a proud husband and father of two.
About the American Association on Health and Disability: AAHD is dedicated to ensuring health equity for children and adults with disabilities through policy, research, education, and dissemination at the federal, state and community level. AAHD strives to advance health promotion and wellness initiatives for people with disabilities. AAHD’s goals are to reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population, and to support full community inclusion and accessibility.