June Isaacson Kailes, MSW, LCSW
Associate Director and Adjunct Associate Professor
Responsibilities
June trains and writes on a variety of disability-related issues. She supervises: development of research tools and design implementation of research projects and reports; managed care organizations consulting projects, training people with disabilities on strengthening their health care advocacy skills: and development of new and continuing grants and contracts with public and private funding sources. She supervises the Senior Policy Analyst, Consumer Training Specialist, Administrative Assistants, contractiors, student interns and policy fellows. June also teaches "Disability Competency in the Health Professions" an introduction course to disability issues for health professionals. This course covers disability-related preferred etiquette practices, disability demographics, Medical and Social Models of disability, quality of life issues, culture, risk factors, secondary conditions, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and major disability-related public policy and ethical issues.
Background
June is a well-known and highly respected disability rights advocate and consultant. Recognized nationally and internationally, she is one of the original national leaders in Independent Living Movement. She consults, writes and trains on: ADA implementation, advocacy training and skills building; developing and analyzing disability-related public policy; planning barrier free meetings, disability diversity training, reaching the disability market; customer service and product design, accessible telecommunication, disaster preparedness for people with disabilities and incorporating universal design and usability principles into existing and new environments.
June also works as a subcontractor with a variety of government related research projects as a trainer, writer, researcher, and policy analyst. These projects include Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers: on Aging with a Disability, Managed Care and Disability, Health and wellness and Disability, National Center of Physical Activity and Disability.
Motivated by a move from New York to California, often known as the most disaster prone state in the nation, June developed a keen interest in disaster preparedness and has become well known for her national and international work in disaster preparedness for people with disabilities. She writes and speaks from practical hands-on experience and has received many awards. Her publications number well over 80 and include Emergency Evacuation Preparedness: Taking Responsibility For Your Safety, A Guide For People with Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations, Living and Lasting on Shaky Ground: An Earthquake Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities (distributed by California Office of Emergency, and Safety), Be a Savvy Health Care Consumer - Your Life May Depend on It!, Health, Wellness, and Aging with Disability, A Guide to Planning Accessible Meetings and Creating a Disaster - Resistant Infrastructure for People at Risk Including People with Disabilities (used and published in several countries.) She has also delivered hundreds of keynote addresses, workshops, and seminars
June has held many offices on the boards of the National Council of Independent Living and the California Foundation of Independent Living Centers and served as the Executive Director of the Westside Center for Independent Living in Los Angeles. For the last seven years June has held a presidential appointment to the United States Access Board and has served as both its Vice Chair and Chair and well as chairing many committees. To learn more about June, visit www.jik.com.
Education
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, M.S.W.
Hofstra University, Hempstead, Long Island, New York, B.A. in Psychology