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National Organization on Disability

About Us

Our Story

Founded in 1982, we at NOD are building a society where people of all abilities can find work, earn a fair wage, and advance in their careers. We help individuals and businesses realize their full potential.

A young woman wearing glasses and a light blue cardigan over an apron works alongside an older woman in a polka dot apron in a bright greenhouse filled with lush plants. They are both smiling while looking at a tablet together, surrounded by various potted plants, succulents, and flowers on wooden shelving and tables. The greenhouse has large windows letting in natural light, creating a warm, nurturing environment for plant care and gardening activities.

Our Vision

We envision a world where every person with a disability has access to meaningful employment and thriving workplaces that recognize and value their talents.

Our Mission

We work with employers and policymakers to increase opportunities, eliminate barriers and maximize success for people with disabilities while driving business performance.

Our Work

Having a job with living wages is an essential part of most Americans’ lives. Our work focuses on employment–creating the societal and workplace conditions where people with disabilities thrive in the workplace.

Driving
Change

We design, test and scale innovations to advance employment for people with disabilities.

For
Employers

We help companies build workplaces where people of all abilities can succeed and businesses can grow.

Policymakers and Advocates

We’re working to shift public policy so people with disabilities can work to their full potential.

Legacy Partnerships

Our legacy is built on decades of collaboration with influential leaders, cultural icons, and forward-thinking organizations. These partnerships have amplified our mission and helped move the needle on disability inclusion across every sector of society.

Support from Ray Charles

Iconic musician Ray Charles commemorates the Decade of Disabled Persons in this 1985 television ad.

Working with President Obama

In 2013, President Barack Obama met with former NOD President Carol Glazer and other disability advocates, to amend Section 503 of the Rehab Act.

25 Years of the ADA

President Bush calls the Americans with Disabilities Act among his ‘proudest achievements’ as president of the United States in an interview with NOD Chairman Emeritus Gov. Tom Ridge.

Looking Closer 

Actor Robert David Hall, star of television drama “CSI”, discusses working with a disability, and why it’s time that disability be treated just like any other form of diversity.

Actors and Advocates

Famed actors and disability rights advocates Danny Woodburn of “Seinfeld” renown and Robert David Hall of “CSI” entertain the audience at the 2019 Leading Disability Employers announcement.

Honoring Dick Thornburgh

Gov. Tom Ridge, our chairman emeritus, honors the life and legacy of the late Dick Thornburgh, who as U.S. attorney general, played a major role in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Our 40-Year Legacy

On September 29, 2022, we gathered in Washington, D.C. with corporate partners, advocates, and policymakers to celebrate NOD’s 40th anniversary and to honor the work we’ve accomplished to advance disability inclusion.

Senator Casey’s Tribute to Governor Tom Ridge

At our signature event in 2022, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) delivered a tribute to our outgoing chairman, Gov. Tom Ridge, celebrating his leadership and accomplishments.

Tribute to Our Friend and Icon, Judy Heumman

Congressman Jim Langevin helps us salute the life of Judy Heumann and honor her legacy as “the Mother” of the Disability Rights Movement.

Our History

Founded in 1982 by disability advocate Alan A. Reich—the first person to address the United Nations from a wheelchair—we’ve championed inclusion and opportunity for people with disabilities for over 40 years.

1981 – 1982

The National Organization on Disability founder Alan A. Reich becomes first person to address the U.N. General Assembly from a wheelchair. The United Nations made 1981 the “International Year of Disabled Persons”, and NOD was also born out of that event the following year, in 1982.

Man in a wheelchair writing with a pen and pad at a desk
1986

NOD and The Harris Poll issued disability “gap surveys,” the field’s first authoritative data source comparing quality of life of people with and without disabilities.

NOD’s CEO Council member speaking in public behind a podium with a NOD logo branded across the front
1992

NOD’s CEO Council sponsored a series of conferences across the country to acquaint the business community with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

A statue of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his wheelchair at his memorial in Washington, D.C.
1995

NOD leads a successful campaign to have a statue of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his wheelchair added to his memorial in Washington, D.C.

Emergency Preparedness Initiative covers
2001

After 9/11, NOD and other disability organizations took the lead with our Emergency Preparedness Initiative to ensure that communities across the country included provisions for people with disabilities.

Photo of a group of young men in the US Army Wounded Warrior Careers program.
2007

NOD and the US Army signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the Wounded Warrior Careers program.

Members of the Kessler Foundation and NOD at the NY Stock Exchange.
2010

Kessler Foundation and NOD rang the bell at the NY Stock Exchange.

Carol Glazer, NOD President 2009-2024, meeting with then President Barack Obama
2013

Carol Glazer (NOD President 2009-2024) met with President Barack Obama and other disability leaders to support the rule change to Section 503 of the Rehab Act of 1973.

Members of NOD and teen graduates with disabilities holding a large check
2017

NOD launched the Campus to Careers program to increase employment of students and recent graduates with disabilities.

Young woman public speaking behind a podium with a banner commemorating 40 years of NOD.
2022

NOD celebrates its 40th anniversary!

Logo for the Disability Inclusion Blueprint, featuring a geometric graphic with overlapping semicircles in brown, dark blue, and light blue above a blue architectural grid design. The words “Disability Inclusion Blueprint” appear in bold black text below the graphic.
2024

The Disability Inclusion Blueprint, a refresh of the free and confidential corporate assessment tool, the Tracker, relaunches with streamlined questions and a global partner, Valuable 500.

Explore More About Us

Our Team

Meet the team driving disability inclusion.

Meet Our Team
Our Board

Meet our Board of Directors, who are guiding us in making a meaningful impact.

Meet Our Board
Financials

We believe in the importance of financial accountability to our funders and to the public.

Our Financials