Executive Director update
Hello everyone, I hope February is starting off as well as possible for you all. We are about halfway through the legislative session and want to be sure you are aware of a few potential impacts our community is facing. You may have heard that budget cut proposals include changes to who is eligible to receive Developmental Disabilities Community Services. These changes would eliminate services and supports for thousands of people with developmental disabilities in our state. The Community Advocacy Coalition has released a letter about this issue. The Dan Thompson Memorial Account is under consideration as part of addressing the state’s financial challenges. The proposal would take two million dollars from the Dan Thompson Memorial Account and give it to the state’s general fund.
Please learn more about these potential cuts and how you can participate in the legislative session by visiting our Public Policy page on our website or checking out our Facebook page. We are here to help answer questions and ensure your voices are included in the conversation in Olympia right now. Take good care out there and thank you for checking in with the DDC this month.
Brandi Monts, WADDC Executive Director
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 On January 21 and 28, people from across Washington gathered in Olympia for in-person Advocacy Days to connect with one another, meet with Legislators, and lift up disability issues that matter most to our community. The January 21 rally focused on Protect Our Right to Community Living, with Emily Rogers speaking on Medicaid, Leigh Spruce sharing about Transportation and advocates recording short videos on why legislative advocacy matters and why saving our services matters. The January 28 event centered on Protect Our Right to Employment.
Each day brought strong energy, with about 200 participants attending in person and meaningful opportunities to learn about the legislative process while making our voices heard. While the in-person events have wrapped up for this session, additional Advocacy Days will continue online, offering more chances to participate and advocate from wherever you are.
Emily Rogers, WADDC Public Policy Director
WADDC’s History and Visioning Project: 50 Years of Advocacy
The Council’s History & Visioning Project shares stories, documents, and reflections that trace the disability movement in Washington State and how it continues to shape the Council’s work today. We invite you to follow along and stay connected.
In January, we added new historical documents, personal stories and interviews highlighting Washington State’s disability movement in the 1980s - a time of major change that helped shape today’s disability rights and community-based supports. In February, we’ll begin sharing stories and documents from the 1990s and early 2000s and continue adding content from each decade as we approach our 50th anniversary in April 2026.
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April 2026 Quarterly Council Meeting
Dates:
April 16, 2026, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
April 17, 2026: 9 a.m. – Noon
Location:
Hybrid - Olympia, WA (Hampton Inn & Suites, Olympia, WA) and Zoom
Advocacy Days
Advocacy Days, part of our Advocacy Partnership Project, are held during each legislative session to involve individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and their service providers in the legislative process, giving them opportunities to make their voices heard by their legislators and to have an impact on policy and budget legislation that affects the services and supports available to them.
Save the date for the 2026 Virtual Community Summit on June 3, 2026
The 2026 Community Summit is an annual one-day virtual conference bringing together self-advocates, families, friends, partners and allies to collaborate in building more inclusive communities. This year’s conference will be on June 3, 2026, please save the date!
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Skills Empowerment and Advocacy Training (SEAT)
SEAT is a free virtual training series led by people with developmental disabilities focused on board service, advocacy skills and public speaking. Live virtual sessions with on-demand options available.
- March 6 – SEAT at the Table: Your Journey Starts Here (with Eric Matthes)
- March 13 – SEAT at the Table: Board Service on Your Terms (with Daman Wandke)
- March 20 – SEAT at the Table: How Boards Work and How to Participate (with Taylor Crisp)
- March 27 – SEAT at the Table: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Comes Next (panel session)
Council member spotlight: Welcome our two new members
We are excited to welcome two newly appointed agency representatives to the Developmental Disabilities Council, Kris Pederson and Megan DeSmet. Both represent agencies within the Developmental Disabilities Community Services (DDCS) at DSHS and bring valuable system-level perspective to the Council’s work.
Kris Pederson joins the Council from the Home and Community Living Administration, and Megan DeSmet represents the Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration. Together, they bring experience from different parts of the DDCS system that support people with developmental disabilities across Washington.
Agency representatives play an important role by supporting collaboration across state partners and bringing a broader system perspective to the Council’s work. We are glad to welcome Kris and Megan as they begin their service on the Council.
Northwest Autism Center builds lifelong, community-based support for people with autism and other developmental disabilities across the Inland Northwest. From clinical services and family navigation to inclusive Skills & Recreation programming, NAC creates opportunities for connection, growth and belonging beyond traditional treatment. Families describe the program as “what we have been waiting for all our lives,” highlighting the impact of spaces where people can be themselves and build lasting relationships.
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