Our Presenters

Jean C. Accius, PhD

President & CEO, Creating Healthier Communities

Dr. Jean Accius is an accomplished leader and innovator in health equity, longevity, health systems transformation, and building equitable systems so that every person in every community can live a longer, healthier, and more productive life. He is the current President & CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities.

Prior to CHC, Dr. Accius was a member of the policy team for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and spent more than 15 years at AARP, the nation’s largest nonprofit, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of International Affairs and Global Thought Leadership.

He is a sought-after author and speaker, and is regularly featured in outlets, including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Forbes, TIME Magazine and Politico. He has facilitated sessions at the World Economic Forum in Davos and has engaged hundreds of leaders across industries and sectors at the United Nations. He was raised from infancy to age four by his grandmother in Haiti. Her hard work and dedication has inspired his career path to this day.

Dr. Accius is a certified director with the National Association of Corporate Directors, a fellow with the Executive Leadership Council, a graduate of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Program on Health Reform, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Corporate Innovation Program. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from American University School of Public Affairs.

Stacy DiStefano

Nicole Thaxton

Aarti Sahgal

  • Founder & CEO, CFHS

    Stacy DiStefano is the founder and CEO of Consulting for Human Services (CFHS), a national team of over 60 subject matter experts and strategic advisors in mental health, SUD, IDD, and digital solutions. CFHS is the premier consultancy for nonprofit merger and acquisitions, representing both sides of the transaction from match making through diligence, and post close integration.

    Having spent 30 years in the field in roles like VP of Innovation for Resources for Human Development, COO of Open Minds, and COO of Chimes International, Stacy is a trained solution focused therapist, a sought-after speaker, and a trusted board and private equity advisor.

    In addition to leading CFHS, Stacy is an Advisory board member to RxDiet, Floreo Tech, and Bluebird Tech, and a fourth year member of Chief.

    Stacy lives in Philadelphia with her husband, is a mother of four, including an adult neurodiverse son, and is excited to become a first time grandmother later this year.

  • Licensed Professional Counselor; Founder, ATLWell Collective

    Nicole Thaxton, PhD, LPC, CPCS, has one goal in life: to help people live life well. She is a Board Certified, Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia, Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor, and the Founder of Atlanta Wellness Collective, a holistic mental health practice located in Acworth and Marietta.

    Dr. Thaxton has spent the past 8 years counseling individuals and families experiencing anxiety and stress, burnout, grief and loss, and relational issues. She is a communicator, trainer, and third generation Atlanta native. She is married to a fellow therapist and has two daughters.

  • Founder, Synergies Work

    Aarti is the founder & CEO of Synergies Work. As a parent of a child with Down syndrome she is constantly challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations that excludes people with intellectual disabilities from living their true potential.

    In the past 15 years Aarti has worked as a diversity consultant in the disability field. Before that she worked in the marketing & advertising field for 14 years.

  • Strategic Planning, Analytics and Finance Leader; Co-founder, LetMeDoIt

    Amit co-founded LetMeDoIt with his son, Angad, an Atlanta-based entrepreneur with Down syndrome. After seeing the need for accessible tools that people with disabilities could use to take ownership of their decisions through the Supported Decision Making System, they embarked on the journey of launching the first disability-focused decision making app.

    Amit spent his early career in banking, strategic consulting and asset management and focused on strategic finance, business planning, and strategic change management. He has worked with The Coca-Cola Company for many years, directing operational strategy and innovation initiatives.

  • Entrepreneur & Business Founder

    Angad is a two-time business founder. His company, Let Me Do It, Inc, is the first company founded by a person with IDD to be selected by Techstars, one of the largest venture incubators in the world. His unwavering passion for supported decision making and empowering persons with disabilities to have their own voice has been the driving force behind the creation of Let Me Do It.

    For Angad, entrepreneurship serves as a meaningful pathway to not only showcase his skills and vision but also to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. He is currently a student at Georgia State University while keeping en eye on his other company, Chai Ho Tea.

  • Innovation Consultant for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Services

    Harold Sloves is an Innovation Consultant for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Services, Systems & Networks. This professional chapter follows his role as Director of the Division of Program Innovation within Tennessee’s Department of program Innovation.

    During his tenure as Innovation Director, Harold led a multi-disciplinary team to find, develop, test, and offer innovative solutions for people, their families, and providers. Through the merger of Enabling Technology, Employment Innovation and Community Inclusion, and Workforce Transformation, this Division capitalized on these synergies to be a collective catalyst for positive change.

Amit Sahgal

Angad Sahgal

Harold Sloves

Nick Doyle

Rob Snow

Deborah Conway

  • National Speaker & YouTube Star

    Nick has never hit a barrier he didn’t want to smash into a million pieces. He has now performed his show to over a dozen audiences from small rooms in churches to large theatres in front of hundreds. Nick has no fear, and an incredible ability to elevate the room to any emotional level he asks the audience to get to.

    Nick’s powerful story talks about his life with Down syndrome and never letting that be a barrier to him. He talks about the lowest moments of his brother passing away, his mother getting cancer and losing her job, and roars back up to talk about his brother as his guardian angel, the strength of his mom, his powerful squad, and his recent handling of his fame from Youtube and TV appearances. Through all of this, Nick remains humble and always affectionate with the audience.

  • National Speaker, Author, Comedian, Entrepreneur, Dad

    As the creator of The Improvaneer Method and author of two books, Rob has many arrows in his quiver to speak about his passion for the disability community, how improvisation can build skills in ways other methods can’t, and what not to say to a parent of a child with a developmental disability.

    Rob is the founder of Stand Up For Downs, an organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of those with Down syndrome through humor. He and his wife, Ellen, developed the charity in honor of their son Henry who has Down syndrome. He currently serves as Director of The CEO Commission For Disability Employment.

  • Advocate and IDD Leader

    Deborah Conway currently works with the newly formed Georgia DSP Advocacy Council. Deb has dedicated her career to collaborating with teams, colleagues, individuals with disabilities and families for implementing high-quality, person-driven services. Deb was formerly the Executive Director for Cross Plains Community Partner where she led the organization from a sheltered workshop to competitive integrated employment and a community-based model for service delivery.

    She believes leadership, partnership, and innovation are at the heart of embedding person driven practices into all levels of an organization. Deb’s foundation of practical, hands-on experience for implementing person-centered practices involves an array of creative initiatives for continuous learning, integrated employment, and partnerships for an inclusive community for all.

  • Partner, Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

    Jonathan serves as Managing Partner of the Macon office of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete. He focuses his practice in employment discrimination litigation for management, defending corporations in lawsuits arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as related state laws. Mr. Martin also represents management in traditional labor law issues under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and in wage & hour issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

    Prior to being in private practice, Jonathan, who is also a Colonel in the Georgia Air National Guard, served as a military lawyer in the Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps. While in the Air Force, Jonathan held an appointment as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, representing the United States in United States Magistrate Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

W. Jonathan Martin, II