June 30, 2003
June 30, 2003
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the appointment of Patrick Cannon as disability policy advisor.
“Pat’s ceaseless dedication to promoting the abilities of people with disabilities and his many years of service in the disability rights arena will serve us well,” Granholm said. “My administration is one of inclusion and engagement, dedicated to capturing the best thinking and ideas of all of our citizens, including people with disabilities.”
Cannon also serves as the Director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind. In addition to serving as the vocational rehabilitation agency for the blind, the commission also operates a residential training center in Kalamazoo.
Previously, Cannon served as Director of the Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns for 10 years where he was instrumental in gaining passage of the 1990 amendments to the Michigan Handicappers’ Civil Rights Act and advocated for enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Cannon was appointed by President Clinton in 1995 to the U.S. Access Board, an independent federal regulatory agency whose mission is accessibility for people with disabilities. He served as Chair in 1997 and 1998 and was re-appointed for a second four-year term in 1999.
As Granholm’s policy advisor on disability, Cannon will work with the disability community to improve what it means to be a person with a disability in Michigan today. He will work with people with disabilities to design creative solutions to the challenges and barriers they are faced with each day.
