2025 MegaConference
Keynote Speakers



Cody clark



Keynote Speaker, June 12





Cody Clark is a speaker and magician who helps people with disabilities gain life skills and become successful adults. Cody shows audiences at schools, colleges, corporations, and non-profit organizations what it's like to live with autism as well as how their lives can change when they accept their differences. Cody does all of this by combining the art of magic with a message that's dear to his heart. That message is that our differences are nothing to be scared of, but simply a different way of thinking. Doesn't that sound intriguing?


Join us for a keynote AND a magic show to kick of the 2025 MegaConference!



Michelle bishop



Keynote Speaker, June 12





Michelle Bishop leads a team at the National Disability Rights Network to support the P&A network on voting rights and voter engagement for people with disabilities. She also works in coalition with the civil rights community in Washington, DC to ensure strong federal policy regarding voting rights and election administration from a voter-centric and intersectional perspective. She earned her MSW in Social and Economic Development from Washington University in St. Louis and BA in Sociology and English Literature from the State University of New York at Geneseo. Michelle loves democracy so much that she registered to vote on her 18th birthday, even though it wasn’t an election year. It is ill-advised to get her started talking about the historical significance of the first peaceful transfer of the US presidency or the intricacies of the Electoral Count Act. Disabled herself, Michelle comes to NDRN with over 15 years experience in the disability vote.


Michelle will kick off Friday morning with her "Your Vote Matters" keynote.



the state of the state



Keynote Panel, Friday June 13



Wendy Bailey



Wendy Bailey is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. She has been with DMH for more than 18 years. Her roles have included overseeing strategic planning for the agency, communications and outreach, peer support, legislative affairs, licensure and certification, and more.She serves on numerous boards and task forces, including the National Research Institute Board of Directors, Southeast Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Advisory Board, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services Board, State Early Childhood Advisory Council, ABLE Board, Certified Public Manager Advisory Board, and the Mississippi’s Suicide Prevention Task Force. She serves as a liaison with national organizations such as Mental Health America, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.



Daneel Konnar



Daneel Konnar currently serves in Legislative and External Affairs at the Mississippi Division of Medicaid within the Office of the Governor. In this role, he works directly with the Division of Medicaid, the Mississippi Legislature, and external stakeholders to support the state's Medicaid program and policy initiatives. His responsibilities include legislative tracking, policy development, and stakeholder engagement, focusing on ensuring that Medicaid policies effectively serve Mississippi's most vulnerable populations. Daneel also assists in maintaining communications with external groups, develop and facilitate special projects with the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the Mississippi Department of Health, and contribute to strategic outreach efforts that advance the agency's public policy goals.




Billy Taylor



Billy Taylor is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. Taylor has served as Chief of Staff since 2015. Preceding this role at MDRS, he served as a Special Assistant Attorney General with Mississippi’s Attorney General’s Office where he represented various state agencies. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and is a graduate of Mississippi College School of Law and University of Alabama School of Law in Taxation. He is set to complete his Master of Education in Dyslexia Therapy from Mississippi College this year. Taylor has been instrumental in the “Achieving A Better Life Experience” or “ABLE Act” since the creation of ABLE Savings Accounts was passed by Mississippi legislation in 2017, with ABLE Accounts opening in June 2019 through the administration of MDRS.



Dr. Lance Evans



Dr. Lance Evans began serving as Mississippi’s State Superintendent of Education in July 2024. In his more than two-decade career as an educator, he has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, elementary principal, high school principal, and superintendent of schools for the New Albany School District. Dr. Evans’ awards include the 2023 Mississippi Superintendent of the Year and the 2015 Mississippi Principal of the Year. He has served on the boards of Mississippi Association of School Superintendents, the Mississippi Association of School Administrators, and the Governing Board for the American Association of School Administrators. Dr. Evans earned his doctorate from Delta State University, his master's degree from the University of Mississippi, and his bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University. He and his wife Brandy have two children.





Breakout Sessions



Nine breakout sessions will be provided on Thursday, June 12.



DEMENTIA IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY
Kristen White



Dementia in people with disabilities is five times higher than the average aging population. This session will explain dementia and its warning signs while exploring available treatment options.



AT IN OUR WORLD
Rebecca Mathis



Assistive Technology can be a low cost, easy to use, and sometimes handmade. This session will explore commercially low cost AT devices and even simpler methods created at home.



DISABILITY & HIGHER EDUCATION
Hunter Robertson J.D., Shirley Walker-McKinnis, Cassie Tolliver, and Dr. Jerry Alliston



Speakers will address transitioning form high school to college. Discussion of how to communicate needs and how laws affect this.



SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING & MS ABLE
Richard Courtney, J.D.



This presentation will address asset ownership and protection, personal decision-making, and healthcare financing including SS, Medicare and Medicaid. ABLE accounts will be explored while securely preserving independence and protecting assets.



PREVENTION INCLUDES EVERYONE (PIE
Dr. Dwight Owens



People with disabilities are more likely to have a substance abuse disorder and less likely to get treatment. PIE includes a message of hope and acceptance. Session also deals with coping with compassion fatigue.



ADVANCED CRISIS PLANNING
Matt Nalker and Steve Allen



Participants will learn innovative strategies for crisis prevention and intervention. This training will equip participants with the tools they need to handle challenging situations with confidence.



UTILIZATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY USING SENSORY INTEGRATION TECHNIQUES
Honey Brooks, OTR/L, ASDCS



Presenter will explain sensory processing systems and how they work. Strategies will also be discussed to decrease negative behaviors and increase positive outcomes.



WORKING AND YOUR WORLD
Dr. Jennifer Jackson, Pam Dollar, and Pshon Barrett



This session will review how the Department of Rehabilitation Services can help with job exploration and job training. The Client Assistance Program (CAP) will be discussed.



BECOMING A GREEN DOT BYSTANDER
Kimberly Newell



People with disabilities are at a higher risk of experiencing interpersonal violence. Green Dot is a bystander intervention strategy to teach people how to see signs and ways to intervene safely.