Washington, DC - Special Advisor for International Disability Rights Judy Heumann will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 13-16 to speak at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) summit and participate in events to promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Ms. Heumann participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the IPC and U.S. Paralympics in Washington, DC in March, on employment opportunities for people with a disability. Ms. Heumann previously visited Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia in 2015 to attend activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, visited the new Brazilian Paralympic Center in Sao Paulo, and met with organizations that facilitate the integration of people with disabilities.

Judith Heumann is an internationally recognized leader in the disability community and a lifelong civil rights advocate for disadvantaged people. She previously served as the Director for the Department on Disability Services for the District of Columbia, as the World Bank's first Adviser on Disability and Development and as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the Department of Education. Prior to beginning her work at the national level, Ms. Heumann worked for two decades at the local level with disability rights organizations.