The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards were established to honor the legacy of the founder of the Viscardi Center, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., a leading disability rights advocate who wore prosthetic limbs. These international Awards, first conferred in 2013, recognize exemplary leaders in the disability sector around the globe who have had a profound impact on changing the lives of people with disabilities and championing their rights. Considered as most prestigious, these global awards honor champions of disability activism.

List of awardees Year Awardee Country 2021Lalit Kumar - Evara FoundationRebecca Cokley - Ford FoundationPaul W. Schroeder - American Printing House for the BlindDani Bowman - DaniMation EntertainmentDeepak KC - World Bank Group Nepal/National Paralympic Committee of NepalMiguel Tomasín - ReynolsScott Michael Robertson - ODEP 2020Nguyen Thi Lan Anh - Action to the Community Development InstituteCaroline Casey (activist) - The Valuable 500James R. “JR” Harding - Florida State UniversityJudith Heumann - The Heumann ConnectionAndrew J. Imparato - Disability Rights CaliforniaBraam Jordaan - Convo Communications Jaime Huerta Peralta - Universidad Privada del NorteEdmund “EQ” Sylvester - United States Adaptive Golf Alliance Faʻatino Masunu Utumapu - Nuanua O Le Alofa Duong Thi Van - Hanoi Association of People with Disabilities James J. Weisman - United Spinal Association 2019Major Jas Boothe - Final Salute IncSFC Joseph Bowser - U.S. ArmyVirginia A. Jacko - Miami Lighthouse for the BlindKamran Khan - Saaya Association of Persons with DisabilitiesAbha Khetarpal - Cross the HurdlesDinesh Palipana - Gold Coast Health Chano Park - Seoul Center for Independent LivingAli Stroker - Tony Award-Winning Actress Yves Veulliet - IBM Dr. Hoang-Yen Thi Vo - Disability Research and Capacity Development 2018Maria Town - Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, TexasAlireza Darvishy - Zurich University of Applied Sciences Ilan Gilon - The Knesset Frederick M. Franks, Jr. - Retired Four-Star General of the U.S. Army, FloridaPrudence Mabhena - Prudence Mabhena Music, ZimbabweThomas A. Hoffer - Regional Health Command – Pacific, Washington Bonface Ophiyah Massah, Association of Persons with Albinism in MalawiJawaid Rais - Disabled Welfare Association, Pakistan Glen W. White - Delta Air Lines Advisory Board on Disability, Kansas Mohammed Yousuf - EquallyAble Foundation, Washington 2017 Gregory D. Gadson - U.S. Army Veteran, Patriot Strategies, VA Dr Satendra Singh – Disability Rights Activist, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi Justin Constantine- Inspirational speaker, Constantine Group, New York Yuval Wagner – founder Access Israel Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu- Deputy Minister, Department of Social Development Matt King – Facebook, CA Vashkar Bhattachearjee – Young Power in Social Action Thomas J. Wlodkowski – ComCast, PA Asim Zafar – Saaya Association 2016 Jim Mayer - U.S. Army/Vietnam Veteran (ret.), Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, DC Hiroyasu Itoh - Chairman, Japan Abilities, Tokyo Dr. Louise Sinden-Carroll - International Federation of Hard of Hearing People, Auckland Juan Pablo Salazar Salamanca, President, National Council on Disability and Presidential Advisor, Bogotá PJ Edington - IBM Government & Regulatory Affairs Executive, Washington, D.C.Dave McGill - VP, Reimbursement & Compliance, Ossur, Centerport, NY Saima Aslam - National Forum of Women with Disabilities Senarath Attanayake, Uva Provincial Council, Colombo Peggy Chenoweth, Author/Advocate/Blogger, Gainesville, VirginiaCurtis Pride, former Major League Baseball player, MLB’s Ambassador for Disability Inclusion, New York City 2015 Jim Gibbons President & CEO, Goodwill Industries International Mark Johnson Chair, ADA Legacy Project and Director of Advocacy at Shepherd Center Mark Wafer President, Megleen, operating as Tim Hortons David Krupa CEO, The Range of Motion Project Ed Lucas – Founder, The Ed Lucas Foundation; Sports Journalist Winfred G. Mugure – University of Nairobi Toby Olson – Executive Secretary to the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment for the State of Washington Lonnie C. Moore – U.S. Army Warrior Transition Command Marilyn E. Saviola – Senior Vice President for Advocacy and the Women’s Health Program 2014 Marlee Matlin – Academy Award & Golden Globe Award-winning Actress Yevgeniy Tetyukhin – Professor at the Petropavlovsk North Kazakhstan State University Jim Abbott – Former MLB Pitcher & Gold Medal Olympian Maryanne Diamond – General Manager Advocacy and Engagement at Vision Australia Marca Bristo – President & CEO of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago Ron McCallum – Emeritus Professor at The University of Sydney Rory A. Cooper – Distinguished Professor at the University of Pittsburgh Neil Jacobson – Founder & CEO of Abilicorp Arlene Mayerson – Attorney at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Thomas Porter – Volunteer at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Susan Sygall – Co-founder & CEO of Mobility International USA (MIUSA) Mary Verdi-Fletcher – President & Founding Artistic Director of Dancing Wheels 2013 Laurie Ahern – President, Disability Rights International Tony Coelho – Primary Sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Rosangela Berman Bieler – Senior Advisor on Children with Disabilities, UNICEF Michael Ashley Stein – Executive Director, Harvard Law School Project on Disability Kathleen Martinez – Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor Patrick D. Rummerfield – Community Liaison, International Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Kennedy-Krieger Institute Yoav Kraiem – Chairman, National Council for Community Relations – Mental Health Lex Frieden – Director, Independent Living Research Utilization program at TIRR Memorial Hermann U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin – Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District

References

See also

List of awards for contributions to society Viscardi center Henry Viscardi, Jr. Henry Viscardi School John D. Kemp