Keynote Speaker: Connor Tomlinson

Actor and Advocate

Connor Tomlinson, breakout star of Netflix’s Emmy Award winning, Love on the Spectrum, has become a prominent voice for Autism and neurodiversity advocacy. In 2026, Connor used his platform to advocate at the Georgia State Capitol for Rio’s Law, legislation designed to improve safety and communication between law enforcement and people with autism, communication differences, and neurodivergence. The law creates a voluntary identifying license plate and includes law enforcement training to better support people with disabilities during traffic stops and other encounters. Sponsored by Acentra Health.

Rebecca Hines, Ph.D.

Administration on Disabilities, ACL, Commissioner,

Rebecca Hines serves as Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities, where she leads federal programs and initiatives focused on improving community living, independence, employment, and self-determination for people with disabilities. She brings extensive experience in disability research, special education, workforce development, and federally funded initiatives, including work focused on inclusive practices, personnel preparation, and the use of technology to improve outcomes for people with disabilities.

Curtis Cunningham

CMS, Director, Long-Term Services & Supports

Curtis Cunningham has worked in Medicaid policy, finance, and eligibility for more than 24 years and currently serves as the Director of the Division of Long-Term Services and Supports (DLTSS) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). He is responsible for federal policy related to Medicaid 1915(c) home and community-based waivers, 1915(i) state plan amendments, and 1905(a) nursing home and ICF-IDDs authorities. In addition, he is responsible for the policy development and implementation of electronic visit verification (EVV), the HCBS settings rule, Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR), and more.

Evan Nierman

Red Banyan, Founder and CEO

Evan Nierman, founder and CEO of Red Banyan, brings more than 20 years of experience in public relations, crisis management, public affairs, and strategic communications. He has advised business leaders, government officials, political candidates, and organizations navigating complex, high-profile situations. His career has included senior communications roles, international public affairs work, and extensive experience with media strategy, executive counsel, speechwriting, and reputation management for clients in the U.S. and around the world. Sign up for his communications workshop at the NASDDDS conference!

Whit Downing

KCDD, Vice President of Policy and Programming

Whit Downing serves as Vice President of Policy and Programming at the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, where she leads work focused on disability policy, behavioral health partnerships, systems change, and self-advocacy. An Autistic self-advocate with lived experience navigating disability and mental health systems, Whit brings a deeply informed perspective to her work. She regularly represents KCDD with state and federal partners, provides legislative testimony, and works to ensure people with lived experience have a meaningful role in shaping policy, services, and community solutions.

Regina Kline

Enable Ventures, Founder and Managing Partner

Regina “Gina” Kline is an investor, entrepreneur, civil rights lawyer, and founder and managing partner of Enable Ventures, where she focuses on closing the disability wealth gap through impact investing. A longtime leader in the disability technology ecosystem, Gina has advised and invested in companies developing innovative solutions across employment, accessibility, neurotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Her work centers on expanding opportunity for people with disabilities as workers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and leaders in the future of work.

Chad Carden

The Carden Group, Founder and CEO

Chad Carden, founder of The Carden Group and The Designed Leader, has spent nearly three decades helping organizations strengthen leadership, workplace culture, and performance. A longtime student of human behavior and relationships, Chad works with leaders and teams to clarify where they want to go, build practical plans to get there, and create accountability for meaningful results. His work has been recognized by USA Today and Entrepreneur Magazine, and he is also a TEDx speaker. Chad will present during both Lunch and Lead sessions at the NASDDDS conference! Sponsored by Sevita.