TACE Presenter

Lucy Wong Hernandez, B.S.W., M.S.

Mrs. Lucy Wong Hernandez has over 20 years of extensive experience working in the fields of rehabilitation and disability studies as they relate to academics, disability rights, social policy and managing service delivery programs for persons with disabilities. Mrs. Wong Hernandez has been involved in advocacy and leadership roles, which led to the improvement of local, state and federal laws and regulations that enhanced the quality of life and opportunities of people with disabilities nationally. She has been a promoter of the independent living philosophy and the inclusion of persons with disabilities from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in socio-economic development policies; as well as their participation in the provision of educational, vocational and employment services.

Internationally, as the Executive Director (1996-2002) of Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) and Program Officer (1986-1992) of Rehabilitation International (RI), she has organized and led multilateral projects with many countries related to improving disability-related policies to ensure the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities, educational and vocational training, community-based organizations to promote employment opportunities and social inclusion, community-based rehabilitation projects and income generation projects. She contributed significantly to the promotion and drafting of the United Nations International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Mrs. Wong Hernandez has been one of the most effective contributors to the national and international disability policy agenda. She received the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Award in 1990 attributed to her leadership role and contributions to the enactment of the ADA in the United States. In 1998, she was inducted to the National Hall of Fame of Persons with Disabilities for her notable work and contributions to the disability field nationally and worldwide. In 1999, she received the prestigious Liberty Bell Award from the Bar Association of Nassau County, New York, for her significant contribution to the furtherance of law and justice within the State of New York. She was singled out for this Award in recognition of her outstanding and far-reaching advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities nationally and internationally. In 2001, Lucy was named as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.

Mrs. Wong Hernandez earned a Masters of Science Degree from Hofstra University, New York and completed all required courses for a doctoral degree in social welfare policy at Adelphi University, New York. She has taught at York College (CUNY), New York; Hofstra University, New York; the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii and East Carolina University in North Carolina. She is a frequent speaker, presenter, and trainer at national and international conferences and seminars and has authored and contributed to numerous articles and book chapters on disability rights, disability and health, social policy, and multicultural issues.