13th Annual Northeastern U.S. Conference on disABILITY
REGISTRATION
Electronic Registration
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Registration is closed for this year's conference.
Paper Registration
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Registration is closed for this year's conference.
CONFERENCE MISSION
disABILITY Conference Mission
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The University of Scranton believes that disability is part of the human experience and that assisting individuals and families living with disabilities to achieve optimal quality of life requires multidisciplinary interventions, education, research and leadership. The mission of the Conference on disABILITY is to positively influence the quality of life and wellness of individuals and families living with disabilities by promoting in its deliberations the foundational principles of individualization, self-determination, productivity, employment, independence and full participation in community life by creating an effective learning environment, collaborative and focused discussion and the identification and sharing of effective practices useful in the United States and around the world.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D.
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President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Archbishop of Louisville, Ky.
Elected President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on November 12, 2013,
Archbishop Kurtz serves on the executive and administrative committees of that body. He is the vice
chancellor of the board of the Catholic Extension Society and serves on the boards of numerous
organizations, including: Catholic University of America, the National Catholic Bioethics Center,
St. Charles Seminary, Leadership Louisville, and the Advisory Board to the Cause for Archbishop
Fulton Sheen’s beatification.
His Holiness Benedict XVI appointed Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. as the fourth Archbishop
and ninth bishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2007. He was installed as Archbishop of Louisville
on August 15, 2007. Previoiusly, Archbishop Kurtz served as Bishop of Knoxville from 1999 to 2007.
Archbishop Kurtz was born in Mahanoy City, Pa., earned bachelor and master of divinity degrees
from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and a master’s degree in social work from
Marywood University. Before becoming Bishop of Knoxville, he served for 27 years in the Diocese
of Allentown, Pa.
Archbishop Kurtz is known as an advocate for persons with disabilities and his lifelong devotion
to his brother, Georgie, who had Down’s Syndrome. His keynote address will discuss disability from
a faith-based perspective.
Elected President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on November 12, 2013,
Archbishop Kurtz serves on the executive and administrative committees of that body. He is the vice
chancellor of the board of the Catholic Extension Society and serves on the boards of numerous
organizations, including: Catholic University of America, the National Catholic Bioethics Center,
St. Charles Seminary, Leadership Louisville, and the Advisory Board to the Cause for Archbishop
Fulton Sheen’s beatification.
His Holiness Benedict XVI appointed Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. as the fourth Archbishop
and ninth bishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2007. He was installed as Archbishop of Louisville
on August 15, 2007. Previoiusly, Archbishop Kurtz served as Bishop of Knoxville from 1999 to 2007.
Archbishop Kurtz was born in Mahanoy City, Pa., earned bachelor and master of divinity degrees
from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and a master’s degree in social work from
Marywood University. Before becoming Bishop of Knoxville, he served for 27 years in the Diocese
of Allentown, Pa.
Archbishop Kurtz is known as an advocate for persons with disabilities and his lifelong devotion
to his brother, Georgie, who had Down’s Syndrome. His keynote address will discuss disability from
a faith-based perspective.
