Our Team
JILL HOUGHTON
Executive Director, US Business Leadership Network
Email: Jilldh@bellsouth.net
Phone: (954) 461-4726
Jill Houghton brings over 19 years of work experience at the federal, state and local levels to advance the employment and economic self-sufficiency of all people with disabilities. Her undergraduate degree in Social Work is from the University of Kansas. Most recently, Jill served as the Executive Director of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel from February 2005 until its legislative sunset in January, 2008.
Her diverse background includes working with employers in Washington State to found the Washington State Business Leadership Network. Jill will continue to support the Disability Supplier Diversity Program. Her role, however, has been broadened to serve as lead contact for membership and partnership opportunities as well program development, federally-funded projects and fundraising.
In October 2011, the USBLN® Board of Directors appointed Jill Houghton as the Executive Director after successfully serving 10 months as the organization's Acting Executive Director. She served as John D. Kemp's key senior executive and been involved in all management and programmatic developments since April, 2007. Her wealth of experience with the organization allows the Board, Staff, Affiliates, members and our stakeholders to feel very comfortable and confident with Jill.s appointment to this role.
CAMI TURCOTTE
Administrative Consultant, US Business Leadership Network
Email:
camiturcotte@gmail.com
Phone: (703) 677-2721
Cami Turcotte joins the USBLN as an Administrative Consultant focused on organizing and implementing on-going business operations. Born Camala "Cami" Marrero in Palm Beach County, FL, she spent the first 29 years of her life in the "Sunshine State." Cami attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated with a B.S. in Criminology.
She has worked primarily with law firms the majority of her career and also brings her extensive accounting experience to the team. Cami's husband is Active Duty Military, in the aviation community which brought them to the D.C. area in late 2006. They have two boys, ages 2½ and 4½.
MAGGIE ROFFEE
Senior Corporate Relations Manager, US Business Leadership Network
Email: maggieroffee@msn.com
Phone: (301) 922-8186
Maggie Roffee brings over 30 years of disability policy and program employment experience to the USBLN team. She has a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling from the University of Maryland College Park.
Maggie retired from the US Department of Labor on January 31, 2010, where she was a senior Business Development Specialist. In this position she coordinated activities with large and small corporations and was the federal program manager for the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) service and the Campaign for Disability Employment. She also managed several formal alliances with corporations and non-profit organization. Maggie initiated and coordinated the development and publication of Diversifying Your Workforce, and concluded her Federal career with the development and implementation of the first federal model of Project SEARCH, an employment training program for high school students with intellectual disabilities.
PATRICIA J. RICHARDS
Director, Disability Supplier Diversity Program®
US Business Leadership Network
Email:
pjrichards81904@yahoo.com
Phone: (713) 304-8950
Patricia is an experienced management professional with extensive knowledge in designing and implementing supplier diversity programs and business strategies that get powerful results. She has more than twenty years experience in helping forge dynamic relationships between corporations, minority and women business owners and business/community support organizations. Patricia is excited about bringing her effectiveness and passion for inclusion to the arena of businesses owned by people with disabilities, including service-disabled veterans.
Patricia has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She has served on boards and committees for organizations like the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and the Supplier Diversity Group of the Institute for Supply Management. Continuing these relationships and forging new ones in both public and private sectors, will be a critical part of Patricia’s responsibilities.
Patricia’s primary goals include: Developing and leading the implementation of the Disability Supplier Diversity Program® (DSDP) strategies with a strong focus on strengthening the certification process; increasing the number/categories of certified disability-owned business enterprises (DOBEs) within the system; assisting corporations and agencies with their business disability programs; building a strong network of support for DSDP among stakeholders; and acting as a liaison with USBLN affiliates across the U.S.
LYNN KIRKBRIDE
Director of Affiliate Relations, US Business Leadership Network
Email:
lynnkirkbride@gmail.com
Phone: (307) 631-0894
Lynn has worked in the field of disability and diversity spanning more than three decades as a result of having a brother who is a quadriplegic. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois. Lynn worked at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for several years before moving to Wyoming. Her work in Wyoming has included serving as the Chair of the Cheyenne Mayor's Council for People with Disabilities, being a founding member of the Wyoming Association of People with Disabilities and currently serving on the State Rehabilitation Council.
Her most notable professional accomplishment is helping establish the Wyoming Business Leadership Network (WBLN) of which she was the founding director in Cheyenne. The WBLN was built from the ground up beginning 15 years ago in conjunction with managing company Synergy HRD through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and is now one of the most active networks in the nation serving eight Wyoming communities. Lynn has also been involved with the national BLN movement since its inception. In 2009 Wyoming won the USBLN Affiliate of the Year award for their excellent BLN development. This past year Lynn has directed a corporate sponsored outreach training program for people with disabilities at Lowe's Distribution Center in Cheyenne through the WBLN. This successful project was funded through Wyoming Workforce Development Funds and next year will be totally run and managed by Lowe's. Lynn took this program from a corporate sponsored training program to a corporate owned program in less than one year. Lynn and her husband Dan live on a ranch in Chugwater, WY and have raised five children.
ANITA HOWARD
Senior Project Manager, Marketing & Communications, US Business Leadership
Network
Email: anita@usbln.org
Phone: (703) 593-0497
Anita joins us as Senior Project Manager bringing over 16 years of project management experience to our dynamic USBLN team. In addition to project support and communications, she is happy to lead our marketing efforts and Governance affairs.
Anita holds an Associate's degree in Paralegal Law and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. Anita will be helping to support all of our programs. However, she will be the lead on our marketing and communications as well as the USBLN Board of Directors liaison.
KERRELL FARMELANT
Conference & Events Producer, US Business Leadership Network
Email:
kerrell@thenextgreatevent.com
Phone: (602) 697-6449
Kerrell Farmelant is pleased to bring her event planning expertise to the USBLN. Kerrell has been a part of several facets of the event industry since 1998. She has an extensive background in conference management, meeting planning and special events.
She possesses a strong knowledge of the event industry and maintains great relationships with venues and event service suppliers throughout the country. She is active in both her local community and the event community, and is a Founding Member and the Immediate Past President of ISES AZ (The International Special Events Society, Arizona Chapter). Kerrell prides herself on her commitment to her clients, her professionalism and her strong work ethic.