Leissa Miller is a wife, mother of an 11-year old son with Down Syndrome, and advocate for people with disabilities. She has been making the world better for him and other parents of children with Down Syndrome.

Bob and Leissa are taking the principles of leadership beyond The Back Room and into our communities. Leissa discusses her son's diagnosis, the medical staff that made a difference, and the programs, like Gigi's Playhouse, paraprofessionals, teachers  & Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)  that have supported her family throughout their journey.  

In this episode, we celebrate children with Down Syndrome and the various programs and initiatives that are making a difference.

• [00:01:24] Get to know Leissa's story 
• [00:13:20]The different levels of Down Syndrome.
• [00:16:39] The benefits of sign language for nonverbal children
• [00:19:11] How leaders can get involved and Down Syndrome Initiatives
• [00:31:32] The one thing Leissa wants to share with new parents who have a child with Down Syndrome 
• [00:33:42] Misconceptions about children with disabilities

Takeaways:

• Resources are available on the federal, state, and local levels, but what can organizations do to support the Down Syndrome Community? In this episode, Bob and Leissa share a few resources.
• Leissa shows how you can take on a leadership role in your community by advocating for individuals with disabilities.  
• Last week we discussed mindfulness and its benefits in the workplace but did you know that studies show that mindfulness practice is equally beneficial for individuals with disabilities and their support network. 

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Resources Mentioned In This Episode: 

•  GiGi's Playhouse
• Down Syndrome Creed
• U.S. Dept of Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
•  National Down Syndrome Society

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Get to Know the Host:

Bob Howard has over 30 years of sales and management experience and has spent the last 16 years leading a subsidiary of a Fortune 1,000 technology solutions company. He currently resides in New Hampshire. 

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If you have any ideas or suggestions on who would be an excellent guest to interview, or if you would like to appear on the show, don't hesitate to reach out!

Send me an email: Bob@inthebackroompodcast.com