ABOUT DISABILITYSA
OUR VISIONSan Antonio is the #1 community where people with disabilities want to live, learn, work, and play.
OUR MISSIONThe mission of disABILITYsa is to educate, advance, and engage people with disabilities by building connections, exchanging information, creating opportunities, and strengthening our disability community in the greater San Antonio area.
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OUR objectives
EDUCATE: Educate people with disabilities by sharing information about resources and services, providing access guidance, and offering leadership development training, promoting greater independence and inclusion.
ADVANCE: Advance public attitudes, awareness, respect and consideration for success of people with disabilities.
ENGAGE: Engage people with disabilities as active participants in our community.
STRENGTHEN: Strengthen organizations, supports, and connections that improve independence, inclusion, and belonging for people with disabilities.
ADVANCE: Advance public attitudes, awareness, respect and consideration for success of people with disabilities.
ENGAGE: Engage people with disabilities as active participants in our community.
STRENGTHEN: Strengthen organizations, supports, and connections that improve independence, inclusion, and belonging for people with disabilities.
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
SAN ANTONIO MAGAZINE TELLS THE DISABILITYSA STORY
In a recent interview with San Antonio Magazine, disABILITYsa's Executive Director, Melanie Cawthon, had the opportunity to tell the story of disABILITYsa from beginning through today. Looking at our programs, opportunities, and the issue impacting individuals living with a disability in our local community, the article gives a great overview for the organization.
Click the link to read the article:
http://www.sanantoniomag.com/January-2018/Melanie-R-Cawthon/
Click the link to read the article:
http://www.sanantoniomag.com/January-2018/Melanie-R-Cawthon/
current BOARDJane Paccione, Chair
San Antonio Area Foundation Melissa Gonzales, Vice Chair Permitting Tx John Heard, Secretary Heard & Smith, LLP Claudia Diaz, Treasurer United Healthcare Albert Sawyer Dept. of the Airforce Anitra Henning City of San Antonio, Compliance, Opportunity & Access Rhonda BeLue University of Texas at San Antonio Contact: [email protected]
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FOUNDING STAKEHOLDERS (2007)Cynthia R. Hamilton
Melanie R. Cawthon Peter and Janet Grojean FOUNDING BOARD (2016)Cynthia R. Hamilton
Melanie R. Cawthon Kathleen Finck Barbara C. Kyse FOUNDer's CIRCLEMary Pat and Michael Bolner
Melanie R. Cawthon Ruth and Michael Cawthon Mary Jane Clark Crystal W Darby Claudette and Anthony Gentry Judie and Paul Gustafson J. Keith and Cynthia Hamilton Barbara Kyse Deaf Interpreter Services, Inc. Kay and .Clarence C Simpson, II Kenneth and Debra Wilson |
MELANIE R. CAWTHON, Co-Founder / Executive Director
Melanie Cawthon is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of disABILITYsa, a San Antonio nonprofit founded in 2007 to help make the city the #1 community where people with disabilities want to live, learn, work, and play. For more than two decades, she has championed inclusion and equity, supporting and leading initiatives that remove attitudinal, physical, systemic, communication, and social barriers.
A graduate of UTSA with a Bachelor’s in Business, OLLU with a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, and a proud alumna of LSA #46, Melanie brings both academic expertise and extensive experience to her work. She actively serves on committees, stakeholder groups, collective impact initiatives, and community planning teams dedicated to creating a more inclusive future for San Antonio. Marquis Who's Who Biographical Registry
"I was first driven to establish disABILITYsa when I recognized critical gaps in our community—gaps that no one else was addressing. Today, my commitment is fueled by a deeper understanding that disability impacts every single life. I believe we have the power and responsibility to go beyond what the law requires—actively working to remove attitudinal, physical, systemic, communication, and social barriers that exclude individuals with disabilities. Through this work, we are building the inclusive, vibrant community where I want to live, learn, work, and play."
Melanie Cawthon is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of disABILITYsa, a San Antonio nonprofit founded in 2007 to help make the city the #1 community where people with disabilities want to live, learn, work, and play. For more than two decades, she has championed inclusion and equity, supporting and leading initiatives that remove attitudinal, physical, systemic, communication, and social barriers.
A graduate of UTSA with a Bachelor’s in Business, OLLU with a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, and a proud alumna of LSA #46, Melanie brings both academic expertise and extensive experience to her work. She actively serves on committees, stakeholder groups, collective impact initiatives, and community planning teams dedicated to creating a more inclusive future for San Antonio. Marquis Who's Who Biographical Registry
"I was first driven to establish disABILITYsa when I recognized critical gaps in our community—gaps that no one else was addressing. Today, my commitment is fueled by a deeper understanding that disability impacts every single life. I believe we have the power and responsibility to go beyond what the law requires—actively working to remove attitudinal, physical, systemic, communication, and social barriers that exclude individuals with disabilities. Through this work, we are building the inclusive, vibrant community where I want to live, learn, work, and play."
BRITNEY TREVIÑO, Strategic Initiatives Manager
With a background in cultural anthropology, Britney is fascinated by culture, identity, and the meanings that people create. Her areas of research include the disability experience and expertise, epistemics, community resilience, and the social determinants of health. Britney brings the analytical mind of an anthropologist and the heart and soul of someone with a deep love of the disability community to disABILITYsa to advocate for systemic changes in our community.
Britney loves to travel – having visited over 30 countries so far! Each travel experience has shaped how she sees the world, and she enjoys capturing those moments through photography. Britney says that, “A photo is a snippet of the soul.” See how Britney sees the world through her photography portfolio. Other than that, Britney is a very simple creature. She enjoys three things more than anything else: coffee, cats, and special edition books!
With a background in cultural anthropology, Britney is fascinated by culture, identity, and the meanings that people create. Her areas of research include the disability experience and expertise, epistemics, community resilience, and the social determinants of health. Britney brings the analytical mind of an anthropologist and the heart and soul of someone with a deep love of the disability community to disABILITYsa to advocate for systemic changes in our community.
Britney loves to travel – having visited over 30 countries so far! Each travel experience has shaped how she sees the world, and she enjoys capturing those moments through photography. Britney says that, “A photo is a snippet of the soul.” See how Britney sees the world through her photography portfolio. Other than that, Britney is a very simple creature. She enjoys three things more than anything else: coffee, cats, and special edition books!
get involved
Contributions
You are invited to make a gift online or send a check made payable to disABILITYsa and send to P.O. Box 28243, San Antonio, Texas 78228.
IRS Determination Letter
Packages
You are invited to send any in-kind donations and/or packages to our physical offices located at 2515 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas 78212.
Volunteer
Want to help? Visit our HOW TO GET INVOLVED page to learn more about how you can get engaged with disABILITYsa.
You are invited to make a gift online or send a check made payable to disABILITYsa and send to P.O. Box 28243, San Antonio, Texas 78228.
IRS Determination Letter
Packages
You are invited to send any in-kind donations and/or packages to our physical offices located at 2515 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas 78212.
Volunteer
Want to help? Visit our HOW TO GET INVOLVED page to learn more about how you can get engaged with disABILITYsa.
