Press Releases

Scott Hammerstrom selected for Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame

The Bender Leadership Academy is proud to announce that Scott Hammerstrom has been named to the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame for 2025. Scott is a longtime leader in the disability rights movement and serves as Manager of Programs and Partnerships at the Academy. Scott will be officially inducted during a virtual gathering on July 21st from 6:00pm – 7:30pm EST.

This honor is bestowed by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC), which honors individuals and organizations who are champions around disability mentoring. The Academy is being recognized alongside 31 inductees who are committed to supporting disability mentoring and highlighting the importance of mental health. If you would like to know more about the Hall of Fame, as well as previous classes of inductees, you can learn more by visiting here.

The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame was established to honor those who are making a significant difference in the lives of youth and adults with disabilities through mentoring and to raise awareness about the importance of mentoring for individuals with disabilities. The Hall of Fame’s namesake, Susan M. Daniels, devoted her life to improving the lives of others with disabilities.

In learning this news, Joyce Bender, CEO and Founder of the Academy, said that “Scott is so deserving of this honor and distinction. It is a joy to work alongside him each day at the Bender Leadership Academy as we work to cultivate, train, and support youth with disabilities around gaining employment, battling stigma, developing life-learning skills, and more. I look forward to all that Scott and the Academy will accomplish in fulfilling our mission in the months and years to come.”
Scott added that “I’m overwhelmed with being named to the Hall of Fame, especially as I know previous and my fellow recipients this year are truly leaders and among leaders in our fight for disability rights. My work at the Academy is a labor of love, but also a constant reminder that we have so much left to do. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey within the movement, especially Joyce and my colleagues at the Academy.”

The Bender Leadership Academy is committed to expanding opportunities for employment of people with disabilities from youth through adulthood. Established in 2018, the Academy is founded on over two decades of commitment to serving the disability community. Beginning as a volunteer mentoring program with the single purpose of helping youth transitioning into the workforce, the organization is now multi-faceted with programming that provides a comprehensive approach to addressing barriers to employment.

To learn more about Bender Leadership Academy programming, visit http://benderleadership.org/learn/.