Adrian Hawkins
Chair
Novartis
Adrian Hawkins is a dynamic trailblazer who began his Novartis career 35 years ago as a Marketing Systems intern. Courageously evolving from IT to various therapeutic sales areas of increased specialized roles, he is currently an Associate Director, Autoinflammatory Disease, Immunology – Customer Engagement. Adrian is a recent graduate from the esteemed Multicultural Engagement Program and is an active member of Management Development Peer Network as he aspires to expand his leadership responsibilities.
Throughout his stellar career he has won over 15 national sales awards including Cornerstone Sales Club status for sustained business excellence with most recent awards inclusive of: Values in Impact Annual Award 2020-2024 and Business Excellence Award 2022. His passion for Diversity & Inclusion has enabled attainment of 2 CEO awards along with recognition at 2018 National Sales Meeting for his 20 years of dedication for his focus on improving Novartis culture and healthcare disparities nationally. He is founder of the Novartis Corporate Teen Mentoring Program (formerly Black & Latino Achievers Corporate Mentoring Program) positively impacting over 2000 students since inception providing college and career guidance. He is Chair of the Immunology DEI Council with a past similar Oncology Chair role. Following his appreciation for internships, he leads the Summer Sales Internship program as it’s embarking on the 4th summer in 2024 which has developed several full-time hires internal and external. He is CapABLE ERG Co-Chair heightening the awareness and acceptance of disability inclusion at Novartis globally. CapABLE won ERG of the year 2023.
Externally exhibiting corporate community citizenship, Adrian’s leadership continues as Board Chair of NSN NJ/NY Chapter and past President for this chapter and Summit Lions Club enabling servant community activity for urban and underserved areas. He is current Chair of DisabilityIN NJ leading the Re-Launch of this affiliate to become a formal chapter while assisting to increase disability inclusion awareness statewide. Adrian has served on several past boards (YMCA, SAGE, MS Society). Some of his volunteer proudest moments was being recognized as “Alumni of the Year” by Newark Boys Chorus School positive spirit and passion for community giving and honored by the YMCA as “Achievers Most Dedicated Mentor”.
Paul Aronsohn
Advisory Board Member
NJ Ombudsman
Paul Aronsohn is currently serving as New Jersey’s statewide Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families – a position to which he was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy in April 2018. As such, he serves as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services and supports ranging from early childhood through adulthood.
Paul was also appointed in 2022 by President Biden to serve on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, which serves as a federal advisor to the President and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. And last year, he was reappointed for another 2 years.
Paul currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Bergen County Branch of the NAACP as well as on the Bergen County Disability Services Advisory Board. He has also recently been actively involved in a range of volunteer activities focused on food security, social justice, and disability rights.
Previously, Paul held several positions in both the public and private sectors.
With respect to the former, prior to his current position, Paul served as a member of the Human and Children Services Committee for Governor-Elect Murphy’s Transition Team, which involved working with families and advocates of individuals with disabilities to cultivate recommendations for the incoming administration.
Previously, Paul served as Mayor of Ridgewood and as a Councilmember in his northern New Jersey town. In 2002, he served as the Communications Director and Spokesperson for then-New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. He was also the 2006 Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 5th District.
Earlier in his career, Paul spent several years working at the U.S. Department of State, where his focus was largely on international security matters, such as nonproliferation, arms control and peacekeeping. He also had the opportunity to serve three U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations – Madeleine Albright, Bill Richardson, and Richard Holbrooke.
With respect to the private sector, Paul worked for several years in the healthcare industry, including most recently as CEO Speechwriter and Director of Executive Communications at Bristol-Myers Squibb.
In 2023, Paul received the “Distinguished Developmental Disabilities Systems Change Award” from the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities. The prior year, he received awards from two other disability organizations, Plan NJ and Inroads to Opportunities. In 2019, he received the President’s Award from the Bergen County Council of Churches. In 2016, he received the Community Service Award from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Committee of Ridgewood and Glen Rock. That year, he also received the “Heroes” award from the Metropolitan AME Zion Church. In 2009, he received the “Salute to Champions” award from the Bergen County Executive for his work on disability issues. While at the U.S. Department of State, Paul received a Meritorious Honor Award as well as Certificate of Appreciation from the Joint Staff (U.S. Military).
Paul was graduated from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Communication and a Master of Arts in Political Science.
Paul has written many op-eds/essays on a range of topics. They can be found on his LinkedIn site.
On a lighter note, Paul considers his ability to survive an appearance on “The Colbert Report” (September 21, 2006) among his greatest achievements…..
Paul can be reached via email ( paronsohn@aol.com ) or phone (201) 213.1811.
Madhu Chinnambeti
Advisory Board Member
Communications Committee
Madhu Chinnambeti is an SVP and Senior Data Scientist at SupportVectors. In his current role, Madhu advises the companies, aspiring engineers, and entrepreneurs on Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and Generative AI technologies. Madhu has been a member of Disability:IN New Jersey affiliate since inception.
Madhu has over 28 years of experience in Computer Science and Engineering, and he is PhD candidate and currently working on completing his dissertation at Boise State University. Madhu holds an MBA degree from Boise State University along with Engineering degree in Computer Science & Engineering from India.
His passion also includes tech education in the evolving fields like Generative AI. Madhu is a volunteer advisory board member of Princeton ACM – a combined central Jersey affiliate of IEEE and ACM.
Deborah Dagit
Advisory Board Member
Consultant
Deb Dagit is a sought-after consultant and speaker on the topics of diversity and inclusion. She started Deb Dagit Diversity LLC in 2013 to deliver the practical, just-in-time services and products she wished were available when she was a VP & Chief Diversity Officer for more than 22 years.
During her 11+ years at Merck Deb was responsible for global equal opportunity, employee relations, recruiting, and diversity and inclusion. Under her leadership, the company was recognized for its exemplary work in diversity and inclusion by a wide range of business publications, government agencies, and professional organizations. Deb has been a DEI consultant and thinking partner with dozens of diversity and HR leaders across industries since 2013. Her approach is to help companies identify internal and external examples of “positive deviance” that are replicable and sustainable. She has been a lead consultant for Disability:IN Inclusion Works since 2014 and remains a supporter of our NJ chapter from her new home in Naples, FL. Deb identifies as a person with both apparent and non-apparent disabilities as do her family members.
Tinamarie Duff
Advisory Board Member
BMS
Tinamarie Duff is a global advocate for disability, inclusion, diversity, equity, and inclusion. For nearly three decades, she held several leadership roles at one of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies. Her career included leading the team responsible for disability inclusion programming and initiatives in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Her goal was to foster an environment and workplace culture that promotes the value of individuals with disabilities and their contributions to the company mission.
Tinamarie oversaw cross-functional and cross-disciplinary projects to drive inclusion and engagement of people with disabilities throughout the organization from both an employment and ‘customer’ perspective. She is recognized for her efforts advancing the recruitment of talent with disabilities, supporting heath equity for people with disabilities, and creating processes that increase universal design and physical and IT accessibility in the workplace. She has been a driving force in the creation of programs that support the inclusion of patients with disabilities in Clinical trials, Autism at work programs, Workplace Recovery programs, and Workplace Cancer Support programs.
Tinamarie’s influence extends beyond her professional roles. As a founding board member of All Wheels Up, the sole global organization conducting crash testing research for wheelchair tie downs and advocating for accessible commercial flight, she has been at the forefront of accessibility advocacy. Her voice has resonated internationally, as she has spoken about disability inclusion at prestigious platforms such as Inclusion Works, Disabilty:IN, Working Mothers Media, World Institute on Disability, CUNY, and GRYT. She continues to contribute to the field as a business advisory board member for Bender Consulting Services, Inc. and an advisor for the Disability:IN NJ affiliate.
A native of New York who lives in New Jersey, Tinamarie is the mother of two active teens. Disability is a part of her lived experience. She holds a BA and MBA from Dowling College.
Michael Gardener
Advisory Board Member
Merck
Michael Gardener, born and raised in Jamaica, West Indies, migrated to the USA in 1990. He currently holds the position of Director of Facilities at Merck in the Global Workplace and Enterprise Services organization. In this role, he oversees the Integrated Facilities Management program and dining services for the Americas region.
With over 20 years of experience at Merck, Gardener has held various roles within the company. Prior to joining Merck, he gained valuable experience working for ALCOA, Brooklyn Union Gas, and Union Carbide.
Gardener is educated, holding both a B.S. and M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He obtained his degrees from the University of West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and City College of New York. Additionally, he is a registered professional engineer in the states of New York and Massachusetts, with expertise in Project Management, Facilities Management, Engineering, and Contracting.
Actively involved in professional organizations, Gardener is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, International Facilities Management Association, and American Society of Engineers. He has also served as the Past President of the Merck LEAD Boston chapter and the Planters Pointe Condominium Association. Furthermore, he held the position of Past Vice Chair of the Union United Methodist Church, Boston Board of Trustees.
Driven by a desire to make a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities and caregivers, Gardener is currently collaborating with Merck’s strategic partners to create employment opportunities within the company. By working towards this goal, he aims to positively impact the lives of those in need.
Scott Henty
Advisory Board Member
Membership Committee
Retired from CAI, in Princeton, NJ recently and has served as a member of the Disability IN: New Jersey affiliate since 2021.
His background included IT marketing leadership at IBM for 15 years and later IT sales and management at CAI for over 30 years.
Scott holds a B.S. in Management Science at Rennselaer Polytechnic University.
During his time at CAI, he learned a great deal about enhancing IT services offerings with Neurodiverse team members. He developed a passion for working to expand opportunities for individuals with autism. He experienced their incredible desire to work hard and be a very effective and efficient team members. He witnessed large productivity increases with large teams made up of members on and off the Spectrum.
Other interests are traveling with his spouse, Susan, spending time with grandchildren, hiking and playing golf.
Diane Hettinger MPH, RN, CEBS, CLNC
Advisory Board Member
Disability Inclusion Strategic Consultant
Diane Hettinger is a uniquely, diversified professional with broad leadership experience in ADA Accommodation Strategy; Accessibility; Assistive Technology; Culture, Diversity and Equity; Human Resources; and Employee Health & Benefits. Currently Diane is CEO of Enabling Ability, dedicated to disability inclusion, equity and successful productivity of people with disabilities in the workplace.
She spent over 15 years at Prudential Financial as Director Accessibility and Disability Inclusion, ADA Accommodations & Environmental Health, Clinical and Wellness Programs and a Human Resource Business Partner. Recognized for her expertise in establishing processes for the on-boarding and advancement of employees with disabilities, including Accessibility and Assistive Technology initiatives, Diane served as Co-Lead for the ADAPT Business Resource Group. Prior to Prudential she had a long career at AT&T in a myriad of leadership roles across the business.
In addition to her role as a founding Steering Committee member for the Disability:IN New Jersey Affiliate, she has presented externally on disability employment best practice with the National Organization for Disability (NOD), Disability:IN and the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC).
Diane received a Bachelor of Science degree from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY where she majored in Nursing. She has a Master of Public Health from Rutgers University and completed an Executive Management Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Diane has been certified as an Occupational Health Nurse Specialist (COHN-S), is a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), achieved Professional Associate status in the National Association of ADA Coordinators (NAADAC) and is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC). She serves on The Masterwork Chorus Board of Directors.
Chris Vecchiarelli
Advisory Board Member
Peoplelink Group
Chris Vecchiarelli is a distinguished business leader, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Professional Staffing at Peoplelink Group, the US arm of Groupe Crit, a renowned international provider of employment solutions. In this capacity, Chris holds oversight of TeamSoft IT Solutions and Zing Recruiting Brands.
With a steadfast commitment to servant leadership, Chris has spearheaded the exponential growth of both brands, elevating them from regional prominence to national distinction. Through strategic initiatives and visionary guidance, he has successfully expanded their reach, established new offices and fostered partnerships with leading companies across the United States.
Hailing from New Jersey, Chris’s professional journey has taken him through Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston, Massachusetts. However, he proudly calls New Jersey his home, currently residing in Bernardsville with his cherished wife and son.
Chris’s dedication extends beyond business growth; he is driven by a profound passion for facilitating personal and professional development. This fervor is mirrored in his advocacy for promoting employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Educationally, Chris holds a Master of Business Administration from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, a testament to his commitment to academic excellence and professional advancement. Additionally, he actively contributes to various non-profit organizations in New Jersey, further demonstrating his commitment to societal betterment and philanthropic endeavors.