About the Office of the Chief Disability Officer
The Office of the Chief Disability Officer (CDO) advocates on behalf of people with disabilities to represent the issues people with disabilities face. The CDO works to break down silos between state agencies that provide services to people with disabilities, improve diversity, equity, and inclusion for people with disabilities, pushes for progress on state-wide accessibility issues, provides a disability perspective on policy proposals, legislation, state agency operations, and diligently connects with communities and advocates on a wide spectrum of disability issues.
The CDO was established in February 2022 when Governor Hochul signed legislation (A.3130 – Steck / S.1836 – Skoufis) into law. Advocates have fought for the new CDO since the elimination of the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities in the 2005-2006 budget.
Partners within the Chief Disability Office
Partnership for Inclusive Internships (PII)
The PII program creates internship opportunities in State agencies for individuals with disabilities to foster diversity and inclusive hiring.
New York State Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Office
The Office acts as a hub of info for the public sector to better serve individuals of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing communities.
Disability Etiquette and Resources
Disability Etiquette
Disability Resources
CDO Staff Chief Disability Officer
Kim (she/her) has served as New York State’s first-ever Chief Disability Officer (CDO) since being appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in February of 2022. Kim has been charged with advising the Governor and executive staff on policy and budgetary issues as they pertain to disability issues, serving as the state's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator and chairing New York's Most Integrated Services Coordinating Council (MISCC), which is responsible for the state's Olmstead compliance. Kim also acts as the New York State lead related to the execution of Executive Order 31—signed by Governor Hochul in July 2023—focused on New York being a model employer for people with disabilities.
ASL version of about the office of the chief disability officer
