Council Honors Three Disability Advocates at 2022 Awards Ceremony
Three North Carolina leaders in disability advocacy were honored at the annual Advocacy and Leadership Awards presentation during the November meeting of the NCCDD in Cary, North Carolina. The three prestigious awards – The North Carolina Leadership Achievement Award, Jack B. Hefner Memorial Award and The Helen C. “Holly” Riddle Distinguished Service Award – honor their namesakes and those who continue to carry out important political and community work to enhance the lives and opportunities for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD).
The North Carolina Leadership Achievement Award, which recognizes an outstanding North Carolina self-advocate whose work has improved the quality of life for people with I/DD, was awarded to R.V. Kuser of Winston-Salem. Having worked as a developmental specialist and autism coordinator, Kuser has traveled the state speaking about autism and schizophrenia. He is the author of two books: Challenged But Not Defeated, Strategies for Coping with Autism and Schizophrenia and Weight A Minute! Lessons a Family Learns Thru the Gift of Autism. He is a board member on the Winston-Salem Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities as well as Solutions for Independence.
The Jack B. Hefner Memorial Award honors family members or volunteers who advocate for a more inclusive, understanding and supportive local and state community for people with I/DD. This year, the award was presented to Kerri Eaker of Asheville. Recently retired, Eaker most recently served as the family support and outreach coordinator for Mission Health System. Among her many impactful roles, she was appointed chair of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities in 2019, was the founding member of North Carolina Families United and served as co-chair of the Cleveland County Children’s Collaborative. The mother of a son with disabilities, Eaker has traveled the state sharing her experience, knowledge and ideas on disability advocacy.
The Helen C. "Holly" Riddle Distinguished Service Award recognizes professionals who have made lasting contributions towards improving opportunities, breaking down barriers and promoting increased quality of life for people with I/DD in North Carolina.
This year, the award was given to Matt Herr of Raleigh, Assistant Division Director for System Performance for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Herr helped to draft and implement Executive Order No. 92, Employment First for North Carolinians with Disabilities, to increase opportunities for fair wages, employment, and careers for individuals with disabilities in state government.
While previously serving as a policy attorney for Disability Rights NC, Herr acted as a lead lobbyist in passing Raise the Age. This legislation ended the state’s practice of automatically prosecuting 16 and 17-year-olds as adults, disproportionately impacting youth with disabilities and youth of color. Herr has also been a thought leader in reforming guardianship laws in the state. He assisted during the launch of the NC Empowerment Network — a group of people with disabilities who work together to advocate, empower, and affect change throughout the State of North Carolina.
Additionally, Herr designed, built and launched the initial accessthevotenc.org, which was fully accessible and North Carolina’s very first voter information website designed-specifically to address the needs of voters with disabilities.