DRO Partners in Policymaking Leadership Series
2026-2027
Whole Life Planning
Where:
Trainings: Atrium (lobby level), The Standard Insurance Center, 900 SW 5th Avenue, Portland
Overnight lodging: The Duniway Hotel, 545 SW Taylor, Portland (get map)
Day 1: Friday, October 16, 2026 from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Day 2: Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Schedule for this Session
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1:00 pm Welcome, Community Agreements - Coleen Carey, DRO Advocate
1:15 pm Mindfulness/Reflection
1:30 pm It Starts with a Vision
2:30 pm Break
2:45 pm Supported Decision-Making to Build Autonomy – Em Braman, Executive Director, The Arc Oregon
4:00 pm Break and check into hotel rooms
4:30 pm Alternatives to Guardianship – Em Braman
5:00 pm Self Advocate Panel: What does it mean to live a whole life?
Gabrielle Guedon (PIP 2014), Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition
Franklin Ouchida, Oregon Wheelchair Hiking
Sawyer Viola (PIP 2026), The Sawyer Viola Show
5:45 pm Dinner hosted by The Arc Oregon
6:15pm Film: “The Ride Ahead” by Dan Habib
7:15pm Film Discussion and Adjourn
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Breakfast on your own
9:00 am Special Needs Financial Planning – Chris Ray, Fitzwater Law
10:00 am Person-Centered Thinking and Planning – Coleen Carey, DRO Advocate
10:15 am PIP Graduate Panel: Person-Centered Planning to Build Whole Lives
Emilie Wylde Turner (PIP 2010), Aligned Consulting
Molly Cermak (PIP 2012), FACT Oregon
Noelle Sisk (PIP 2012)
11:00 am Break and check out of hotel rooms
11:30 pm Lunch with our guests
12:30 pm Intro to Charting the LifeCourse
2:30pm Words Matter
3:00 pm Discussion: What Would Self Determination Look Like in Oregon in the Future? - Coleen
3:30 pm Homework and Session Evaluation
4:00 pm Adjourn
Homework
Create your one-page profile. See examples from FACT Oregon.
Review the Charting the LifeCourse Framework overview page.
Develop the LifeCourse Trajectory for you and your child/adult. (Click the link for download access.)
Resources
Videos
Central Oregon Disability Support Network - Person-Centered Planning (57 mins)
Ted Talk Stella Young “I’m not Your Inspiration Porn” (9 minutes)
My Disability Roadmap (27 minutes)
Voices of Friendship (10 minutes)
Casual Ableist Language
Disabled Person or Person with a Disability?
Dreaming Big: Dylan’s Story of Person-Centered Planning
Reading
The Importance of Belonging by David Pitonyak
American Psychological Association Suggested Language Blog post (10 minutes read)
"Dos and Don’ts" of Disability Language Blog post (5 minutes read)
