08/10/2026
Today, we’re celebrating one of our own!
One of our board members, Chris Westbrook, has been selected to serve as Co-Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission for People with Disabilities!
This is an incredible opportunity for Chris to bring his knowledge, advocacy, and lived experience to the table as he works alongside other disability leaders from across Pennsylvania.
Chris understands that meaningful change starts with listening. As a member of the Deaf/Blind community and someone who lives and works in a rural area, he has firsthand experience with many of the barriers people with disabilities encounter - including transportation, healthcare access, affordable housing, and guardianship.
Chris doesn’t just talk about change - he works to make it happen. Through his work at Pennsylvania College of Technology, his involvement with disability organizations, and his service on our board, Chris has consistently demonstrated his commitment to creating greater access, opportunity, and independence for people with disabilities.
We’re also sending a special THANK YOU to PA State Rep. Jamie Flick for recognizing Chris’s appointment and helping bring attention to the important work ahead. We appreciate your support of disability representation and advocacy in Pennsylvania!
We are incredibly proud to have you as part of the Roads to Freedom team, and we’re excited to see the positive impact you’ll make in this new role. Your voice matters, your experience matters, and we know you’ll make sure the voices of people with disabilities are heard. 💙
Keep making an impact, Chris! We’re cheering you on every step of the way!
I’d like to introduce you to a constituent in the 83rd District who has recently been appointed to an important role. Chris Westbrook, a resident of Lycoming County, is one of 28 Pennsylvania residents chosen by the governor to serve on the Commission for People with Disabilities as the commission’s co-chair. He will serve on the Health and Mental Health workgroups.
The commission’s purpose is to recommend policy changes across the disabilities spectrum; engage with federal, state and local agencies; communicate administration initiatives to the public; and compile information on groups, funding and additional supports to create an inclusive resource for individuals with disabilities and their family members across the Commonwealth.
Chris, 42, is a member of the blind and deaf community. He hears with the aid of a cochlear implant and hearing aids. Chris has been active as a member of the National Federation of the Blind, and he serves on the boards of the PA Partnership for the Deaf and Blind and Center for Independent Living. “I think I’ll be impactful because I have lived experience, and I will listen to the experiences of others,” he said.
Chris works for the Pennsylvania College of Technology in the Disability and Accessibility Resource Office. As a person with disabilities in a rural county, he identifies transportation, access to healthcare, access to affordable housing, and guardianship as major issues facing people with disabilities in this region.
A few fun facts about Chris: He plays the violin, and, as a child, he once played in the Little League Challenger Division game at the World Series! I congratulate Chris and look forward to working with him!
