Bartholomew Devon recently joined the Alliance for Expanding America’s Workforce as its inaugural Executive Director. Devon brings years of experience as an advocate for Americans with disabilities. In addition to state and local advocacy work, he has previously served in federal policy roles at his past roles include Autism Speaks, the National Down Syndrome Society, and most recently at AEAW member Eggleston.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career as an advocate for people with disabilities?
I started my career as a 22-year-old middle school teacher just outside of Boston. It was in the classroom where I began to piece together just how much I didn't know about properly supporting my students with disabilities. I started to see just how many ways the various systems meant to empower them were -- usually without any individual person's fault -- letting them down. I'm sort of hardwired to help people, and to fix problems, so after three years teaching, I departed for law school to try and figure it out.
Q: You have an impressive educational background – with both a JD and two master’s degrees. How does your education inform your public policy work?
Having spent a lot of time in school, I think it’s important to draw a distinction between formal education and learning. I believe that learning and discovery should never end. Each person, whether they have a disability or not, should have the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills. For me, that meant many years in grad school, but for others, with different interests, that learning experience might look totally different, and no one approach to learning is better than any other, except in how well it serves the individual's pursuits. That thought -- centering the individual -- is foundational to the disability policy work I do.
Q: What excites you most about the future of AEAW?
This is a critical and exciting time to be doing disability advocacy work, with many opportunities to make real change. Between generational change in the workplace, lessons learned from the pandemic, and a truly historic election cycle, dedicated advocates have a real shot at modernizing the policies that impact employment outcomes for people with disabilities. I'm excited to do that work -- as I know are my colleagues from AEAW's membership. It's been a great first year for AEAW, and we're excited to keep building on that strong foundation.
Q: Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
During my first two years teaching, I also drove a school bus every morning and afternoon to make some extra money.
Q: What’s your favorite restaurant in the DC area?
I don’t really have a favorite DC restaurant, but I’ll always go to bat for Sub Rosa Bakery in Richmond. Their execution on simple things is just outstanding.
Q: How do you like to unwind?
I’ve got a toddler at home, so time to unwind can be hard to come by these days. When I do get the chance, I have several hobbies competing for my attention: woodworking, photography, modifying watches. And I’ve always loved music, movies, and spending time outdoors.