ICI’s Jean Winsor Receives 2024 AAIDD Public Policy Award

We are honored to announce that Jean Winsor, ICI Senior Research Associate and Project Manager, has received the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Public Policy Award for her outstanding contributions to the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

After beginning her career over 25 years ago as a direct support professional, Jean emerged as a distinguished researcher, policy expert, and advocate for employment policy and systems change.

Among Jean’s many accomplishments, she co-developed the Higher Performing States Framework, an evidence-based model first published in 2007. This model has provided a foundation for employment policy and strategy in over 35 states and is used to guide the work of the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN), ICI’s membership supported state IDD agency community of practice committed to improving employment outcomes.

Jean has directed projects in several states, including supporting the 10-year Florida EmployMe First Initiative, restructuring of funding for employment supports in Iowa, and analysis of employment services and policy in Arizona, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Iowa. She also provides technical assistance and policy analysis to SELN states.

Currently, Jean is the Principal Investigator on three ICI research projects: 1) Access to Integrated Employment, ICI’s longitudinal data project on employment and day services for people with IDD; 2) The Impact of State Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Agency Employment Contracting Methods and Service Payment Rates on Employment for Individuals with IDD, a field-initiated research project on funding for employment services; and 3) Florida’s Arts to Competitive Integrated Employment (ArtCIE) model demonstration project evaluation, a Rehabilitation Services Administration Disability Innovation Fund project.

Jean has a strong investment in supporting the voices of people with lived experience with disability. For many years, she has mentored and supervised co-researchers with IDD to participate research, training, and writing related to employment. She creatively and persistently ensures people with IDD have an informed and meaningful role in research and policy.

Jean will join 10 other renowned policymakers and scholars at the 148th AAIDD Annual Meeting to receive her award in Louisville, Kentucky this June. Congratulations, Jean!

Read the full press release from AAIDD about Dr. Winsor’s award.