Norman G. DeLisle, JR.

Executive Director

Norman G. DeLisle, Jr. has been the Executive Director of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition since 1997, and has worked in disability advocacy since 1970. Norm has been a part of, and has worked with, Michigan's disability community in a wide variety of settings from school systems to medical programs and legal services. His educational background is in psychology with graduate work in developmental learning and Montessori. His work has always focused on the broad community of people with disabilities, and their long quest for self-determination and community inclusion. Norm has learned from personal experience what it is like to be dis-empowered and cut off from the support of friends and family. He believes that the true role of professional knowledge is to effectively catalyze the deepest hopes and dreams of all people. Human services systems are at their best for both consumer and provider when they do not forget this basic goal.

Norm has driven MDRC's effort to make web technologies a tool of education and advocacy for Michigan's disability community. In particular, he has used standards-based web design as the core of truly accessible web sites.

Norm can be reached at extension 317