The VABLN is a non-profit organization. To provide assistance or help to sponsor our mission, please fill out our Sponsorship Inquiry form. We thank you in advance for your support!
Supporting Companies
Testimonials
“For almost 175 years, VCU Health System (VCUHS) has been an integral part of the diverse and culturally abundant Richmond community. Because of this, embracing cultural diversity and a steadfast commitment to hire and promote employees with disabilities remain at the very heart of our strategic workforce practices.
Our partnership with the Virginia Business Leadership Network (VABLN) is invaluable, as we constantly revisit, retool and revitalize our efforts to make VCUHS a truly all-inclusive place to work, receive care and learn. We encourage and support two of our employees who are leaders in the VABLN, Deborah Slayden, director, Human Resources, and Liza Bruce, training specialist senior, Human Resources, who both serve on the VABLN Board of Directors. And because we are committed to educating people of all abilities, we partner with the VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center and Richmond Public Schools to bring ProjectSEARCH into our workplace. Through this program, several rising high school seniors complete rotations throughout our environment each year, learning marketable skills that will help them earn employment. We are proud to say that several ProjectSEARCH graduates have been hired at VCUHS and they continue to contribute positively to our workplace.
The bottom line is that we know working closely with organizations like the VABLN and ProjectSEARCH isn’t only the right thing to do, it is a strategic imperative. These affiliations dovetail beautifully with our statement of Values, which is presented on day one to each of our 9,000+ employees as well as thousands of non-employees, partners and volunteers. These comprehensive values, upon which our employees are evaluated, clearly state, “We respect the dignity of each individual and celebrate the diversity of the communities we serve.
Simply put, we believe that the more diverse our workforce, the better. Our culture values and encourages the contributions of all people. The result is that we have a highly skilled and talented workforce that delivers quality care and is representative of our community and the patients we serve.”
—Maria Curran, Chief Human Resources Officer and Vice President, Human Resources and Community Benefit, VCU Health System
“The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) is proud to have strong affiliates like the VABLN that actively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace, marketplace, and supply chain. Our country is stronger when all people, including those with disabilities, are able to live full, productive, and economically self-sufficient lives. Through the work of the USBLN® and our affiliates, like the VABLN, we are able to help make this goal a reality. The proof of the power of our affiliates is seen in the companies that lend their staff to sit on the Board of Directors and serve in leadership roles. In the VABLN, disability-inclusive companies including Aerotek, Capital One, Dominion, Fluor Enterprises and VCU Health System are championing the development of a disability inclusive workplace, and showing other companies how they can join in the effort. For that, I applaud the VABLN!”
—Jill Houghton, Executive Director, US Business Leadership Network
This website has been developed by the Virginia Business Leadership Network (VABLN) as a collaborative endeavor with the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) with the support of Virginia’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (1QACMS030237) awarded to DMAS by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.