Staff Bios |
Richard J. Salem
Founder and Chief Executive Officer |
In 2002, Richard Salem founded Enable America to eliminate the significant barriers to employment, civic involvement, and social inclusion for the 54 million Americans living with disabilities. The organization reflects Richard’s belief that good things happen when people have jobs.
Richard, who lost his eyesight as a teenager, has been practicing law for more than thirty years. He is the founding partner of the Tampa-based Salem Law Group and manages an active business and governmental practice. He is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, the American Blind Lawyers Association, and the International Bar Association.
Richard has been quoted in Self Magazine as one of Seven Highly Effective People and was named “Best of a Generation” by Esquire Magazine in 1984. He received the Rick Douglas Advocacy Award for outstanding work in the field of disability rights in 2001. John D. Kemp, co-founder of the American Association of People with Disabilities, has said that "Richard Salem brings new and exciting ideas for political participation and active civic involvement to our diverse and, oftentimes, fragmented disability community. Richard is no overnight sensation; simply looking at his career, his life, shows us all what major contributions he's made to the quality of everyone's lives he's touched in so many different circles."
Richard serves on the National Advisory Eye Council of the National Eye Institute, the Professional Advisory Board of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Board of Visitors of Duke Law School. He also serves on the boards of the National Organization on Disability, the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, and the Michael Stern Parkinson’s Research Foundation. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind from 1979 through 1986.
A native of North Carolina, Richard graduated cum laude from Belmont Abbey College in 1969. He graduated from Duke Law School with distinction in 1972. Richard and his wife, Eileen, have two daughters, Susan and Lizzi. His hobbies include reading, swimming, yoga, listening to music, cycling, hiking and snow skiing. |
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Steve LaBour
Executive Director |
Steve LaBour is the Executive Director of Enable America (EA). He has more than 30 years experience working in the fields of nonprofit programming development, community involvement, community and business connections, government relations and civic engagement. He has extensive experience in bringing diverse groups together to achieve common goals.
Throughout Steve’s career he has worked on a number of issues impacting the disability community. In college he worked with deaf students who attended the National Institute for the Deaf (NTID) located in Rochester, New York. After graduation Steve continued his work with the deaf, serving on the board of directors, and board president, for the Deaf Services Center in Tampa, Florida. He was also tapped by the Mayor of Tampa to assist in establishing the city’s first ever Mayor’s Alliance, a diverse group of community service providers, community leaders and business officials to work on a variety of issues facing persons with disabilities in the Tampa Bay Area.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Rochester of Institute Technology and serves on a number of volunteer civic and government boards in the Tampa, Florida area. |
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Armando Sánchez-Aballí
Director, Business & Community Connections |
As the Director of Business & Community Connections, Armando is responsible for engaging the business community and the disability community through outreach programs and facilitated meetings to identify and alleviate barriers to employment.
Prior to joining Enable America, Armando held executive-level positions at a state trade association and advocated for business interests before the Florida Legislature and the Office of the Governor.
He also served in leadership positions at various non-profit organizations and developed strategies and implemented community outreach and organizing programs.
Armando earned a B.A. degree in English from Davidson College and an M.A. degree in English from the University of Georgia. |
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Dave Mikes
Communications Manager |
Dave Mikes is the Communications Manager for Enable America. He handles media and public relations along with web development.
Prior to joining Enable America, Dave worked as a broadcast journalist for various network TV affiliates, both on-air and in internet development. He also has experience in marketing, advertising and PR. Dave graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Journalism. |
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