Dr. Don Cardinal with Cal-TASH Lipton Award

TPI Associate Director Dr. Audri Gomez with TPI Director Dr. Don Cardinal and his Cal-TASH Diane J. Lipton Memorial Award

Don Cardinal, Ph.D., Attallah College of Educational Studies professor and former dean and director of the Thompson Policy Institute on Disability and Autism, recently received the Diane J. Lipton Memorial Award from Cal-TASH at its annual conference, February 22-23, 2019. The Diane J. Lipton Memorial Cal-TASH Award is awarded each year to individuals that are exceptionally dedicated to the rights of children with disabilities. Diane Lipton, the namesake of the award, was a parent-advocate and an attorney for the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund on behalf of her daughter, Chloe, who had endured segregation from her peers without disabilities. Diane’s personal experience and legal training enabled her to advise President Bill Clinton on special education issues and shape laws to prohibit schools from segregating children with disabilities.

TASH, otherwise known as The Association for the Severely Handicapped, is an international leader in disability advocacy. The organization, founded in 1975, works tirelessly to support the needs of those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect and institutionalization through advocacy, research, policy, granting resources, and more. TASH’s mission is to promote equal opportunity for children and adults with profound disabilities.

Dr. Cardinal stated his appreciation to be recognized in this honor:

“It’s an honor to receive this award for several reasons, but mainly because it reflects so positively on the work we are doing at the Thompson Policy Institute. Rarely do the subjects of policy or system changes get recognized. To have our work in TPI get an award, makes it all the sweeter,” he said. “In the 1990s I received the Robert Gaylord Ross Award from Cal-TASH for outstanding research. So to be honored now for policy, as my career has shifted in that direction with the advent of TPI, it is an especially important recognition for Chapman, Attallah College, and TPI.”