Susan Sygall

Susan Sygall is an internationally recognized expert in the area of international development and leadership programs for persons with disabilities. She currently serves as the CEO of Mobility International USA (MIUSA), a nonprofit organization she co-founded in 1981. MIUSA’s mission is to empower people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development. Ms. Sygall has provided technical assistance training and consulting on international development issues through MIUSA’s Building an Inclusive Development Community project, sponsored by the US Agency for International Development. Through this project, MIUSA provided technical assistance on inclusion of people with disabilities in a variety of sectors such as emergency response, microfinance, education, employment, HIV/AIDS, violence prevention and reproductive health. During the course of her career, Sygall has focused a spotlight on issues related to women with disabilities. She has spearheaded such gatherings as the 1995 International Symposium on Women with Disabilities in Beijing, the Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability, and the International Symposium on Microcredit for Women with Disabilities. Ms. Sygall is the co-author of numerous publications on a variety topics related to international development, disability rights and women with disabilities. Ms. Sygall has received many awards in recognition of her commitment to the rights of people with disabilities, including the prestigious MacArthur award in 2000. This unrestricted fellowship is awarded to a small number of talented individuals each year who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits. Most recently, she received an Ashoka Fellowship in 2013. In 2011, Ms. Sygall was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Chapman University. As an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon, she teaches an undergraduate and graduate level course through the department of International Studies called Global Perspectives on Disability.