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The Disability Inclusion Pledge: A Conversation with Kristy Trautmann

In this episode of Disability Inclusion: Required, host Emily Ladau welcomes Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director of FISA Foundation, an early signatory of the Disability Inclusion Pledge, to shine a spotlight on their commitment to disability inclusive grantmaking and operations.

Foundations and philanthropy-serving organizations that sign the Disability Inclusion Pledge commit to working on eight action items to advance systemic change across the philanthropic sector.

Kristy offers a deep well of insights on actionable steps for implementing the Pledge and calls upon colleagues in philanthropy to join the disability inclusion learning journey.

Click here to learn more and become a Disability Inclusion Pledge signatory.

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Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Click here to tune into other episodes of Disability Inclusion: Required.

Our podcast theme music is by Andre Louis and Precious Perez. Thank you to Recording Artists And Music Professionals With Disabilities (RAMPD) for connecting these talented disabled musicians with the Disability & Philanthropy Forum.

Featured Guest

Kristy Trautmann

Kristy Trautmann is executive director of FISA Foundation, a charitable grantmaking foundation in Pittsburgh. FISA Foundation champions equity, justice, safety, and inclusion for women, girls, and people with disabilities, combating systemic racism that impedes progress for these populations in southwestern Pennsylvania. FISA’s disability-focused grantmaking focuses on improving health and well-being, promoting social inclusion, fostering equity in education, promoting community-based employment, and addressing abuse. In addition to overseeing a diverse portfolio of grants, under Ms. Trautmann’s leadership FISA has undertaken regional initiatives to address the intersections of race and disability, improve access to health care for people with disabilities, promote accessibility among arts and cultural organizations, end cycles of domestic and sexual violence, and address systematic inequities facing girls of color. Ms. Trautmann has worked with FISA Foundation since 2004 and served as its leader since 2010.

Prior to FISA, Ms. Trautmann worked at Pittsburgh Action Against Rape and the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh. She earned a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Robert Morris University and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She serves as President of the board of Grantmakers of Western PA, Chair of the UPMC Disability Resource Center Advisory Board, Chair of Adagio Health’s advisory committee, and member of the funding committee of the Western PA Continuum of Care Coalition for homeless programs.