Hi, my name is Jason W. Weill and as a 1997 graduate of AHS as well as member of the La Rehab Council. I wanted to share with you of being able to play a part in the reform process in Louisiana. It was 2005 when the Hurricanes of Katrina and Rita were invading the coast; I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life then while enrolled in a Sociology class at UL-Lafayette, my mentor DeAnn Kalich, PhD inspired me to help bring change to Louisiana.

Right before I graduated from ULL in 2007, I helped lay the groundwork for establishing a Disability Studies Minor program for the College of Liberal Arts. Today, there are several courses of the program being offered from the Sociology-Anthropology department at ULL. From there, I was accepted into the "Partners In Policymaking" program from the DD Council where I learned effective advocacy skills and being able to learn those skills as well as some wonderful mentoring opportunities from DeAnn made it possible for me to be appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2009 to the LRC.

After only reaching my 1st year on the council, I was elected without opposition to the Executive Committee where I help write the policy for Louisiana Rehab Services offices to follow. I have attached a copy of the 09-10 LRC Report as a highlight of the work that I contributed to the council.

I want to conclude with a quote from former SMU and NFL Head Football Coach J. Raymond Berry; "I hope you be part of something because it is a chance of a lifetime." That was a quote mentioned when I was a 7th grader and JH Williams won a grant from the J. Raymond Berry foundation to improve the technology enhancements. It is my hope that you can follow the example of Coach Berry because you never know what impact you will make in life.