Oregon’s Employment First Summit
Gallery walk and networking event from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
For the Thursday agenda, please click on the button.
Included are QR codes to share your thoughts to contribute to the Strategic Plan and for the next Employment First Summit.
Oregon Employment First partners are invited to come:
- Celebrate Oregon’s Employment First initiative to advance employment for people with I/DD as well as celebrate October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the passage of Senate Bill 810.
- Reflect on the “State of the State” (Regional and State Employment First teams, and other partners share project successes).
- Participate in strategic planning for the future.
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, Vocational Rehabilitation and Oregon Department of Education are partnering with APSEs Pacific Northwest Employment Forum to host this event.
Location:
Holiday Inn, Columbia Riverfront
909 N Hayden Island Dr.
Portland, OR 97217
Registration Cost: $75
Registration via PNWEF registration link (below). Registration still open but dietary considerations may not be able to be supported for the luncheon.
Key information: If you need a hotel, you must call and see if a room is available. (Hotel block cut off was Friday, September 5th.) We will have a World Cafe; here is more information if you are interested to know prior to attending. World Cafe will begin the building blocks for Oregon’s strategic plan.
| Agenda outline: | Session/Event | Location |
| Wed. 10/1 4pm to 6pm | Gallery Walk and Happy Hour | Prefunction Area |
| Thurs. 10/2/2025 Breakfast 7:30am-8:30am | Registration check-in starts at 7:30am | Prefunction Area |
| Opening – 8:30am | Welcome, Purpose | East Salon Ballroom |
| 8:45am-11:15am | State of the State: Various presenters (more coming) | East Salon Ballroom |
| NDEAM Lunch 11:30am-1pm | SB810, Ross Ryan Award | East Salon Ballroom |
| 1:00pm -3:15pm | World Cafe | East Salon Ballroom |
| 3:15pm – 3:30pm | Wrap-up, action steps for strategic plan | East Salon Ballroom |
In honor of the tireless leadership of the late Ross Ryan, ODHS is seeking nominations for the annual Ross Ryan Self-Advocacy Employment Award. To nominate yourself or someone else, please complete the nomination form by Sept. 12.
As one of the founders of the Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition, Ryan was not only a powerful self-advocate, but also advocated for all Oregonians with disabilities. His advocacy contributed to the end of sheltered workshops that paid less than minimum wage and led to ensuring competitive integrated employment for all. This award will recognize a self-advocate whose efforts have improved their own employment, the employment of Oregonians with disabilities or both.
Nominees must have an intellectual and developmental disability, be a resident of Oregon and work in competitive integrated employment. The winner will be announced Oct. 2 during the Employment First summit. The winner will be notified in advance.
Get involved before the summit
- Take the survey to help shape the strategic planning session. The survey is available in Spanish via the drop-down menu in the upper right.
- Present your regional, state or project successes for the “State of the State” presentation. Updates of 5–10 minute are welcome.
- Host a table at the Gallery Walk to showcase Employment First work.
- Nominate yourself or someone else for the Ross Ryan Self-Advocacy Employment Award by Sept. 12. The nomination form is available in Spanish via the drop-down menu in the upper right.
- Review past plans to prepare: