Disability Provider Advocacy Shouldn’t Be This Easy w/ Libby Vinson – Ep. 71

Описание: Advocacy often feels intimidating for provider leaders — time-consuming, political, or like something only professional lobbyists can do.

In this episode, Nate continues his conversation with Libby Vinson, CEO of the New Jersey Association of Community Providers (NJACP), to break that myth apart.

Libby shares what actually gets lawmakers to listen, why provider voices matter more than they realize, and how advocacy can be far simpler — and more relational — than most leaders expect. This conversation reframes advocacy not as politics, but as leadership: telling your story, inviting people in, and making the ask.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wouldn’t even know where to start,” this episode will change how you think about influence, policy, and your role as a provider leader.

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) “If you’re not telling your story, someone else is” — why provider voices matter
(01:01) Part 2 framing: why workforce challenges are also a policy issue
(02:55) Why disability services struggle to get attention in a crowded media landscape
(07:09) How social media and headlines can distort the provider reality
(08:59) Why DSPs telling their own stories is the most powerful advocacy
(11:16) The impact of lawmakers seeing programs up close
(15:07) “Make the ask” — why providers underestimate their influence
(20:14) How relationships shape policy more than reports or position papers
(25:42) Advocacy without burnout: engaging without adding another full-time job

LEARN MORE
New Jersey Association of Community Providers (NJACP):
https://njacp.org/

Free Resource — 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out Their Teams:
https://iddleader.com/burnout