Pennsylvania self-advocate, Oscar Drummond, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of The Betty Williams, Champion of Equal Opportunity Award. Drummond was nominated by PADDC Executive Director Lisa Tesler. The “Champions of Equal Opportunity” award is given by the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and recognizes self-advocates that make a real difference in their communities, states, and across the country. An award ceremony was held at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on October 21 during the NACDD 2025 Champions of Equal Opportunity (CEO) Awards at the Pennsylvania State Capitol’s Governor’s Reception Room.
PADDC is excited to announce that a Pennsylvania self-advocate, Oscar Drummond was selected as the 2025 recipient of The Betty Williams, Champion of Equal Opportunity Award. The National Association of Council on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) gave the “Champions of Equal Opportunity” award at a ceremony in the Governor’s Reception Room at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro joined NACDD to honor these changemakers for their tireless work advancing inclusion and equal opportunity.
The award recognizes self-advocates that make a real difference in their communities, states, and across the country. Mr. Drummond is being recognized for his visionary leadership in founding Self Advocates United as 1 (SAU1) and shaping statewide and national disability policy. The award recipients are also welcomed into the NACDD National Self-Advocate Leadership Circle.
Mr. Drummond, of Philadelphia, is a founding member of Self Advocates United as 1 (SAU1) and is its first board president. He held this position for ten years. Since 2018, Drummond has served as SAU1’s Lead Power Staff. His work promoting and advocating for self-determination and inclusion is immense. Just a few of his leadership roles have included:
- Liaison to the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) Information Sharing and Advisory Committee representing people with lived experience.
- Master trainer and management team leader in the PA Training Partnership for People with Disabilities and Families, a statewide training and technical assistance project providing peer-to-peer information and mentoring.
- Pennsylvania state leadership team for the Community of Practice for Supporting Families.
- Member of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Community Advisory Board (CAB) with Temple University Institute on Disability (IOD).
- Helped author the foundational document that set the guiding principles for the systems of supports for people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Drummond was nominated for the award by Lisa Tesler, Executive Director of the PA Developmental Disabilities Council. In her nomination, Tesler wrote:
“Oscar speaks with clarity about what matters most. He has a knack for cutting through the noise and saying what is at the heart of the matter. He brings all of us, meaning his peers, families, providers, system leaders, politicians, and bureaucrats, back to the basics of authentic person-centered lives. He holds the community and all its members accountable. He reminds everyone at the table that the voice of those served by systems must always be heard, respected, and honored.”
The CEO Awards were part of NACDD’s Annual National Leadership Summit in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where Executive Directors from more than 30 State and Territorial Developmental Disabilities Councils gathered to strengthen leadership, share best practices, and address national policy issues affecting people with developmental disabilities.
Six other advocates were also inducted into the Leadership Circle, including Robert Zoytnia from Plymouth, PA. The Leadership Circle is comprised of self-advocate leaders who have been nominated by their DD Council as someone who shares and promotes NACDD’s values of self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion.
“Today, we celebrated individuals and advocates from across the country who remind us what leadership, inclusion, and community look like in action,” said Lisa Butler, Chair, Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. “Each honoree represents the best of what our Councils stand for – people coming together to create change, to lift others, and to make inclusion real in everyday life.”