Susan E. Sygall

Civil Rights Leader Class of 2000
location icon Location
Eugene, Oregon
age iconAge
47 at time of award

About Susan's Work

Susan Sygall is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Mobility International USA (MIUSA), an organization with a global reach that focuses on the rights of individuals with disabilities, especially women.

Through MIUSA, Sygall encourages budding leaders and policymakers to secure for disabled persons the rights and opportunities that will permit them to contribute more fully to their communities. Her work encompasses many kinds of design – from the architectural design of work environments to the design of international programs. Indeed, Sygall has advocated the concept of “universal design” which promotes maximal accessibility to everyday activities for people with disabilities.  In the process, she has changed many lives, often in the poorest and most isolated parts of the world.

Biography

Sygall founded Mobility International USA in 1981. She is the co-editor of Building an Inclusive Development Community: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Development Programs (2004) and co-producer of the video documentary Loud, Proud, and Prosperous: Microcredit Projects by and for Women with Disabilities in Southern Africa (2003). She also serves as an advisor to the Global Fund for Women.

Sygall received a B.S. (1976) from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.S. (1981) from the University of Oregon.

Last updated January 1, 2005

Published on July 1, 2000

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