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Dinah Cohen

Director, Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), Department of Defense

Meeting of November 16, 2011

Dinah F. B. Cohen is the Director for the Department of Defense (DoD) Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP). Ms. Cohen works closely with senior leadership throughout the Federal sector to ensure employees, beneficiaries, and members of the public with disabilities have equal access to Federal services and employment. Over 71,000 requests for accommodations have been filled since CAP's inception in 1990. Ms. Cohen also initiated a program to provide assistive technology and accommodation support to wounded service members to aid in their rehabilitation and recovery process.

Recently, the Partnership for Public Service honored Ms. Cohen as the recipient of the 2007 Service to America Citizen Services Medal for her team's tremendous impact on employees with disabilities and wounded service members. Under Ms. Cohen's leadership, CAP has also received the 2006 Freedom to Compete Award from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Telework in the Federal Government Conference Leadership Award for 2004 sponsored by Potomac Forum, Ltd., the 2004 Best New Communications Ability Award, and three 2004 Horizon Interactive Awards. Ms. Cohen is the recipient of the Fred Strache Leadership Award sponsored by the California State University, Northridge Center on Disabilities, the Federal 100 Award, and the DoD Exceptional Civilian Service Award for her leadership and impact on the development, acquisition and management of information technology in the Federal government.

Ms. Cohen is an international speaker on disability policy, reasonable accommodations, accessibility and information technology and its impact on employment of people with disabilities. She continues to serve on numerous interagency accessibility committees and conference groups.

Ms. Cohen is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She received her Master's of Science degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in rehabilitation counseling from the State University of New York. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Science/Elementary Education from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York.