For Immediate Release

‘Private Practice’ star and advocate for children with disabilities,

Brenneman to keynote 2012 TASH Conference in Long Beach, Calif.

WASHINGTON (April 2, 2012) – TASH, a nonprofit advocate for inclusion and human rights of persons with significant disabilities, announces actress Amy Brenneman will be among keynote speakers during the 2012 TASH Conference in Long Beach, Calif., November 28-December 1, 2012.

Brenneman, best known for her performances in a number of notable television series, including her current role as Violet in the ABC series Private Practice, will be speaking to attendees of the TASH Conference as a parent and an advocate for children with disabilities. Brenneman has been an important voice against segregated models of education and has promoted fully inclusive schools, such as CHIME Institute in Woodland Hills, Calif., where her children attend.

The TASH Conference annually attracts more than a thousand members and supporters of the disability community to learn, grow and advance human rights and inclusion. TASH, whose work over the past 37 years has significantly advanced inclusive education around the nation, believes Brenneman’s public standing and tenacious advocacy will help build inclusive communities in which everyone is welcomed and respected.

“Having just produced an event for the fabulous CHIME Institute where my children attend, I am ever more committed to providing an inclusive education for every child. The research shows that children with and without disabilities thrive when educated together, and serves as a model for the community at-large,” said Brenneman. “I am thrilled to be part of the TASH Conference to learn even more about blazing the trails for inclusion.”

The TASH Conference is a perennial draw for advocates, families, people with disabilities and related professionals and academics who converge to share ideas and discuss priorities that create positive changes in the lives of people with disabilities throughout the lifespan. For nearly four decades, the TASH Conference has been the launching pad for ideas and advocacy that have shaped supports and opportunities throughout the U.S. and abroad, and demonstrated the importance of all stakeholders working together.

“A commitment to including people regardless of disability label has the power to transform lives and communities, and exponentially benefit everyone involved,” said Barb Trader, TASH Executive Director. “That’s a philosophy we promote as an organization and through the TASH Conference, and something Ms. Brenneman espouses in her life and the lives of her children. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her involvement in this year’s conference.”

The TASH Conference will emphasize the rethinking of long-held presumptions about people with disabilities, reflected in the conference theme, So Many Answers Left Unquestioned. This year in Long Beach, attendees, presenters and speakers will be challenged to take an intentional look at the systems and thinking that have shaped the support network for people with disabilities, including the American education system.

The TASH Conference will feature more than 150 sessions, workshops, films and training opportunities on inclusive education, employment, community living, diversity and cultural competency, human rights and other topics. Learn more about the 2012 TASH Conference at www.tash.org/2012TASH.

About TASH

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, TASH is an international grassroots leader in advancing inclusive communities through research, education and advocacy. Founded in 1975, we are a volunteer-driven organization that advocates for human rights and inclusion for people with the most significant disabilities and support needs – those most vulnerable to segregation, abuse, neglect and institutionalization. The inclusive practices we validate through research have been shown to improve outcomes for all people. More information about TASH can be found at www.tash.org.

2012 TASH Conference

The TASH Conference is the advocacy, networking and educational event of the year and brings together stakeholders from all aspects of the community. For 37 years, this conference has attracted leading experts and advocates on issues impacting the disability community. The 2012 conference theme draws its inspiration from a poem by Megan Jones, a self-advocate, poet and board member from North Carolina TASH. Read the full poem and learn more about the 2012 TASH Conference at www.tash.org/2012TASH.

Amy Brenneman

In addition to her current role at Violet on ABC’s Private Practice, Brenneman’s past performances include roles on NYPD Blue and Judging Amy, which Brenneman created, executive produced and starred in for six years. Her roles have garnered critical acclaim and earned multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations, as well as three TV Guide awards for Best Actress. Find more at http://theamybrenneman.com.