Our Benefit Honorees

Michael Callahan’s roots advocating for people with disabilities began all the way back in the mid-1960s at a Mississippi summer camp, where he worked after graduating from high school.

“I identified so many wrongs to be righted and people to be understood not only within the camp, but also in regard to the societal perception of those impacted by significant disabilities as a whole,” he says in his bio from the website of Marc Gold & Associates, a Virginia-based consulting firm that trains support workers.

Callahan worked in various disability related roles over the years until he joined MG&A in 1979, ultimately becoming president of the firm in 1982. He’s also published numerous articles, books, manuals, and curricula focused on employment for people with disabilities.

“He actually coined the term discovery,” says Therese Fimian, the president of MG&A. “He likes to tell the story of how he was watching Law and Order and was inspired by the term of legal discovery – fact finding. That’s what we’re doing. We’re going into a deep dive to understand what works for this individual and how we can understand that from the lens of employment.”

Calculating the ripple effect of Callahan’s work is almost impossible. In his 42 years with MG&A, he trained hundreds of people in best practices, and because of those support workers’ efforts, hundreds more people with disabilities have gone on to find meaningful employment and community engagement.

“His impact is remarkable not only here in the states but throughout the world,” says Fimian. “He helps people get to those ‘Aha!’ moments when they realize there is a better way to do things.”

Rachel Pollock
Former Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel

Looking at Rachel Pollock’s history with Job Path for 25 years and counting, CEO Carly Teichman says “her influence has impacted every single department in the agency.”

“She’s a visionary,” Teichman says. “She’s brilliant at identifying each department’s needs and for being a matchmaker in employment.”

Pollock currently serves as a consultant for Job Path, but as COO and General Counsel, she oversaw budget and program operations, managed funding sources, and implemented the customized employment approach that is the hallmark of Job Path’s work.

Job Path, Pollock says, was one of the first agencies to push the envelope for people with autism – supporting them to find jobs, graduate from college, and engage with their communities.

“Seeing the small but totally meaningful, incremental changes in people’s lives is enormously satisfying,” Pollock says. “It’s incredible when you see what people can do when they get the support they need. We get a chance to make a huge difference in so many peoples’ lives.”

Prior to joining Job Path, Pollock worked for the City of New York on cases involving disability rights and clean air and water, among others. Before that, she worked at the firm Paul, Weiss (Job Path’s Employer of the Year) advocating for homeless families and people with mental health challenges as part of the firm’s active pro bono practice.

“I went to law school knowing I wanted to use law to make a difference in people’s lives,” she says. “My work has also always been influenced by being a parent of a son with autism. I have a special place in my heart for supporting families as they journey with their sons and daughters to work and create meaningful lives.”