In 1985, Joyce Bender had a life-threatening accident due to epilepsy that caused a cerebral hemorrhage requiring subsequent brain surgery. Against all odds, she recovered from this accident that left her with a 70 percent hearing loss in one ear and a realization that she had epilepsy. This accident changed the trajectory of her life and led to the founding of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. She is also CEO and Founder of the Bender Leadership Academy in Pittsburgh, PA. Her focus for both organizations is employment for people with disabilities. As a woman living with epilepsy and hard of hearing, she has dedicated her life to a crusade for youth and adults to gain the dream of competitive employment. She works tirelessly to break down the barriers and stigma that exist for people with disabilities and has been recognized fo her work by the Bush and Clinton administrations. She hosts the radio show, Disability Matters with Joyce Bender and has been featured in periodicals including Reader's Digest, the NYTimes, Investor’s Business Daily, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Chicago Tribune.