Amputee Coalition: Being the Change

Sam Rossiello, age 28

Corporate Change Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion

Sam and his friends, family, and trauma care team after running his first 5K only 8 months after his traumatic amputation

Like most able-bodied people, living with a disability was not something Sam Rossiello ever really considered. But when a 2016 subway accident resulted in bilateral lower-limb loss, he immediately discovered the reality of navigating a world that doesn’t always live up to the promise of the ADA. As an analytics manager for a global consulting firm, Rossiello is working to go beyond the ADA by minimizing workplace obstacles faced by people with disabilities.

“Some people are just too shy to talk about it, and want to just fit in,” he explains. “So they just deal with things that are not good for them.” Rossiello believes that many younger people do not fully understand the rights provided to them by the ADA. 

As part of his company’s mental health and disability advocacy teams, Rossiello plays an integral role in designing internal systems that address all forms of disability. For example, he says he envisions “an opt-in disability identity, so that any facilitators of company trainings or meetings would know that you had a disability, and they would be able to shape the training to your needs.” He also advocates for a centralized call center to answer questions related to disability accommodations at company offices around the world. Removing roadblocks to hiring is another goal, such as ensuring that adaptive technology is available during interviews for job candidates. Follow Samuel Rossiello on Instagram. Read Amplitude‘s interview with Samuel Rossiello from September 2020.

Change is tough at any age, but the early accomplishments of Druppal, Ennis, Thomas, Parris, Shepherd, and Rossiello make it look easy. As representatives of the post-ADA generations, these six remarkable individuals are making an impact on the world at a pace that foretells of even more good things to follow for humanity.