Class of 2007-08 American Diabetes Association 1701 N. Bearegard Street Alexandria, VA 22311 Phone: (800) 676-4065 ext. 2124 Email: VThomas@diabetes.org

Profile:

Victoria attended the Georgetown Law after earning a double major in Gender Studies and Psychology from Rice.  At Georgetown, she was a board member of the Women’s Legal Alliance and an editor for the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, which published her article on “Sexual Harassment in Education.”  She represented migrant farm workers experiencing housing and employment discrimination as a law clerk for Southern Migrant Legal Services, and low-income clients experiencing housing discrimination based on gender, familial status, and disability with the Legal Aid Society of DC.  As a Home Court Fellow for the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, she created low-literacy educational materials for people with disabilities living in D.C. homeless shelters.  She also taught legal principles and trial advocacy to inner-city teens through the D.C. Street Law Clinic.

During her time with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), Victoria provided legal information and resources to people who contact the ADA about discrimination related to diabetes.  She fielded many calls each month concerning discrimination that people with diabetes face from employers, educational institutions and law enforcement officials, and she educated them about their rights under disability and civil rights laws.  She helped people with diabetes recover employment contracts, obtain reasonable accommodations from their employers, gain financial compensation for past discrimination, persuade employers to change their hiring policies, and convince schools to change their policies regarding accommodations for children.  She successfully challenged charges concerning alleged crimes related to hypoglycemia.  Victoria also trained the ADA’s Legal Advocacy Call Center employees, and she helped coordinate the ADA’s nationwide volunteer attorney network and provided the attorneys with in-depth training and materials regarding diabetes advocacy.  As part of these efforts, Victoria trained attorneys across the country about providing legal information and services to people with diabetes.  For example, she gave a presentation entitled “Establishing Coverage for Students with Diabetes” at the Fighting for Fairness Conference in Chicago, and she also helped ensure that the conference ran smoothly.  Additionally, Victoria was involved in other legislative, policy and education initiatives.  For example, she was active in the legislative campaign to enact the American with Disabilities Restoration Act, such as preparing experts to give testimony at Congressional hearings.  She also assisted with the Safe at School program, which was launched by the American Diabetes Association to ensure that students with diabetes receive appropriate accommodation as well as non-differential treatment as their peers.  She also completed a “know your rights” packet for people with diabetes who have been incarcerated.

Victoria continues work at the American Diabetes Association.