Patrick Williams – Purpose Driven Leadership Transforming Passion into Healthy Spaces In a recent episode of the InVisible InCourage Show, host Wayne Connell, founder and CEO of the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA), sat down with Patrick Williams, the President and CEO of the PRK Williams Companies. Their conversation centered on a powerful theme: how purpose-driven […]
I Am Invisible No More: Together We are Changing the Way the World Sees Disabilities In 1996, the Invisible Disabilities® Association (IDA) began with a mission to validate the millions living in the shadows of “looking good” while feeling anything but. Today, we have reached a monumental milestone: IDA’s 30th Anniversary. For more than three […]
Why Care Agencies Overlook Invisible Disabilities and How to Lead the Change In a world that often relies on the mantra of “seeing is believing,” millions of people living with chronic pain, illness, and invisible disabilities are frequently left behind. Wayne Connell, the Founder and CEO of the Invisible Disabilities Association, recently joined the CareSmartz360 […]
Embracing Your Voice: Stuttering as an Invisible Disability and the Path to Becoming a Limitless Leader In a recent episode of the InVisible InCourage SHOW podcast, host and IDA Executive Director, Jess Stainbrook welcomed a remarkable guest whose life story reframes how we view communication and leadership. Dr. Saundra Russell-Smith, author of Limitless Leader: Leading […]
30 Years of Making the Invisible No More: The IDA Story Today, January 1, 2026, marks a monumental milestone for the disability community. It has been exactly 30 years since a spark of empathy and a desperate need for validation evolved into the Invisible Disabilities® Association (IDA). What began as a personal effort to help […]
Navigating Social Security Benefits: A Guide for Individuals with Invisible Disabilities The world of disability benefits can be complex, especially for individuals managing invisible disabilities. These are conditions that aren’t immediately apparent but significantly impact a person’s daily life and ability to work, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and long […]
How to Make Humor a Habit from Experts on Healthy Humor IDEAS! The Invisible Disabilities® Association recently hosted its debut Healthy Humor IDEAS show, and it’s a must-read for anyone who feels overwhelmed by life. IDEAS stands for Invisible Disabilities® Education Awareness and Support, and the panel brought together four incredible experts from the Association for […]
Time is Our Most Precious Commodity: Brian J Esposito Brian Esposito, CEO of Esposito Intellectual Enterprises, is a prominent figure in the worlds of entrepreneurship and technology. His journey, however, is not just one of business success, but also a deeply personal one shaped by his upbringing, health challenges, and a steadfast commitment to helping […]
One Tough Cookie: The Story of Isabella Sementilli Isabella Sementilli‘s life was changed in an instant in the fifth grade when a bully yanked her chair out from under her. The fall left her with a concussion, a fractured tailbone, and neck and back injuries. This incident marked the beginning of what she describes as […]
Tommy Spaulding on It’s Not Just Who You Know As a part of the Love IDEAS Summit hosted by IDA, author and speaker, Tommy Spaulding shares his insights on the importance of building authentic, genuine relationships. Tommy, a two-time New York Times bestselling author, believes that true success and happiness come not from grades, GPAs, […]
A Conversation with John O’Leary: Embracing Scars and Finding Awe John O’Leary, a man whose life story is as inspiring as it is challenging, shared his journey and insights on the InVisible InCourage SHOW. From surviving a devastating house fire to becoming a motivational speaker and author, John’s perspective on life, family, and invisible disabilities […]
Justin Monger of MedSure Systems on What is Medicine Management? Justin Monger, founder of MedSure Systems, who spent over three decades in national defense engineering, business development, and executive management at Hughes Aircraft and Raytheon, transitioned into healthcare due to a deeply personal experience. He witnessed his older sister’s lifelong struggles with addiction and mental […]
Emily Cram’s Journey of Courage and Advocacy Living with ERBIN In a world where many illnesses and disabilities are invisible, Emily Cram stands as a beacon of strength and advocacy. As the only woman in the United States diagnosed with ERBIN, a rare connective tissue disorder, Emily’s journey is one of profound challenges, unwavering resilience, […]
Imagine a world where the challenges faced by those living with invisible disabilities are not only acknowledged but actively supported. What if we actually See the Invisible? This May, the Invisible Disabilities® Association (IDA) invites you to be a part of making that vision a reality through the annual 2025 Invisible Disabilities® Walk & Roll. This empowering […]
What is the Neuro Invisible? For many, the concept of disability conjures images of visible impairments. But what about the disabilities we can’t see? The Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) is dedicated to raising awareness of these often-overlooked conditions, including those that impact the brain. In a recent episode of IDA’s “Brain IDEAS” program, hosted by […]
Hard to believe it is 2025 already. We founded the Invisible Disabilities Association over 29 years ago and so many things have changed since then. I think of 9-11 and the impact felt around the world. Since 1996 we’ve had wars and pandemics and devastating hurricanes and apocalyptic fires and so many other dramatic impacts […]
I’m still struggling and experiencing panic attacks! Today , at work, I was hit with a wave of anxiety that I couldn’t shake. My mind kept drifting back to the morning conversation with my son. He seemed down, and when I asked him why, he shared his frustration with me. My son had recently broken […]
Oftentimes in order to move forward, we need to look back. The Invisible Disabilities Association was founded in 1996. What was the reason for the founding of IDA? People would see my wife, Sherri get out of our car in an accessible spot and since she was not in a wheelchair, they would yell at […]
Disability ID Symbol Available in Colorado Overcoming disability discriminations with voluntary, government approved Disability ID Symbol and Database Legislation DENVER, COLORADO July 2022 – Coloradans living with invisible disabilities who may not be able to effectively communicate with first responders or law enforcement officers in emergency or tense situations now have a voluntary option to […]
Today is a very special day. Today, July 18th, is my wife, Sherri Connell’s birthday! I have been wondering how I can honor Sherri and show her how truly grateful I am for her. It is hard to believe we met almost 30 years ago. On March 21st of 1992 to be exact, Sherri walked […]