Jonathan Slifka

I have been a trailblazer and broken barriers throughout my entire life. Growing up in West Hartford, Connecticut, I was one of the first students with a disability mainstreamed through the West Hartford Public School System. I was also the first person with a disability to play in the West Hartford Little League, as well as being the first student in a wheelchair to play on a West Hartford high school tennis team. In addition, I served as the March of Dimes Poster Child from 1985-1987.

In my professional career, I have been inspired by my brother Scott’s passion for public service while he served as Mayor of the Town of West Hartford from 2004 to 2016. I have always pursued opportunities to advocate on behalf of all persons with disabilities. In 2014, I was appointed by then Governor Dannel P. Malloy as the Governor’s Liaison to the Disability Community, a cabinet-level position and first position of its kind in the history of the state. In this role, I focused on key elements and issues in the areas of employment, housing, education and transportation on behalf of the Disability Community. During my time in that role, I helped create and re-vitalize various working groups and committees to focus on the needs of the disability community, such as Chair of the Governor’s Committee on Employment for Persons with Disabilities and Co-Chair of the Developmental Disabilities Working Group, in addition to helping push through several key pieces of legislation.

As the current Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services, I have been appointed to several task forces and committees including a Transportation Task Force raising issues on behalf of the aging and disability communities, the Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force under which I Chaired a Sub-Committee on Improving Police Interactions with the Disability Community, the Police Officers Standards and Training Council under which I serve as a member of both the Curriculum and Accreditation Sub-Committees, the Vision Zero Council which was created to develop a state-wide policy and interagency approach to eliminate all transportation-related deaths and severe injuries to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists and passengers, and a Hate Crimes Advisory Council to provide the perspective of the Disability Community.

I currently serve as a volunteer with several organizations as well bringing the perspective of the Disability Community and a passion to motivate and inspire. I previously served as a counselor and mentor for the Hospital For Special Care’s Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp, a camp initially founded by my mother, Janeace, in 1991, the first camp of its kind on the East Coast. I am a former member of the West Hartford Advisory Commission for Persons with Disabilities, a former Chair of the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee, a founding and current member of the Board of Directors of the Miracle League of Connecticut, and a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force for the Playhouse on Park in West Hartford.

My life story and lived experience have been an inspiration to many people in my life. I am passionate to share my story to inspire and motivate others.