Biography

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Julie Ballinger, M.A., is a nationally recognized leader in the Disability Rights field, with over 37 years of experience advancing civil rights. She delivers national impact through leadership, innovation, technical assistance (TA), and training across a wide range of sectors. Julie directed a Center for Independent Living (CIL), a nonprofit led by people with disabilities that empowers individuals through community-based services. She became a consultant with the Southwest ADA Center and, shortly thereafter, also worked with the University of Arkansas, where she delivered TA and training to CILs across two federal regions for 8 years. For the past 26 years, Julie has continued with the Southwest ADA Center, specializing in in-depth training and TA on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504. Her work spans employment, government, and business/nonprofit accessibility, with a focus on best practices. Notably, over the past 8 years, she has concentrated on training and TA for court and correctional systems and authored comprehensive, nationally distributed ADA guides tailored to each sector.