Westfield State Alum Amber Pettell '15 appointed to Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council

Westfield State alum Amber Pettell has been appointed to the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, dubbed the MDDC. Amber, who graduated in 2015, has always advocated for disabilities, both professional and lived experiences with having a disability. Amber, who focuses on ending systematic inequality, was appointed by Massachusetts state Governor Maura Healey, with two other individuals, to help uphold the cores of the MDDC. Self-sufficient living, community engagement, and providing resources are among the core principles of the MDDC, and Alum Amber does an excellent job at each of these cores.  

Amber currently works as a Self-Advocacy Peer Coordinator at The Western Massachusetts Training Consortium in Holyoke, MA, where she has spent close to a decade supporting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in skills like advocation for themself and others, a pillar of creating a community where systematic inequality is no more. Amber, who also holds a Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a Specialization in Public Interest Communication, is quite a fantastic addition to this committee, stating, "For me, my disability is a major part of my identity. Disability is my culture and the only community that has ever made me feel truly accepted. I have so much pride in my community, and I have always felt frustrated by how much misunderstanding and discrimination we face. Around 13, I resolved to change it however I could. Over the last 20 years, I have remained steadfast in that goal." 

Congratulations, Amber, on being appointed to the MDDC; we know you will do fantastic! 

To read more about Amber, click here