Our Staff

Photo of Ruthee Goldkorn

Ruthee Goldkorn, Executive Director
1-951-247-8150
knowbarriers@yahoo.com

My job is as a consultant and advocate for persons with disAbilities which I developed in 1995 after realizing that I knew nothing about why government and business had to let me in. It seemed to me that I had an obligation to educate government and businesses about why they had to let me in. I knew we had a Civil Right to full and equal access but I did not know enough to answer their question "why should I let you in?" If they let me in, they would have to let everyone in.

I received training from state and federal agencies in all aspects of Civil Rights and disAbled access building code compliance. I am a member of several local and statewide advocacy organizations and Chambers of Commerce. I guess you could say I was about as hooked in to the advocacy and activism communities of disAbility related issues as anyone could be. At least I thought I was. A colleague from one of the those organizations sent me an e mail in March of 2001 and she practically dared me to enter the Ms. Wheelchair California Pageant to be held in May in San Diego. The what??!! I had no idea there was such a thing but I was game for anything. I had seen Miss Congeniality! I was inspired by Sandra Bullock and my goal in entering was indeed to be titled Ms. Congeniality.

I entered, raised the Pageant fee from local businesses and wrote the essay "What Are You Passionate About"? with the answer being Civil Rights, equality and equity for the disAbility community. The crowing event came and I was crushed when they did not call my name for Ms. Congeniality. I was not paying any attention at all when I did hear my name and all I said was "what?" They put a crown in my head, a sash on my shoulder and flowers in my lap. Holy Smokes!!! I won the title of Ms. Wheelchair California and I was going to the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant!!! It took a couple of weeks for the enormity of the responsibility of the title to set in.

I have been the Executive Director of the Ms. Wheelchair California Pageant since 2001 and it has grown in it's affect across California and the work we do. Every one of our title holders has come in to the program already a change maker and leaves with a legacy that is history.

Ms. Wheelchair California is the official spokeswoman for not only women with disAbility in California, but with our connection to other advocacy and activism organizations for the benefit of the disAbility community, we speak for the disAbility community at large and by extension, we provide a benefit for all of California. We are indeed activists and advocates and we work closely with local and state public policy makers, elected officials and law makers to improve the quality of life for all people with disAbilities. When people with disAbilities are equally and equitably included in the work place, school, recreation and all areas of general life, everyone has an improved quality of life.

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MWCC Officers and Board Members

Officers

  • Susan Rotchy - President
  • Kathleen Barajas - Vice-President
  • Susan Barnhill-Chandler - Secretary
  • Lilly Simmons - Treasurer

Board Members

  • Susan Barnhill-Chandler - First Runner Up, Ms. Wheelchair Utah in the 1970's and supporter of the Ms. Wheelchair California Pageant since she brought her family to California in the 1980's
  • Kathleen Barajas - First Runner Up, Ms. Wheelchair California 2004 and MWCC Techno Guru
  • Steffi Bussi - Ms. Wheelchair California 2006
  • Jennifer MacMonigal - Ms. Wheelchair California 2002
  • Juliette Rizzo - Ms. Wheelchair America 2005
  • Leslie Robinson - Riverside CA Chapter 34 President, Californians for Disability Rights
  • Susan Rotchy - Ms. Wheelchair California 2007
  • Yvonne Wetzel - Pageant Coach
  • Laura Williams - State President, Californians for Disability Rights
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