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Articles from prior issues of The Advocate
May/June, 1999
| Candidate Profiles President Sue Heflin I would like to take this opportunity to formally announce my candidacy for the position of NADE President-elect. I have had the privilege of serving as the Southeast Regional Director for the last two years and feel that my Board experience and my many years of service to the organization have helped to prepare me for the presidency. I have worked in the DDS for over 18 years in a variety of positions. As an examiner, I have adjudicated initial, reconsideration and CDR cases. I have been a QA reviewer and a hearing officer. I have also been a vocational specialist for more than 16 years. In my current position as branch director, I have functioned in several different jobs depending on the administration’s needs. I have supervised specialized reconsideration and CDR units in the past but currently supervise a unit of examiners of varying experience where we adjudicate all types of cases. |
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| I have suffered with all of you through the Zebley, DA&A and childhood readjudication special workloads. I think that my diverse experiences at the DDS will prove invaluable to me in the top leadership role. Since joining NADE in 1981, I have always been extremely active. I have served as my chapter president in 1986-87 and 1995-97. I was co-coordinator of the 1986 NADE National Training Conference and Southeast Regional President in 1987-88. I have chaired or served on nearly every committee at the local, regional and national level. I was the NADE Certification chair from 1990-94 and the Awards Committee Chair in 1994-95. I have won local chapter awards for staff person of the year, supervisor of the year, and outstanding service. On the regional level, I have twice been recognized with the Southeast Regional Service Award. I have also been honored to receive the Charles O. Blaylock Award in 1990 and the John Gordon Award in 1997. I have attended most of the national conferences since 1982 and the majority of regional conferences. I often attended at my own expense because I felt that the training and networking was a tremendous asset to my professional growth. I believe my long term commitment to NADE is well established. NADE’s accomplishments are many and we have come far as an organization; however, we have so much more to do as we forge ahead into the next century. As the disability program evolves and incorporates the various facets of redesign, NADE must continue to serve as a valued advisor, not only to SSA but also to other related organizations, such as GAO, the Social Security Advisory Board and the Congress of the United States. NADE is the only organization who truly represents all of us who are involved in the professional field of disability adjudication. We have the opportunity to shape the future of the disability program and our collective voice as experts on disability issues is louder now than ever. This is a critical time when we need strong leadership. I believe I can meet that challenge and respectfully request your support of my candidacy for NADE President-elect. |
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