(Washington, DC) Eve Hill was confirmed by the District of Columbia Council as the first director of the District’s Office of Disability Rights (ODR). Hill, appointed by Mayor Adrian Fenty, says she will work to make the District a leader and a model in disability rights compliance.

"There is much to be done to ensure that people with disabilities can participate fully in all that the District has to offer. My aim is to make DC a national leader in community participation by people with disabilities," said Hill. "In order to do this, the Office of Disability Rights will work to take a proactive approach to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and will seek creative solutions to the barriers currently facing the disability community."

Hill will engage the disability community to determine priorities and will advocate for greater access in all aspects of DC government, including housing, health care, education, and employment. The new Office of Disability Rights (ODR) will work with other District agencies to improve physical access to government facilities, improve communication access for those with vision and hearing disabilities, and to increase employment and accommodation for people with disabilities. ODR will investigate and resolve complaints from people with disabilities, as well as work on improving policies and procedures throughout DC government.

Prior to becoming the director of ODR, Hill was the executive director of the Disability Rights Legal Center, a nonprofit advocacy group in Los Angeles. Hill is a member of Maine, District of Columbia, and California Bars and is the coauthor of a treatise and a casebook on Disability Civil Rights Law and Policy.