On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024 , we acknowledge the vital leadership roles of individuals with disabilities. The mantra, "Nothing about us without us," highlights the significance of their involvement, representation, and inclusion in leadership.
My guests on this episode are Ken and Anna Kunken
As a junior at Cornell University's College of Engineering, Ken Kunken suffered a neck injury while making a tackle during a lightweight football game against Columbia University.
Ken underwent over nine months of hospital stays and rehabilitation. During this time, he testified before a U.S. Senate Sub-Committee on Health Care, led by Senator Edward Kennedy.
He returned to Cornell to finish his degree in Industrial Engineering. After graduating, Ken shifted his career focus towards helping people, especially those with disabilities. He earned a Master of Arts in Education from Cornell and a Master of Education in Psychology from Columbia University, becoming the first quadriplegic to receive a graduate degree from Cornell.
Anna was initially employed as Ken's carer but he fell in love with her and they have been married for 21 years .They had IVF procedures which failed three times before they were finally blessed with a set of boy triplets .Ken and Anna Kunken reside in Long Island, New York, they are married , and together they parent a set of boy triplet
Ken and Anna were exceptional guests, and I admired how they completed each other's sentences. They are a prime example that physical or hidden disabilities should not hinder one's pursuit of happiness or achievements in life .
Later, Ken pursued a Juris Doctor degree at Hofstra University's School of Law, graduating in 1982.
For over four decades, Ken served as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, eventually becoming Deputy Bureau Chief. Ken, still married to Anna, is a proud father to his triplets. His biography, "I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story," was published in 2023.
#Cornell graduate
#Disability
#Fatherhood
#NothingaboutUsWithout Us
#Former Prosecutor
#Disabled Leader
#Lawyer
#Motivational Speaker
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