OLYMPIA – For the second year in a row, Employment Security Department won two awards for its exemplary leadership in disability inclusion.
Employment Security employees Bill Kinyon and Karen “KD” Parr each won Respect, Acceptance and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (RADD) awards from the Disability Inclusion Network (DIN).
Kinyon, who works at WorkSource Spokane, received the Leader of the Year award. DIN said Kinyon has worked to remove structural barriers by shortening the reasonable accommodation process. He also ensures needs, like ASL (American Sign Language), CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) and others are met.
Kinyon also won the 2025 Advocate of the Year award from DIN. He co-chairs Employment Security’s employee resource group for members and allies of the disabled community.
Parr, a senior human resources training consultant and eLearning developer, won the Individual of the Year award. According to DIN, Parr creates and delivers accessible trainings that build skills and confidence. Her work centers disability perspectives and reduces barriers.
“These awards spotlight the incredible work our staff do to ensure everyone in Washington has access to the opportunities, power and resources they need to achieve their full potential,” Employment Security Commissioner Cami Feek said. “I’m proud of Bill and KD for their significant contributions, and grateful to the Disability Inclusion Network for recognizing them.”
The Disability Inclusion Network (DIN) is a business resource group for members of the disabled community and allies who work for Washington state agencies, higher education institutions and more. Learn more about the DIN on its website.
Employment Security provides a financial safety net through unemployment benefits or paid family and medical leave. Along with state and community partners, the agency helps people find jobs and employers find workers thought WorkSource. Employment Security also provides the latest labor market information.
Learn more:
###