Peckham in Action
Peckham Champion Award
CELEBRATING CHAMPIONS OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AND INCLUSION
The Peckham Champion Award honors elected officials who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing the employment of individuals with disabilities and other barriers. As an AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency, Peckham provides vocational rehabilitation to thousands of individuals who deliver essential goods and services through federal and state contracts.
This award celebrates leaders who champion our mission of creating meaningful work opportunities for people with disabilities. Recipients understand and appreciate the invaluable contributions of these individuals and are committed to empowering workplaces where everyone feels respected, valued and included.
2023 Peckham Champion Award
Peckham presents the 2023 Peckham Champion Award to U.S. Senator Gary Peters for his ongoing support of our mission to provide meaningful work to people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
About U.S. Senator Gary Peters
Senator Gary Peters has been honored to represent the State of Michigan in the U.S. Senate since 2015. He has focused on uniting our communities by fighting for the things we all agree on — a stronger economy, good-paying jobs, affordable health care, a secure retirement and an opportunity for everyone to succeed.
In the 118th Congress, Gary will continue to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees the Department of Homeland Security and is the Senate’s top oversight committee. He will also continue to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, where he is again chairing the Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and Ports Subcommittee.
Recently, he was appointed to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he’ll have a platform to advocate for policies and programs that will continue to help make Michigan a great state to live, work and raise a family. Gary is the first Michigan senator to fully serve on the committee since 1959.
2022 Peckham Champion Award
Peckham presents the 2022 Peckham Champion Award to U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin for her ongoing support of our mission to provide meaningful work to people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
About U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin
Representative Elissa Slotkin is honored to serve the residents of Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, a district that includes Ingham, Livingston, and North Oakland Counties.
Rep. Slotkin has spent her career in national service. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which took place during her first week of graduate school in New York City, Rep. Slotkin knew that national service would define her career. She was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to be a Middle East analyst and went on to devote her career to protecting the United States from national security threats. In her role at the CIA, Rep.
Slotkin worked alongside the U.S. military during three tours in Iraq as a militia expert. In between her tours in Iraq, Rep. Slotkin held various defense and intelligence positions under President Bush and President Obama, including roles at the White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. In 2011, Rep. Slotkin took a senior position at the Pentagon and, until January 2017, she served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. In this role, Rep. Slotkin oversaw policy on Russia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at the Pentagon and participated in negotiations on some of the country’s most pressing national security issues.