CJ2020

Bio

Carissa Janis

Treasurer at Women Enabled International

Carissa Janis has spent her 30-year career working for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a Grants Program Manager and Policy Advisor. Carissa is a national leader in the field of housing and supportive services for low-income elderly persons and people with disabilities. Carissa brings an in-depth knowledge of the entire grant-making life cycle, from writing proposals and awarding funds to evaluating impact and closing out grants. Her involvement with disability rights includes serving as President of National Capital Citizens with Low Vision, accessibility consultant to the Smithsonian Institution, a board member of the W.R. Torres Foundation for the Blind, founding business manager, and board member of Open Circle Theatre (a professional theatre company showcasing actors and artists with disabilities), founder and Chair of Advocates for HUD Employees with Disabilities, and member of the metropolitan Washington DC’s Visually Impaired Empowered Women’s networking group. In May 2020, Carissa received a Master of Arts degree in Conflict Resolution from Dominican University in Illinois and looks forward to working more actively as a mediator and group facilitator. She has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University and a B.A. in sociology from Barnard College. She has been a strong supporter and advocate for women’s rights since her time at Barnard College.

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