Nick Kaasa has dedicated his 15-year career to improving the very services he gets through the Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Developmental Disabilities (ODDS). Over that time, he has gone from receiving services to training the people who provide those services.

“I often say that I have the privilege of seeing our system from both sides of the table,” Nick said. “I not only work in this field. I also receive services through it. I know what it means to sit across from a case manager and hope someone sees your potential. And I know what it means to be the person on the other side of that table, working to make sure they do.”

Nick is the recipient of the 2026 Ross Ryan Self-Advocacy award, presented by ODDS as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

ODDS created this award with self-advocates to honor Ross Ryan, the founder of the Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition. Ross helped end sheltered workshops in Oregon.

“Ross had a voice, and he knew how to use it, but he was also always a diplomat. We created this award in his honor,” said ODDS Program Analyst Julie Huber during the award presentation. “Ross would have been excited to hand it off to you.”

The 2025 winner, Ashley Herberholz, said she learned a lot about self-advocacy in a class she took from Nick.

“It was a life-changing event for me. I learned how to use your story to speak up to legislators on things like healthcare, services, and housing,” she said. “I got the real sense that Nick genuinely cares about people with disabilities and does his best to help people. He’s a great advocate to have on your side. Nick was a good person to win the award because he has done a lot.”

Nick’s advocacy journey started in high school. A teacher encouraged Nick to tell his story. “I remember him telling me, ‘Nick, you have a voice. You have a story. Use your voice and share that story, because it’s important.’”

In high school and for several years after, Nick shared his story for each new class. But he wasn’t yet thinking about how he could use his personal experience to help others with disabilities. He pictured himself working as a part-time greeter at Walmart after high school.

His personal agent at Full Access, Amberlee Dawson, encouraged him to think bigger.

"There was a spark in Nick, and I really wanted him to expand his thinking beyond a part‑time job," she said.

She helped him identify public speaking as a strength and goal. She also encouraged him to share his story for her organization’s Look Me In the Eye campaign. Nick began presenting about his lived experience with cerebral palsy and glaucoma.

From there, Nick’s advocacy career took off. At 21, Nick joined the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities as the youngest member at that time. He also joined Full Access in a staff role supporting case management and helping people get services.

Today, he works as a trainer at The Arc Oregon and serves on the State Rehabilitation Council.

“It’s been so amazing to watch Nick transform over the years from not having a lot of confidence to having a fulfilling career,” Amberlee said.

As Nick grew in his career, he discovered his passion: helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find meaningful work.

“I believe that employment is the key to independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” he said. “A job is more than a paycheck. It is a reason to get up in the morning. It is a place to belong. It is the freedom to make your own choices, to build your own life, and to be known in your community not for your disability but for your contribution.”

Nick believes deeply that it “only takes one” — meaning every person can make a difference.

He helped create The Arc’s Self‑Advocacy Leadership and Ambassador Program to help people speak up for themselves and become self-advocates. He is proud that the program is led by self-advocates, for self-advocates.

Nick has also helped improve Oregon’s service system. He played an important role in redesigning the individual support plan (ISP), said Nick’s colleague, Lindsay Dutton. Nick made sure that people receiving the services were part of the process, she said.

“He made sure people’s voices were being heard and that they were driving the work,” she said.

Lindsay has seen firsthand how Nick lives his values — and inspires others to do the same.

“He’s the embodiment of ‘nothing about us without us,” she said.

Self-advocates play an important role in helping improve services so people can be safe and live full and independent lives. Here are some places to get started:

• The Arc Oregon
• Oregon Self Advocacy Coalition
• Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities
• ODHS advisory groups

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