Meet Daniel Van Sant
Director of Disability Policy
About Daniel:
Daniel Van Sant joined The Harkin Institute in 2021 to oversee the Institute’s disability policy work, which includes organizing the Harkin International Disability Employment Summit, an annual event that brings together key champions and implementers from around the world to increase employment of people with disabilities. Before joining THI, Daniel was a staff attorney at Disability Rights Iowa where he provided free legal representation to children with disabilities and their families. Daniel earned his Juris Doctorate and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education with a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Disability Studies from Syracuse University and earned his bachelor’s degrees in International Relations, Rhetoric, and Politics from Drake University.
Areas of Expertise
- Competitive, integrated employment
- Disability rights
- Inclusive hiring
- Universal design
- Workplace accommodations
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
In the news
- USA Today: For students with disabilities, what’s the difference between IEPs and 504 plans?
- Des Moines Business Record: Section 504 lawsuit stokes fears for families with disabilities
- WHO 13: Iowa disability programs brace for potential cuts after budget leak
- IWD Mission: Employable Podcast: Disability Employment with the Harkin Institute
- KGAN: Iowa AG : Lawsuit over Biden’s Section 504 rule is suspended
- The Des Moines Register: Brenna Bird’s legal action could hurt thousands of Iowans with disabilities
Address: 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone: (515) 271-3623
Email: harkininstitute@drake.edu
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.