Principal, Kemp & Young, Inc.
John D. Kemp, a principal in the firm of Kemp & Young, Inc., has a federal law and legislative practice in the areas of disability, rehabilitation, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector. He joined CAST's Board of Directors in 2003.
Mr. Kemp is Chief Executive Officer of the Disability Service Providers of America, a title he has also held at the United Cerebral Palsy Association, VSA Arts, and HalfthePlanet Foundation. He has served as General Counsel and Vice President of Development for the National Easter Seal Society and is a cofounder of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).
Mr. Kemp has personal experience with disability. Having been born without arms below the elbows and without legs below the knees, Mr. Kemp uses four prostheses in living an independent, productive life. In 1991, he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, an honor extended to singularly accomplished individuals in recognition of their achievements in the face of extraordinary challenges.
Mr. Kemp is co-author and editor of the book Reflections From A Different Journey (McGraw-Hill, 2004), a collection of essays by writers who were raised from birth or early childhood with disabilities. The book contains advice for parents of people with disabilities.
A frequently requested keynote speaker and humorist, Kemp delivers 20–30 addresses annually before conferences, conventions, and annual meetings. He is admitted to practice law in Kansas and the District of Columbia.
Mr. Kemp currently serves as a member of several nonprofit organizations’ boards of directors, was a presidential appointee to the National Council on Disability, and chaired the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Mr. Kemp graduated from Georgetown University in 1971 and from Washburn University’s School of Law in 1974. In 1997, he was recognized by the law school as a Distinguished Alumni Fellow and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law from Washburn in 2003.
