#Advocacy Matters: Leaving a Legacy

July 31, 2026 / #AdvocacyMatters

In our daily work, we understand and value that we have difficult but rewarding positions. None more embody that spirit of resiliency and positivity than our two most recent retirees, Ginger Wilson (Civil Rights and Access Team Leader) and Kristin Hildebrant (Education and Employment Team Leader).

Disability justice is better served with leaders who not only value the experiences of disabled people, but who put time and effort into the fight each day. For decades, these two women were an invaluable asset to our organization, and that institutional knowledge will be deeply missed. On top of that, Ginger and Kristin shared kindness and humility with every staff member they encountered, making our organization a more personable and family-oriented place.

We honor the work that Ginger and Kristin gave to DRO through their many seasons of life and thank them immensely for their commitment to our organization. To summarize, we wanted to share what working for DRO meant to both of them, from their own words.

"Working at the same organization for 37 years has given me a perspective many don't get to experience. I've seen ebbs and flows in the disability field and DRO's steadfast commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities always have a voice in the way evolving laws and policies affect their lives. Our advocacy has changed lives and relieved heavy burdens on families. I have met and connected with so many amazing and wonderful people along the way. It has been an incredibly fulfilling career that I have loved, and I feel lucky and grateful to have been able to do this work every day." -Kristin Hildebrant

"As a person with a disability myself and a parent of children with disabilities, I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity throughout my time at DRO (and previously with Ohio Legal Rights Services) to play a part in helping empower people with disabilities and their families to effectively advocate for themselves, to make them feel heard and understood and give them some knowledge and skills to be effective in how to advocate in the future. It's not always easy asking for what you need and have a right to as a person with a disability, but I find it is so much easier when you have the information you need and support to speak up for yourself. So many people helped me over the years in getting needed services for my children and it's been wonderful to have the chance to do the same for others.

I have been so fortunate to meet and be inspired by so many amazing people through my work at DRO, especially clients I have worked with, their tireless, dedicated family members, amazingly caregivers, teachers, advocates and also so many kind and wonderfully supportive coworkers over the years, many of whom have become my dearest lifelong friends. I leave DRO after 25 years doing this work feeling I have tried to do my best, learned a lot , hopefully helped people I have worked with feel heard, respected and empowered and feeling ready to move onto whatever new adventure life has for me, which I am sure will include lots of naps and gardening!!" -Ginger Wilson

#AdvocacyMatters