Martha K Gabehart Lifetime Achievement Award

The Martha K. Gabehart Lifetime Achievement Award honors a Kansan whose lifelong commitment and leadership have significantly advanced the rights, opportunities, and inclusion of people with disabilities in Kansas.

This award recognizes individuals who, through decades of service, advocacy, and collaboration, have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to creating systemic change — ensuring that Kansans with disabilities are valued as equal citizens and equal partners in every aspect of community life.

Recipients of this award reflect the same spirit of purpose, perseverance, and integrity that defined Martha’s leadership and her lasting impact on the disability community.

Martha Gabehart served as Executive Director of the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC) from 1990 to 2025, providing more than three decades of visionary leadership that transformed the landscape of disability rights and access across Kansas.

Under her direction, KCDC became a statewide leader in ADA education and advocacy, a trusted resource for employers and communities, and a catalyst for initiatives that empowered Kansans with disabilities to pursue independence, employment, and full participation in civic life.

Among the many initiatives implemented by KCDC under Martha’s leadership:

• Creation of the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum (KSYLF), inspiring generations of young leaders with disabilities.
• Establishment of Disability Mentoring Day, connecting job seekers with disabilities to career exploration and employment opportunities.
• Development of the statewide Disability Support Maps, providing Kansans with easier access to vital services and resources.
• Leadership on systemic issues such as workforce accessibility, parental rights, voting access, and emergency preparedness.

Throughout her career, Martha embodied the values of collaboration, resilience, and justice — guiding KCDC to become a voice of empowerment and inclusion for all Kansans with disabilities.

Established by the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns in 2025, the Martha K. Gabehart Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to honor individuals whose lifelong service mirrors Martha’s unwavering dedication to advancing equality, opportunity, and respect for people with disabilities.

This award stands as a lasting tribute to Martha’s legacy — and as an inspiration to future generations of advocates committed to building a more inclusive Kansas.

Nominations for this award are accepted at any time and should reflect upon and recognize a body of work across a lifetime.