David Whalen founded Disability Awareness Training (DAT) in September 2004. He specializes in training law enforcement, 9-1-1 telecommunicators, firefighters, emergency medical services, emergency managers, human service providers, public, private, and school transportation, corporations and businesses, hospitality, municipalities, places of worship, and educators. He has presented to over 700 audiences across the United States, with over 350 for law enforcement, first responders, and emergency management.
In July 2024, Niagara University launched the Institute on Disability Awareness, of which Dave became the Director.
David Whalen has worked in the disability field his entire career. He spent 17 years at Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara serving individuals with developmental disabilities. As Vice President of Program Operations, David established groundbreaking programs recognized statewide, including a fully operational greenhouse, an on-site nature trail, rehabilitation counseling in schools, collaborative certification with the county alcoholism department, and a sensory integration room. He chaired the agency’s safety committee for seven years and developed their wellness program. Dave worked for one year serving low income medically frail seniors as Director in a Long Term Managed Care (Pre-PACE) program. He developed a comprehensive plan to serve seniors with developmental disabilities.
David served on the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day (DD Day) committee from 1993 to 2008. A former co-chairperson, he was instrumental in making DD Day the largest single day conference in New York State dedicated to the field of developmental disabilities.
He served as President of the New York State Association of Day Service Providers, dedicated to Day Treatment and Day Habilitation providers. Under his direction, the Association established collaborative relationships with statewide associations in the field. David has worked with the State of New York in establishing policy, regulations and staff training.
Dave was instrumental in starting the Diocese of Buffalo’s Disability Action Team. A committee developed with the intent to ensure that the Catholic churches in WNY best serve their parishioners with disabilities. He has taken the initiative and introduced it to other faiths in the area. Dave was commissioned by the Bishop in September 2009 to be the Parish Disability Advocate at SS Peter and Paul RC Church in Williamsville, NY.
Mr. Whalen was appointed to the NYS Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Quality Assurance Real Choice committee, addressing the quality of care of individuals with disabilities.
Dave is Past President of the Buffalo Alumni Chapter of St. Bonaventure University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology (1984) and his Masters of Science in Education degree in Counseling Psychology (1986). Mr. Whalen established the four ideals of the alumni association: spirituality, socials, volunteerism and university support. He oversaw some 10 events per year and works with the university on various initiatives and projects. In 2009, he was awarded the Alumni of the Year by the university. He served as President from 1997-2017 and remains active in the chapter.
Dave serves as the Commissioner of the Central Amherst Little League Challenger division. He also is the Past President of the Board of the Williamsville Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association (SEPTSA) and past Vice President of the PTSA council. Dave is past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Parent Network of WNY, a non-profit agency Parent Teacher Information Center serving parents of children with disabilities. He was also appointed as the first Chair of the Town of Amherst’s Committee on Disabilities, serving in that capacity since 2008. He stepped down in 2018 and now serves as the town’s disability resource person while also remaining as committee member. He is a 2007 Partners in Policymaking graduate. He developed the innovative Town Hall Training (Disability Education and Awareness for Municipalities) whereby he trains advocates to work within their municipality on disability matters, including how to start a committee so local governments will understand and be responsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities in their communities. This initiative was presented at the national FEMA Get Real II conference in Arlington, VA. In March 2011, David accepted an invitation to the White House for an historic MOU signing between FEMA and the National Disability Rights Network. In April 2015, he became a FEMA-certified Access and Functional Needs Trainer. In October 2016, Dave and NU received a three-year grant from the NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council to develop training on proper response to individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs in emergencies.
David is co-founder of Access Buffalo, a progressive initiative to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access restaurants and hotels in the Buffalo area. August 2010, he became an ADA trainer through the Region II Northeast ADA center.
In January 2010, the New York State Board of Regents appointed him to a three-year term on the New York State Independent Living Council and in the fall of that year he wrote a collaborative grant with Niagara University and received a three-year (extended two years) NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council grant to develop Disability Awareness Training for First Responders. Arkansas Council on Developmental Disabilities funded the same program beginning in October 2014 and it has since been funded by the Missouri Council on Developmental Disabilities (July 2016-June 2023) and the South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) (May 2019-March 2023). In October of 2016 he was awarded another grant from the NYS DDPC to develop training on proper and proactive response to individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs in emergencies/disasters. This has since been funded in Louisiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Utah, and the Northern Mariana Island. June 2017 brought on a bid award from Virginia Division of Criminal Justice Services to develop law enforcement training as well as stand-alone curriculum on developmental disabilities, dementia, acquired/traumatic brain injury, and in July 2017 the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) contracted to receive disability awareness training for its entire fire department.
In March 2011, Erie County (NY) appointed Dave to sit on the Disability Advisory Board. He accepted an invitation to join the International Association of Chiefs of Police focus group, “Mental Health of Arrestees and How It Impacts our Officers.” Dave attended the Senate Hearing on April 29, 2014, Law Enforcement Responses to Disabled Americans: Promising Approaches for Protecting Public Safety while also providing written testimony. He was recognized for his consult with the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Services for work on law enforcement disability awareness training and joined them on the International Association of Chiefs of Police Civil rights committee at the October 2015 conference in Chicago.
In April 2016, Dave was awarded Advocate of the Year from Deaf Access Services of WNY. In May 2021, WNY Independent Living Center awarded Dave the Elayne G. Wels Community Support Award. Niagara University awarded Dave the Vincentian Medal of Honor in September 2019 and St. Bonaventure University awarded him the Gaudete Medal in October 2021.
Dave and his wife Sandy live in Williamsville, NY and are the proud parents of their 27-year-old twins David and Rachel. David and Rachel were born 11 weeks premature, from that David has cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, and a learning disability. He has received his Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential from Williamsville South while Rachel graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University, majoring in English Literature and minoring in Spanish. She then graduated from New York University with her Masters in Fine Arts. David works with his dad at Niagara University in the Institute on Disability Awareness as an Office Assistant and at Duff’s Famous Wings restaurant.
Appointments & Committees:
- Director - Institute on Disability Awareness at Niagara University (July 2024-present)
- New York State Core Advisory Group Co-Chair (Sept 2020-present)
- Town of Amherst (NY) Emergency Operations Disability Pandemic Group leader(April 2020-Dec 2021)
- National Fire Protection Association Disability Accessibility Review Advisory Comm (May 2020- present)
- Lecturer-Niagara University Dept. of Education (July 2016-present)
- C-HOPE of WNY Board member/President (Jan 2016-present/Jan 2023)
- Behavioral Health & Justice Committee – Niagara Co (NY) (Mar 2015-Dec 2019)
- National Center on Criminal Justice and Disabilities Advisory Council (Jan 2014-Dec 2017)
- Erie County (NY) Disability Advisory Board (March 2011-Dec 2018)
- Erie County (NY) Core Advisory Group (Sept 2019-present
- NU First Responder Disability Awareness Training Project Director (Sept 2010-July 2024)
- ADA Trainer Network – Certified ADA Trainer (Aug 2010-present)
- New York State Independent Living Council (NYS Board of Regents appointment) (Jan 2010-Dec 2015)
- Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair (Jan 2011-Dec 2015)
- Emergency Preparedness Committee member (July 2024-present)
- Access Buffalo Co-Founder/Project Coordinator (Sept 2009-present)
- Peter & Paul RC Church Parish Disability Advocate (Commissioned by the Bishop) (Sept 2009-Nov 2022)
- Town of Amherst (NY) Committee on Disabilities Chair (March 2008-December 2017)
- Town of Amherst (NY) Disabilities Resource person (Jan 2018-present)
- NYS Office of Emergency Management Human Services Committee(Jan 2011-Dec 2017)
- Diocese of Buffalo (NY) Disabilities Action Team (April 2007-Dec 2019)
- Williamsville Central School District
- Parent Teacher Student Association Co-Vice President (July 2010-June 2012)
- Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association President (Sept 2007-June 2018)
- Special Education Parent Teacher Student Association Member (Sept 2005-June 2018)
- Committee on Special Education Parent Representative(Feb 2005-June 2018)
- Shared Decision Making Committee (2005-2007)
- Central Amherst Little League Challenger Baseball
- Commissioner (Feb 2015-present)
- Coach (2005-present)
- Saint Bonaventure University Buffalo Alumni Chapter President (April1997-December 2017)
- Saint Bonaventure University Buffalo Alumni Chapter Advisor (January 2018-present)
- Niagara County ARC Heroes of Niagara event Chair (April 2020)
- International Association of Chiefs of Police Civil Rights Committee (Oct 2015)
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute – Access and Functional Needs (Mar/Apr 2015)
- IACP “Mental Health of Arrestees & How It Impacts Our Officers” focus group (June 2014)
- National Association of ADA Coordinators (Jan 2012-Dec 2013)
- New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
- WNY Dev. Disabilities Services Office Resource Allocation Board (Aug 2009-Dec 2012)
- Quality Assurance Real Choice Sub-Committee (June 2008-Dec 2012)
- WNY DDSO Committee on Special Education Parent Representative (2006-2010)
- New York Makes Work Pay Summit (Oct 2009, Sept 2010)
- Including Samuel Panel Member – Canisius College (Apr 2008)
- Buffalo Niagara Professional Alliance Panel Member (Apr 2008)
- Parent Network of Western New York Board of Directors (Apr 2002-Apr 2008)
- Chair (Apr 2007-Apr 2008)
- Western New York Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day Committee (1993-2008)
- Co-Chair (1993-1995)
- Partners in Policymaking Graduate (2007)
- Buffalo Niagara Partnership Medicaid Review Committee(2005)
- Finding your Future Transition Conference Coordinator (March 2005)
- Volunteers of America New York State Task Force – Serving Seniors w/DD (Sept 2004)
- New York State Association of Day Service Providers President (1998-2002)
- Vice President (1996-1998)
Advisor/Consultant to:
- Autism Society of America (Jan 2023-present)
- Batavia Downs (Nov 2019-present)
- Borderland Music Festival (August 2018-present)
- Town of Hamburg (NY) (Jan 2018-present)
- NHL Buffalo Sabres/WNY Arena, Inc (Feb 2015-present)
- Erie County (NY) Fair/Agricultural Society(Jan 2012-present)
- International Association of Fairs and Expos (July 2017-July 2018)
- Town of Hamburg (NY) Recreation Department (Jan 2009-December 2017)
- Buffalo Wheelchair (West Seneca, NY) (Jan 2007-Dec 2016)
- Innovative Placements (Buffalo, NY) (Oct 2010-Dec 2011)
- Independent Retirement Advisors (Amherst, NY) (Jan 2008-Dec 2009)
- Vanner Insurance (Amherst, NY) (Oct 2007-Dec 2009)
- Boulevard Van City (Wheatfield, NY)(June 2007-June 2008)
Contracted with:
- Philadelphia Insurance (Philadelphia, PA) (Jan 2008-Dec 2019)
- AT&T (through Kelco Computing Solutions) (Feb 2010-Sept 2010)