Althea McLuckie has been a leader in participant-directed services with over 20 years of experience advancing self-direction, disability rights, and community-based supports. She helped design Mi Via, New Mexico’s self-directed waiver and served as Chairperson of the Mi Via Self-Directed Program Renewal Task Force/Advisory Council, working with state agencies to improve program performance, strengthen participant outcomes, and ensure alignment with CMS requirements. As an Employer of Record under a Medicaid waiver program, she brings hands-on expertise in managing direct care staff, individualized budgets, and service delivery. Her background also includes national leadership as former CEO of the National Participant Network and extensive experience in person-centered planning and community engagement. These experiences have led to a new career in voice acting, specifically focusing on audio description services for those with low or no vision. She believes an individual’s voice is a powerful thing.