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Bob Sattler’s passion for supporting people with disabilities began when he was just 16 years old, working as a camp counselor in Massachusetts. Assigned to a section of the camp for individuals living in institutions, Bob was deeply moved by his experiences and the people he met. That summer sparked a lifelong commitment to inclusion, independence, and dignity for people with disabilities.
He pursued a dual degree in special education and psychology at Fitchburg State University, just as the field of special education was emerging. A pivotal moment came during his freshman year, when a professor asked students to experience life with a disability for a day. Bob chose to navigate a mall in a wheelchair. The stares and assumptions he encountered – particularly a restaurant server who spoke to his girlfriend instead of him – left a lasting impact and deepened his commitment to changing societal perceptions.
Throughout college, Bob worked in group homes, helping people move out of institutional settings and into smaller, community-based living arrangements. Early in his career, he was introduced to the principles of normalization through the PASS (Program Analysis of Service Systems) methodology. Normalization was a new concept in 1984 that said that people with disabilities should have the same opportunities and access to everyday life experiences as those without disabilities. It emphasizes inclusion, independence, and social integration.
PASS laid out a set of criteria to assess quality of services for people with disabilities. The criteria emphasized adherence to the principle of normalization. At a time when many agencies struggled with PASS evaluations, Bob’s programs stood out for embracing individualized, dignified supports – people were designing their own living spaces and leading meaningful lives.
Bob went on to work in Colorado, supporting individuals transitioning from sheltered workshops to integrated employment through one of the earliest supported employment programs. His belief was simple but powerful: if the rules don’t say you can’t, then you probably can. That philosophy would guide his work for decades.
As a case manager, Bob wasn’t afraid to challenge the status quo – even when it meant advocating for a woman’s right to pursue an intimate relationship, despite resistance from a faith-based organization. “I probably didn’t approach it the right way,” he reflects, “but I’ve always believed in helping people go after their dreams.”
That drive eventually led Bob to start his own agency, breaking down barriers to employment, housing, and autonomy. His leadership drew attention, and he was asked to serve as State Director for Colorado’s provider association, where he worked to expand person-centered practices statewide.
Bob became a certified person-centered thinking trainer and a mentor trainer through Support Development Associates (SDA). The training put a name to what Bob had been doing all along – it gave structure and language to the person-centered values he lived by.
In 2007, the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services and SDA received a federal Real Choice Systems Change grant through Medicaid. Bob was part of a team that played a critical role in helping states and providers alike transform policies and practices to better align with people’s lives and goals.
Today, Bob continues his work through SDA. He has also partnered with the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Home and Community-based Services (RRTC) at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to develop a training program for direct support professionals (DSPs) and organizational leaders. The “microlesson-based” training focuses on the use of a communication skill called motivational interviewing to provide person-centered home and community-based services. RRTC researchers are looking for current or former DSPs to pilot test the training.
“Bob brings his extensive experience working with people with disabilities to provide person-centered services, and as a direct service professional to this project,” says Linda Ehrlich-Jones, PhD, RN, associate director of the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and who leads development of the training. “His input has been invaluable in ensuring our training is both accessible to DSPs, and that the content is reflective of the spirit of person-centeredness.”
Bob has lived in Denver for over 30 years, where he enjoys reading, hiking, cooking and baking, gardening, and spending time with his family, friends, and dog. After years of traveling more than 200 days a year, simply being home is one of his greatest pleasures.