Speakers: Rachel Shepherd and Megan Hammond

This training empowers people with disabilities to confidently advocate for their rights when using service or support animals in public, housing, or workplace settings. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the legal protections that apply to them, how to communicate their needs effectively, and navigate conversations with employers, housing providers, and business staff. Join us to answer some of the most commonly asked questions, such as: If a landlord says no pets, does that mean I can’t have my emotional support animal? Where is my animal allowed to go with me? Can I have my service dog at work? Do I have to register my emotional support animal?

Join us for our upcoming Community Lecture Night! This will be online only. Please register for the event here: Come back soon for a registration link

• When: Saturday, August 8, from come back soon for time
• Where: Zoom AND streaming on YouTube
• Meeting Accessibility:
  • There will be sign language interpreters and closed captioning available on Zoom.
  • Chat will be disabled on Zoom during the lecture to better serve people using screen readers. Participants will still be able to message the hosts.
  • When it comes time for the Q&A, people may ask by messaging in the chat so the host can read it out loud or by raising their hand on Zoom so the host can call on them to ask by voice or by ASL.
  • For more information, check out our Technical Info page.

If anyone has any other access needs please contact accessmobpittsburgh@gmail.com as soon as possible, but no later than August 3rd.

Speaker Biographies:

Rachel Shepherd
Rachel is the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations (PghCHR), the City’s civil rights enforcement agency. Charged with enforcing the rights of marginalized community members, she strives to empower individuals to assert their rights under the law, dismantle discriminatory practices, and foster a more inclusive and equitable society. By leveraging community partnerships and collaboration, she envisions a future where every individual is afforded dignity, respect, and equal opportunity. Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, years of experience in the legal field, and has held multiple positions with PghCHR since 2016.

Megan Hammond
Megan is the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh (FHP). FHP is a fair housing organization with the sole mission of advocating for and enforcing federal, state, and local fair housing laws. Megan has 13 years of experience at FHP and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University.

Funding for this lecture comes from a grant from the Opportunity Fund.