Current Commissioners:
Anjanette Shelby, Vice-Chair
Ward: 6
Anjanette D. "Anjie" Shelby is a native Washingtonian, born with a form polio, Ms. Shelby understands and sympathizes with the plight and/or stereotypes the disabled go through in their daily lives. Ms. Shelby has a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in Business Management from The University of the District of Columbia. During that time, she also became certified in Mental Health First Aid. Ms. Shelby is also the Community Management Coordinator for the Disability Start-Up Network. It is Ms. Shelby's desire to educate individuals on how people with disabilities want and should be treated.
Hope Fuller
Ward: 4
Hope R. Fuller is the Lead EEO Specialist for a Federal agency. She maintains a dual career as CEO and Principal Consultant of (in)Spire Management Consultants, a boutique diversity & inclusion consulting firm. Ms. Fuller received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland University College and her Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Strategic Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University. She has also earned a certificate in Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.
Ms. Fuller has over 25 years’ experience working in both private and public sectors where she gained expertise in affirmative employment, business administration, human capital management, financial management, and diversity and inclusion management.
Edward James
Ward: 6
Mr. James is a Veteran of the United States Army and currently works for the U. S. Department of Education under the Office of Innovation and Improvement as a Management Analyst and Program Officer. There, he awards Discretionary Title 1 grants across the United States under various fields such as Stem Education, Technology Advancement, Parent and Family Engagement, Students with Disabilities and Standards and Assessments.
Mr. James is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He attended and graduated from New Mexico State University and Bowie State University Where he dual studied Biology and Chemistry. Mr. James credits both institutions for helping him reach this mile stone in life.
Jeremy Mann
Ward: 2
Growing up in the Deaf community, Mr. Mann learned Sign Language as a child and has used it his entire life. His father was a professor at Gallaudet University and Mr. Mann regularly visited the Deaf university as a child.
Mr. Mann received his Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University in Deaf Education. During his time in college Jeremy did several trips volunteering at a Deaf orphanage in Mexico.
He worked as a professional American Sign Language Interpreter for 10 years in California and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area before establishing Hands in Motion in 2006 in Washington D.C. His background makes him knowledgeable in both ASL and Deaf culture. In his free time he enjoys traveling, biking, scuba diving and the outdoors.
Miriam Edelman
Ward: 3
Native Washingtonian Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for both the Senate and House of Representatives. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies and a concentration in history. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honorary society for public administration, and was awarded the Cornell-wide Distinguished Leadership Award. She also has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.