Denise ROZA

Director at Perspektiva - Regional Society of Disabled People

Director at Russian Disability NGO Perspektiva and Best Buddies Denise Roza grew up in Chicago, and began studying Russian in College. In 1989 she travelled to Moscow to coordinate student exchange programs and has been living in Russia since. In 1997, together with Russian colleagues from the disability rights movement, Ms. Roza set up a Russian disability NGO, Perspektiva, to support people with disabilities to lead full, active, independent lives. As Executive Director of Perspektiva, Ms. Roza oversees the development and implementation of programs, which promote youth empowerment, equal access to education, employment and sports. Together with her staff of 74 people at Perspektiva - both disabled and non-disabled - Ms. Roza has developed and implemented programs for more thousands of people throughout Russian. In 2002, Ms. Roza founded the International Disability Film Festival “Breaking Down Barriers”. In 2009 Ms. Roza set up another NGO – Best Buddies Russia (BBR). BBR is a member of the global volunteer movement Best Buddies International that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. http://www.womeninfluence.club/stories/Citizen/denise-roza/ Year of this biography: 2020