Isabel Hodge, Executive Director
Isabel Hodge is a seasoned disability rights advocate, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and immigrant from Scotland with over three decades of leadership in disability policy, international development, and inclusive humanitarian response. As Executive Director of USICD, she advances global and domestic strategies to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, including refugees and military families.
Isabel has published extensively on disability-inclusive development, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and accessible event planning. Her recent works include Assessing Barriers and Support for Refugees with Disabilities (2025), Planning Accessible Conferences & Other Large-Scale Events (2024), and contributions to International Development: Disability Policy & Practice and Portulans Institute’s global COVID-19 report.
She is a sought-after speaker at the United Nations, International Labour Organization, and global disability forums, and has led trainings and technical assistance across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Her strategic engagement with embassies, U.S. agencies, and international NGOs has strengthened inclusive policies worldwide.
Isabel currently serves on multiple international advisory bodies, including Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) and DPI N. America and the Carribean and Wheelchairs for Kids International. Her advocacy helped shape the International Children with Disabilities Protection Act of 2023 and continues to influence policy through high-level consultations, coalition-building, and capacity-strengthening initiatives.