CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities' newest board member is making history.

What You Need To Know

  • Cuyahoga DD appoints new board member with disability 
  • 1st board member with a disability in board's existence 
  • New board member beat over 100 applicants

Sara Steimle beat out 118 applicants to become the first board member with a disability in its nearly 60-year history.

Steimle has cerebral palsy, a movement disorder that affects body movement, muscle tone and posture.

Cuyahoga DD supports and empowers people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work and play in the community. They serve 14,500 people with disabilities in Cuyahoga County in several ways to help them live their best lives.

Steimle can now have a say in the services offered to those with disabilities because she also uses them.

“Sit at the table and give advice and make decisions to help the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities grow and to be better service to individuals that they serve with developmental disabilities," said Steimle.

Elizabeth Day, the director of communications for Cuyahoga DD, knows just how important Steimle is not only to the board but to others in the community.

“They are the experts in their lives. They know what they want and what they need, and they want to participate in the process for making those decisions about things that impact them," said Day.

Day hopes that Steimle as a board member can set an example to other organizations in the community to be inclusive on their boards.

Steimle is also ready to leave her mark.

“Help and give strategic ideas of how to make our service, the services and supports of the Cuyahoga, the better and more individualized to the people that they serve," said Steimle.

A revised code helped make this historic vote happen: “Ohio revised code section 5126.021 was changed in 2023 to ensure that people with disabilities have a voice on county boards of developmental disabilities. Beginning July 1, 2025, all county boards of developmental disabilities in Ohio are to appoint 'at least one individual with developmental disabilities.'" (orc section 5126.021)

Steimle was confirmed by the Cuyahoga County council in January. She also serves on the county’s advisory committee for persons with disabilities and leads programs for those living with disabilities through the organization youth challenge. Steimle will be sworn in on Feb. 27.