TALLAHASSEE, FL— Disability Rights Florida (DRF), the state’s Congressionally mandated protection and advocacy system for individuals with disabilities, is pleased to announce the appointments of Caitlyn Clibbon as director of litigation and Tony DePalma as director of policy and advocacy.
As director of litigation, Clibbon will focus on developing and pursuing strategic individual and systemic cases on behalf of DRF clients and constituents. She will act as general counsel to the organization in matters related to access authority and other similarly situated cases as well as serve as lead counsel and co-counsel and assist staff attorneys in developing litigation experience.
Clibbon, an attorney, most recently served as DRF’s director of community and healthcare services, where she led a team of attorneys, advocates, and support staff working to protect the rights of people with disabilities in matters involving health care, housing, discrimination and community access. Prior to joining the nonprofit in 2021, her experience included appellate advocacy with the Second Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office and legal and policy work on behalf of children, survivors of human trafficking, and incarcerated individuals through the Florida State University Public Interest Law Center.
As director of policy and advocacy, DePalma will direct the development and implementation of DRF’s policy and advocacy strategies and identify areas which involve systems issues affecting a broad class of the agency’s clients. Also an attorney, he will work with DRF’s leadership to ensure that the organization’s priorities and systemic advocacy reflect critical areas of importance for DRF’s constituents.
DePalma served as DRF’s director of public policy and has been with the agency since 2014. Prior to joining DRF, he was a senior attorney with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and an attorney and legislative/budget analyst with the Florida House of Representative’s Healthcare Council.
“These two new leadership positions strengthen Disability Rights Florida's ability to address complex legal and systemic issues affecting people with disabilities,” said Cherie Hall, executive director. “By expanding the organization's leadership capacity, Disability Rights Florida is better positioned to respond to emerging challenges and advance meaningful change for Floridians with disabilities.”
Clibbon earned a bachelor's degree and a juris doctor from Florida State University. DePalma also earned a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a juris doctor from the university.