PORTLAND – Geri Jewell, noted actress, comedienne and motivational speaker and trainer, will appear at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, at the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Center in recognition of National Disability Employment Month. Jewell is the first person with a visible disability to have a regular role on a national prime time television series, NBC’s “Facts of Life,” and currently stars on HBO’s “Deadwood.” The event is free and open to the public.

Jewell will perform a stand-up comedy routine, emphasizing her personal experiences related to disability and employment.

Besides her early sitcom credits and the current HBO appearance, Jewell is also a re-occurring character on “The Young and the Restless” and was recently featured on “Strong Medicine.”