Ariana Amaya
Ariana Amaya, OTD is the director of Next Steps at Vanderbilt University. In this role, she directs the implementation of all components of the Next Steps program. This includes oversight of program level goals and operation, collaborating with both campus and community partners, and supporting Next Steps staff and students within an innovative, inclusive model of best practice. Ariana holds a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Belmont University, where she focused her studies on the role of occupational therapy in inclusive higher education. Previously, she developed and directed Integrated Studies: a residential, inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual disability at Gwynedd Mercy University in Pennsylvania.
Jamie Axelrod
Jamie Axelrod, M.S. is the Director of Disability Resources at Northern Arizona University and a past-president of the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD). Jamie is a sought after speaker on topics related to disability access and higher education, having expertise in disability law and policy, communication and information technology (ICT) access, and the reasonable accommodation process. Jamie is a respected contributor to professional listservs, having received the Fink-Ryan Award for the quality of his guidance, and a go-to consultant for complex issues. He has worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s athletic department, as a mental health therapist, and for Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc., a disability rights advocacy law firm where he served as an advocate for individuals with disabilities who were claiming that their civil rights had been violated. Jamie has served as co-chair of Northern Arizona University’s Commission on Disability Access and Design, AHEAD’s Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Disability Access in Heath Science Education. He is a contributing author to the recently published Two Key Analytic Tools for Addressing Postsecondary Disability Law Questions (AHEAD 2023).
Rick Bryck
Rick Bryck, Ph.D.’s work centers on the study of executive function (EF), including understanding disparities in EF, and testing the efficacy of interventions, programs, and strategies aimed at enhancing EF. He has served as an investigator on grants exploring: a cognitive training program for low income children, the well-being and academic effects of resilience training for neurodivergent college students, the effects of metacognitive and EF scaffolds in math problem solving, and as both a program evaluator and campus lead on NSF funded projects providing STEM mentoring for neurodivergent students. Rick regularly presents professional learning workshops on EF and educational techniques for enhancing learning, and regularly teaches an online course for educators, Student Engagement, Self-Regulation, and Motivation.
Melissa Butler
Melissa Butler, M.S. has 23+ years of leadership experience in postsecondary disability services and currently serves as the Director of Student Accessibility Services at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. As a one-person office in a private liberal arts setting, Melissa wears the multiple hats necessary to meet diverse student access needs and build collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, parents, and community partners. She leads an Advisory Group for Accessibility, Disability, and Universal Design as one method for advancing access and inclusion efforts on campus. Melissa is a TN-AHEAD past-president, and she spent the first eight years of her career focused on the intersection of disability and career. Melissa earned her M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling degree from the University of Memphis.
Bree Callahan
Bree Callahan, M.Ed. is the ADA Coordinator at the University of Washington and provides leadership, coordination, and oversight to advance the University’s ADA/Section 504 mission, vision, and strategic priorities relating to accessibility. Recent efforts include updating institutional ADA Transition Plans, revising grievance processes, establishing governance structures, and navigating regulatory engagements. Prior to this role, she directed disability services offices for fifteen years across three universities and has worked in a variety of higher education areas: admissions, academic advising, and residential life. She has over 20 years’ experience in higher education, determining accommodations and providing consultation on ADA compliance matters of digital, physical, and program access. Bree currently serves on the DO-IT Advisory Board and is a past Chair of AHEAD’s Standing Committee on Technology. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on a variety of topics relating to disability and access, transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary education, and systemic change toward more inclusive campuses.
Jordan Colbert
Jordan Colbert is the Associate Director of Assistive Technology at Yale University. Hailing from South Jersey, he identifies as and is proud to be a biracial first-generation and low-income graduate. He received his B.A in Classical Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC). He started in disability services in 2015 as a Graduate Counselor and transitioned to working as an Assistive Technology Specialist for USC in 2017. Prior to working in the field of accessibility, Jordan served as a psychotherapist with high school students and provided Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to substance abuse populations. At Yale, he oversees the Student Workers in Assistive Technology (SWAT) Team, which coordinates the delivery, training, and accessibility for assistive technology solutions. Outside of his role, Jordan can often be found debating philosophy with friends, taveling, and watching professional sports.
Chris Dallager
Chris Dallager, M.S.Ed. is the Director of the Disability Resource Center and ACCESS community transition program at Mississippi State University. Previously, he has served as Director of Disability Services at Carleton College and as Coordinator at the Disability Resource Center at the University of Minnesota, Morris. With a background in counseling psychology and school psychology, Dallager worked for many years as a psychotherapist, school psychologist, and as a program director for group homes for adults with intellectual disabilities prior to working in higher education disability. He has previously presented at AHEAD on concussion supports for students, writing center and disability office collaborations, housing accommodations, and emotional support and service animals. Dallager is a past president of MN AHEAD. He has provided in-service presentations to writing center staff at Mississippi State University and has engaged in collaborative efforts to support students with disabilities in writing while at Carleton College and at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
Teressa Eastman
Teressa Eastman earned an MBA from Wichita State University in 1992 and has served as the Director of Disability Services at Butler Community for 21 years. She has previous experience working in Special Education in the public school system. At Butler Community College, Teressa serves as the chairperson of the college’s CARE Team, as well as, a member of the college’s four-person Threat Assessment Team. Teressa also serves on the college’s Inclusion Council, Textbook Affordability Team which works on open educational resources for students, and Satisfactory Academic Progress Review Team for Financial Aid. Teressa is also active nationally with the Association of Higher Education and Disability by serving as a co-chair of the Community College Special Interest Group. As a person with a disability, Teressa strongly believes in the value of the Americans with Disabilities Act and advocates for the rights and responsibilities of the disabled population.
Christina Fabrey
Christina Fabrey, M.Ed. is the Director of the Student Success Center at Virginia Tech, having previously served as the Associate Dean for Advising and Academic Achievement at Prescott College. With a passion for promoting college student success and organizational excellence, Christina has been a higher education administrator and disability provider for over 15 years Christina is a Professional Credentialed Coach (PCC) certification from the International Coach Federation, Board Coach Certification (BCC) through the Center for Credentialing Education Global, and Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Certification through Champlain College. As a Coach Trainer and Mentor, Christina has trained hundreds of higher educational professionals in coaching skills for over the last decade. Having developed coaching programs at several institutions, she is grounded in coaching all students, including students with disabilities and students working towards academic recovery. Christina is active in the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) by co-chairing their Coaching Knowledge and Practice Community and their Coaching Evaluation Community of Practice. Christina has published numerous chapters and articles on student coaching, holistic student care and resilience in higher education. Her recent edited anthology, Coaching in Disability Resources: From Transactional to Transformational, was published in the spring of 2023 and co-edited with Master Certified Coach, Jodi Sleeper-Triplett.
Meri Faulkner
Meri Faulkner serves as the Assistant Director for Student Disability Services at Spartanburg Community College in South Carolina. She earned her undergraduate degree from Clemson University in 2014 and a Master’s degree from Gallaudet University in American Sign Language Interpretation in 2018. Prior to transitioning to her current role in 2019, Meri worked as an interpreter for K-12 and post-secondary institutions. She has served on several boards including the South Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and the National Association of Interpreters in Education. Meri currently serves as the President of South Carolina AHEAD and Co-Chair of the AHEAD Community College KPC. Meri is also published in the Journal of Interpretation for her work on ASL interpreters with anxiety.
Mandie Greiwe
Mandie Greiwe (Gry-Vee) returned to Purdue University as Director of the Disability Resource Center in November 2023, bringing over a decade of experience in disability services, including roles at Notre Dame, Emory, and as an Access Consultant and Assistant Director at Purdue. Previously, she served as the founding director of the Personalized Learning Center for students with disabilities at Marian University. Mandie is committed to making Purdue a leader in accessibility within higher education by fostering a shared responsibility for disability access across campus. She emphasizes collaboration with campus partners to ensure that everyone understands their role in promoting accessibility and has the necessary tools. Her passion extends to assistive technology, digital accessibility, and Universal Design for Learning.
Paul Grossman
Paul Grossman, J.D. is the Executive Counsel of AHEAD with over 40 years of service at OCR in Washington and San Francisco, most of them as a Chief Regional Attorney. Paul also taught disability law for over 20 years at University of California, College of Law. Paul remains a frequent guest lecturer for AHEAD, CAPED, UC College of Law, UC Berkeley, the California Community College System and the National Association of ADA Coordinators. Paul served multiple terms on AHEAD’s Board of Directors and remains a member of the AHEAD Public Policy Committee as well as the Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) Expert Advisory Board. Through investigation, decision writing, and negotiations, Paul has addressed every form of discrimination in education including race, national origin, sex and disability, often developing new approaches for protecting the civil rights of students. Paul is the author of AHEAD’s publication, The Law of Disability Discrimination for Higher Education Professionals. Paul joins Jamie Axelrod, M.S. and Mary Lee Vance, Ph.D. in two book chapters on analytical tools and procedures for DSS officers when they face their most complex and challenging questions, recently published by AHEAD.
Paul Harwell
Paul Harwell is the Director of Disability Support Services at East Carolina University, where he is nationally recognized for his leadership in higher education and disability resources. With 18 years of experience in the field, Paul has developed a deep expertise in fostering accessible environments for students, faculty, and staff. He is committed to advancing a philosophy of shared responsibility for disability access across campus communities. In addition to his leadership, Paul is passionate about mentoring and supporting the professional development of colleagues nationwide. He earned his doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University, specializing in higher education law, policy, finance, and faculty issues.
Emily Helft
Emily Helft, M.Ed., Ed.S. is the assistant director of professional development at the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training. Following her undergraduate work at Wheaton College (Massachusetts), she earned her M.Ed. and Ed.S. from the College of William & Mary with a particular focus on psychoeducational assessment and evaluation. After working as a school psychologist and seeing the impact of regularly incorporating technology into her everyday field work supporting students, she transitioned into higher education as an assistive technology specialist, eventually expanding her skill set into accessible media production, accommodation support, faculty consultation, academic skills development, and community education regarding accessibility and the disability community. She has experience in higher education at both large-scale public universities and well as small-scale private colleges, and ultimately served as the director of a Disability Resource Office before transitioning into her current role. Once she realized her true passion within the field was clearly tied to education and training, she joined Landmark’s LCIRT team to both narrow her focus and broaden her outreach.
Millie Hogue
Millie Hogue, M.S., a first-generation university student, earned a degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, is certified as a Rehabilitation Counselor, and previously worked as for the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, where she partnered with businesses to promote the hiring of individuals with disabilities. In her role as an Employment Coordinator with the ACCESS Program, Millie guides students through career exploration and collaborates with both on and off-campus partners to facilitate Internship Learning Experiences for students.
Steve Johnston
Steve Johnston is an alumnus of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and is originally from Northern Ireland. He has over 20 years experience as an investigator, including crime scenes, major crime, and financial crime, in the UK. He moved to California in 2018 and after almost two years at UCSF investigating privacy incidents and potential HIPAA violations, he moved to DAC at UC Berkeley in October 2020. As well as reviewing allegations (by students, staff, faculty, and visitors) of discrimination based on disability, and dealing with any issues of concern, he gives presentations on the work of DAC and how our Department can assist departments in being compliant with the ADA.
Linn Jorgenson
Linn Jorgenson, Ed.D. is Director of the George Mason Life program. She is an Associate Professor of Special Education. She has worked in the field of disability for over 25 years in capacities that range from working within the K-12 system as a Special Education teacher, a behavioral management specialist, operating independent living group homes, employment transition specialist, and over 10 years within higher education, coordinating services for students with disabilities.
Christi Kasa
Christi Kasa, Ph.D., is a Professor for the Department of Teaching and Learning and the Director of the Office of Inclusive Services at the University of Colorado. Her passion guides her teaching, research, and activism to create successful, inclusive schools for all. Christi’s expertise is in Universal Design for Learning, best practices for inclusive schooling, and inclusive post-secondary education. Christi began her career teaching in California's public schools as a general and special education teacher. She now spends time in schools all over the country, working to end the segregation of students with disabilities.
Karen Krainz Edison
Karen Krainz Edison, MSW, LISW, is the Associate Director of College Support Programs at The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, supporting academic and social success for Autistic college students. She is on the board of a local non-profit, Capital University’s Social Work Community Advisory Board, the College Autism Summit’s Research Symposium Committee and Advisory Board, and UCONN’s University Council for Neurodiversity Employment. In 2024, she was recognized as the College Autism Network’s Contributor of the Year. Along with Andrew Begel, PhD, from Carnegie Mellon, she co-founded the Southern Great Lakes Regional Neurodiversity at Work Hub; she is co-advisor for two OSU organizations supporting Autistic and Neurodivergent students and allies.
Terri Lakowski
Terri Lakowski, Esq. is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer for Active Policy Solutions. A well-known and respected expert on youth sports policy in the United States, Terri has created and implemented strategic policy planning, lobbying, coalition building and education and outreach to renowned organizations working on issues relating to sports, youth development, education, health and fitness, Title IX and gender equity, disability rights, and civil rights. Terri has worked with clients for over a decade to advance sports-related issues for youth among policymakers. She earned her Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She received her bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Social Thought and Analysis and a concentration in Women’s Studies.
Emily Lucio
Emily Lucio has worked for a variety of institutions in higher education and disability since 1991. She has been a member of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) since 1992 and served on the Board of Directors from 2007-2010. She has been the Editor for the AHEAD newsletter, the ALERT, the Chair of the Policy Committee and serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability and also the K&P Chair for ADA Coordinators. Over the years, she has given many presentations to students, parents and faculty, as well as presented at the AHEAD conference annually since 1997, including on Emergency preparedness with Irene Bowen.. Emily received her BA in Public Policy Studies: Special Education-Legislation and Practice from The University of Michigan in 1992 and went on to receive her MA in Special Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1993. She collaborated with several professional colleagues in the field on the development of the revised disability services survey and wrote one of the introductions for Peterson’s Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD in 2003 and again in 2007. From August 2006-August 2015 Emily was the Director of Disability Support Services and The Catholic University of America. In 2015 Emily became the Director of ADA Compliance and Disability Services at Johns Hopkins University. In August 2021 Emily started as the first full time ADA Coordinator at The University of Maryland.
Katherine MacDonald
Katherine MacDonald, Ed.D, has worked in higher education disability services for over a decade and currently serves as the Director of Disability Services and Adjunct Professor of Education at Randolph-Macon College. A former middle school special education and English teacher in west Philadelphia, Kate began her career in higher education disability services at Salisbury University. She is passionate about diversity, access, and equity in education and working with students to develop the skills, competencies, and confidence they need to meet their personal and academic goals. Outside of her role at Randolph-Macon College, Kate serves on the Board of Directors for Delta Alpha Pi (international disability honors society) and the Executive Board for Virginia AHEAD. She also enjoys serving as an executive functioning coach for local middle, high school, and college students. Kate earned her Ed.D in Contemporary Curriculum Theory and Instruction: Literacy from Salisbury University and her research focuses on the intersection of literacy and disability identities and experiences of college students with reading disabilities. She has also completed the ADA Certification Training Program at the University of Missouri.
Jason Marmon
Jason Marmon, Esq. is the Chief Operating Officer for Active Policy Solutions. He has a depth of strong expertise in the congressional funding and appropriations process, legislative concept drafting, and convening congressional summits. He has successfully fostered multi-million dollar federal funding efforts, helped facilitate the influencing of several federal regulations, lectured to numerous groups on a variety of government policy topics, including athletes of the ACC and Big Ten, and developed over a dozen strategic government affairs plans for organizations. Jason earned his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of law, where he graduated with honors. He received his bachelor’s degree from Drexel University with a degree in Environmental Science, and his master’s degree from George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
Jon McGough
Jon McGough, M.Ed. has more than 15 years of experience coordinating ADA accommodations in higher education and private business. He served on the Board of the Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education and is a past President of the Washington Association on Postsecondary Education and Disability. He is an advocate for improving opportunity for disabled clinicians in training, and contributed to two chapters in The Guide to Assisting Students With Disabilities: Equal Access in Health Science and Professional Education. His list of clients and past employers includes Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, the University of Washington, Portland State University, and Amazon, among others. He is currently the Student Disability Specialist at University of California, San Francisco, and a frequent presenter for AHEAD.
Gabriel Merrell
Gabriel Merrell, M.S. is a certified ADA Coordinator who has been working in areas directly related to physical access, IT access, accommodations, inclusion, and universal design for 18+ years. He is a Past President of ORAHEAD, and the co-chair of the AHEAD ADA Coordinators Knowledge and Practice Community.
Adam Meyer
Adam Meyer is the Director of the Student Accessibility Services at the University of Central Florida. He has past experiences at Eastern Michigan University and at Saint Louis University while serving in this field since 2004. Adam was previously part of a national U.S. Department of Education grant that explored ways in which concepts of social justice could be more regularly and routinely incorporated into the operations of the disability services office. Adam has presented at numerous conferences and multiple other AHEAD and AHEAD affiliate venues on rethinking documentation, social model of disability and office implementation, effective initial student interviews and interactive process facilitation, disability language and various leadership and influence strategies for disability office personnel. Adam served on the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Board of Directors, now serves on the AHEAD external review team for campus program evaluations, and also does consulting and presentations with other disability offices and their campuses.
Michelle Mitchell
Michelle Mitchell earned an M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn State University and has been in the profession for over 24 years. Seeing the inequity of opportunities for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Michelle has endeavored to change opportunities by changing the way our culture interprets disability and championing liberation. Through this work, Michelle has developed sustainable relationships opening the doors of inclusion across many campuses, 2 year and 4 year alike. With over 18 years at Lehigh Carbon Community College as a Disability Learning Specialist and various community connections, Michelle has collaborated on a number of projects to open doors of equity across her community.
Jennifer Murchison
Jennifer Murchison is a 25+ year veteran of ADA/504 compliance work. Jennifer's work is grounded in the principles of social justice and civil rights as integral foundations of administration and institutional work. Throughout her career in higher education and disability services, Jennifer has forged friendships and mentorships up and down the ladder. She enjoys working with colleagues to ensure disability is seen as a valued aspect of diversity, addressing ableism across identities, and highlighting that ableism is systemic - something we all should acknowledge, address, and correct.
Mark Newmiller
Mark Newmiller, M.S. has been an advocate for equal access and opportunity for over 25 years. As Director of the Disability Resource Office at NC State University, he leverages his background in special education and leadership to ensure equitable access and support. His comprehensive experience includes teaching, evaluating, and determining eligibility for diverse student needs. Mark extends his impact beyond campus through presentations, his service on the NC AHEAD board of directors, and participation in external program reviews.
Kristie Orr
Kristie Orr, Ph.D. is the Director of Disability Resources at Texas A&M University. She is past president of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and currently serves on the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities which makes recommendations on disability issues and helps promote compliance with disability-related laws. She frequently provides peer workshops, lectures, and external reviews at state and national conferences and on campuses throughout the United States. Orr received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology from Texas A&M University, College Station and a Master of Education in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Chris Parthemos
Chris Parthemos, Ph.D., BCBA is Associate Director of SAEO at Virginia Commonwealth University, overseeing the accommodations process for the office. He is also the president-elect of Virginia's state affiliate of AHEAD, and an educational researcher focused on A.I., equity, and sense of belonging for disabled students.
Betty S. Patten
Betty S. Patten, Ph.D. is the Jay and Susie Gogue Endowed Director of the EAGLES Program and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling at Auburn University. Her research spans qualitative studies on the Positive Choices curriculum, the effectiveness of parent involvement interventions, the efficacy of group counseling for students with intellectual disabilities, and the implementation of evidence-based practices in inclusive education. Dr. Patten serves as a peer reviewer for the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council and is on the board of directors for the Family Guidance Center of Alabama and facilitates strategic planning with the Florida Center on Unique Abilities.
Emily Raclaw
Emily Raclaw, MS, LCP, CRC a neurodivergent professional and Director of Marquette University’s neurodiversity support program, On Your Marq, brings over 15 years of experience in disability education. A Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Emily leads a team providing mental health, executive functioning, career, and academic support for neurodivergent students. Her work redefines disability as a vital part of diversity, offering impactful training and consultation nationwide. Known for her dynamic style, Emily’s innovative programs foster independence and success for students.
Amy Rutherford
Amy Rutherford, LPC-MHSP, ACS currently serves as the director of the Mosaic Program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Founded in 2008 the program currently serves approximately 60 autistic students annually. Amy co-authored The BASICS College Curriculum, a four-book series based on curriculum for autistic college students as they transition into and out of college. She is a co-founder of Navigate U and a consultant with many universities and businesses where she specializes in creating Autism programming and neurodiversity hiring initiatives. She has participated in a variety of program evaluations, is proficient in project management and loves supporting study abroad possibilities for students. She has recently joined forces with College Autism Spectrum and is very active in National Organizations that promote Neuro-Inclusive learning. Her research focuses on autism and neurodiversity in higher education and mental health services, Universal Design and Leadership Studies. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor serving in the Chattanooga area through private practice. At her core she loves creating inclusive environments, equitable experiences and serving others.
Maria Schiano
Maria Schiano, MSW, is the Director of Accessibility Services at County College of Morris in New Jersey. She was appointed to AHEAD’s Board of Directors to serve as a Director-At-Large as the Community College representative. She also holds the role of the AHEAD Affiliates liaison, which helps connect affiliate groups across the country. Maria is also the immediate past-president of New Jersey AHEAD. She has over 20 years of higher education experience, specializing in disability services and access, LGBTQ + services and promoting equity and inclusion through a social justice lens.
Jodi Sleeper-Triplett
Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, B.A., MCC, BCC, is a Master Certified Coach, trainer, mentor, and speaker. Her company, JST Coaching & Training has been providing research-based student and neurodiversity coach training programs to individuals and educational institutions for over 20 years. Jodi is the author of Empowering Youth with ADHD, a contributing author of Becoming Self-Determined: Creating Thoughtful Learners in a Standards-Driven, Admissions-Frenzied Culture (2016) and Becoming Self-Determined: Practical Strategies for a Changing World (2021), and co-editor of From Transactional to Transformational: Coaching in Disability Resources (2023). She is the recipient of the 2016 CHADD Hall of Fame Award & 2017 ADHD Coaches Organization Founders Award and is considered the foremost authority on student and neurodiversity coaching. During her two-year term as president of the Association of Coach Training Organizations, Jodi's platform focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in coach training, and she continues to forward social justice initiatives.
Molly Stafford
Molly Stafford, M.A. brings expertise to the classroom, with more than 22 years of teaching experience at both the K-12 private and public school settings and over two years with the Mississippi State University ACCESS IPSE program.
Sam Stewart
Sam Stewart, M.S. brings a background in Educational Psychology to his role as an Academic coordinator for the ACCESS program at Mississippi State University where he teaches life skills courses and works on modifications for audit courses. His journey with the ACCESS program began as a peer mentor which started his enthusiasm for supporting students.
Chris Stone
Chris Stone, Ed.D. is Director of Disability Resources at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Stone leads Disability Resources in its efforts to assist disabled students in meeting their academic and personal development goals and supports the University in the broader mission of inclusivity and equitable opportunity for disabled students. In addition to this role, he engages as an external consultant, supporting institutions and individuals in addressing organizational planning, leadership, and policies and practices. Chris previously served as Director-at-Large on the board of AHEAD and held positions of Treasurer and President within the North Carolina affiliate of AHEAD (NCAHEAD), and currently is the President of Missouri AHEAD. Along with having the privilege to support AHEAD’s efforts by facilitating sessions during the Master Class, AHEAD Start, and during the PreConference, Chris has been granted numerous opportunities to engage professionals nationally and internationally, most recently keynoting the NC AHEAD Fall Conference in October 2024.
Mary Lee Vance
Mary Lee Vance is the Director of the Disability Access Center, Testing Center, Disability Cultural Center, and Assistive Technology Lab at California State University Sacramento, where she has also served as interim Director for the Office of Equal Opportunity, Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation (DHR), under the Inclusive Excellence Division. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses including disability studies, successfully written federal grants, serves as a reviewer for the AHEAD and NACADA refereed journals and for over 16 years has taught and continues to teach disability law classes and seminars with Grossman, Axelrod and Vance Consulting with specific focus on the intersection between racism and ableism, ADA and Title IX, and other intersections, as well as additional subject areas. Among other honors, Mary Lee was presented AHEAD’s Professional Recognition Award in 2012, the AHEAD Duraese Hall Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2020, and the AHEAD Blosser Award in 2023. She has published in referred journals, books, and periodicals, and lead-edited 5 books published by NASPA, NACADA and AHEAD. The books include DISABLED Faculty and Staff in a Disabling Society: Multiple Perspectives in Higher Education; Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act: Proactively Planning for Accessible Post-Secondary Educational Offerings Now and into the Future; Advising Students with Disabilities: Developing Universal Success; Laws, Policies and Procedures: Tools for Postsecondary Student Accommodation; and the newly released DISABLED Faculty and Staff: Intersecting Identities in Higher Education, Volume 2.
Katy Washington
Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D., is the inaugural Chief Accessibility Officer at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success and serves as the ADA/Section 504 Coordinator. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for AHEAD. She has spent over eighteen years working with faculty and staff to facilitate an inclusive campus environment for disabled students. In her current role, Katy uses an innovative approach to proactively remove physical and digital barriers to equal access by collaborating with workgroups and partners across the university; administering the employment-related accommodation process; and ensuring university compliance with relevant state and federal laws which directly impact equal access and inclusion of disabled employees, students, and visitors. Katy received a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas. She also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Arkansas.
Charles Weiner
Charles Weiner is a disability rights attorney and principal of the Law Office of Charles Weiner. He engages in nationwide impact litigation on behalf of individuals with disabilities with particular focus on higher education, licensing/certification examinations and higher education admission examinations. He has litigated significant cases brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing Act and Individual with Disabilities Education Act. He previously served as a Commissioner on the American Bar Association Commission on Disabilities. He is a publish author and seasoned speaker having presented on topics involving disability discrimination, disability services in higher education, disability access in health sciences, special education, and school discipline. Charles’s extensive experience in law and education provides him with a rich perspective on law, policy and best practices in higher education.