Fall 2021 Webinar Recordings

This year’s fall program featured 12 webinars with 25 speakers, representing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and backgrounds. AHEAD webinars are a flexible, low-cost, high impact professional development opportunity for individuals or whole offices. Select just the topics that you’re working with now or all 12 webinars to bring a diverse program of information by nationally-recognized presenters to all interested members of your campus community.

Use the webinar recordings as professional development for yourself and your staff or watch with colleagues to foster dialogue about accessibility campus-wide. These webinars were hosted in Zoom and include captioning with the recordings.

Fall leaves and pumpkins with text Fall 2021 Webinar Series

Registration & Costs

Member Pricing (Requires Sign-In)

  • All 12 webinars: $499.00.  
  • Individual webinars: $59.00 each
Non Member Pricing
  • All 12 webinars: $599.00. 
  • Individual webinars for $99.00 each 


Contact AHEAD at ahead@ahead.org or 704.947.7779 with any questions

Purchase 2021 Fall Webinars Online

Webinar Titles & Description

Resources and Reflections on Providing Exam Accommodations in a Remote Learning Environment 

Tuesday, September 28, 1:00-2:30pm EASTERN
Kegan Clark, Texas A&M University
Priscilla Adams, University of Florida

Join practitioners from two different schools who will discuss common challenges involving providing remote exam accommodations during the 2020-21 academic year. This webinar will cover individual institutional responses to these challenges and the overall impact experienced from this journey, including discussions about exam integrity, service delivery, and communication with stakeholders. Thirty minutes at the end of the session will be dedicated for Q&A regarding remote exam accommodations.  

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

The Legal Year in Review, Round II

Wednesday, September 29, 2:00-4:00 pm EASTERN
Paul Grossman, Hastings College of Law
Jamie Axelrod, Northern Arizona University

For unavoidable reasons, the annual presentation of the Legal Year in Review can seem like “drinking from a fire hose.”  The objective of this webinar is to select fewer cases for presentation in greater depth, cover some important legal developments that have occurred since July, and provide some real time for questions and answers.  For the Q & A session, our presenter, AHEAD Executive Counsel, Paul Grossman will be joined by Jamie Axelrod, past President of AHEAD and Director of Disability Resources at Northern Arizona University. 

Topics to be covered include:

  • New Federal guidance on whether persons with COVID are individuals with disabilities
  • Constitutional challenges to mandatory vaccination and masking requirements
  • Digital test surveillance
  • Accommodation of students with ID or ASD in due process disciplinary hearings
  • The first case with an effective challenge to the use of a bona fide service animal by an individual with a well-documented disability
  • What receives attention when DOJ does a campus compliance review
  • The unique importance of protections against retaliation for persons with disabilities
  • The scope of the duty to accommodate students with disabilities in education abroad programs
  • When and whether postsecondary students with disabilities will be able to use disparate impact analysis to address discriminatory policies and practices
Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Intersectionality and its Domino Effects

Wednesday, October 6, 2:00-3:30 EASTERN
Jesus Remigio, Brown University
Juana De Los Santos, Brown University

There’s no question that we all, at the most basic level, have identities that intersect. These could be race and gender, race and disability, gender and military status...the possibilities are endless and not mutually exclusive. The dissection of intersectionality and its assumptions can be cumbersome if not managed appropriately. In this facilitated session, we will explore how assumptions impact the way in which we interact with others and how the behaviors we exhibit based on assumptions of others can have a domino effect. Our session will include interactive dialogues that will examine unconscious bias, identity bias, and emotional intelligence. Participants will also have an opportunity to self-reflect and determine how their experiences may have cultivated unhealthy and healthy assumptions. This webinar will have ASL interpretation.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Accessible Communications Under the ADA: Cuneiform to Captions

Tuesday, October 12, 1:00-2:30 EASTERN
Scott Lissner, The Ohio State University

Colleges and universities, whether Title II or Title III institutions, have effective communication obligations imposed by the ADA. This webinar will focus on schools’ decision making and policy creation, including communication obligations and best practices. Topics expected to be covered include: ASL, CART, AI captions, braille, digital media, large print and Recorded print, audio description, and general web accessibility. Plenty of time will be devoted to Q&A.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Ten Tips for Working Effectively with Administration

Monday, Oct 18, 3:00 - 4:30 pm EASTERN
Bree Callahan, University of Washington
Heidi Pettyjohn, University of Cincinnati

Ever wonder how to best work with your Dean or Vice President? Or ever been curious if a secret language exists to ensure a strong relationship with university leadership? Acknowledging that each college and leader will have unique needs and styles, come learn ten tips to incorporate into your toolbox as you build out partnerships with your administration. These tips have been vetted by Deans, Associate Vice Presidents, and Vice Presidents across two year, four year and private colleges.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Emerging Practices in Health Science Education Disability Access

Wednesday, October 20, 3:30-5:00 pm EASTERN
Jennifer E. Gossett, M.S., Oregon Health Science University
Carrie Knopf, MA, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Marie Lusk, MBA, MSW, LSW, Rush University
Emily Magee, M.S., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Lisa M. Meeks, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science Education

Disability access within Health Professions Education (HPE) is rapidly evolving, and the number of students with disabilities matriculating into health professions programs is increasing. Appropriately, professional associations, accrediting bodies, and researchers are releasing new guidance and regulations, and are shoring up their commitment to disability as a critical component of diversity in HPE. Four emerging practices will be covered in this panel format webinar including: remote real-time captioning in health sciences, various structures of disability offices for HPE, dismantling accommodations decisions by committee, and integrating universal design in HPE assessment. New resources will be shared with the audience, with 30 minutes reserved for a robust Q&A.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

A Digital Skills Gap: Addressing the Cognitive Challenges of Learning Online and In-Person

Thursday, October 21, 12:00-1:30 pm EASTERN
Katherine Hamilton, Glean

Learning environments are evolving, but what does that mean for students’ learning skills? A student can be watching a lecture, taking notes, and communicating with their peers all from the same screen. For a student of any ability, this can put pressure on working memory, attention, and information processing skills. This session explores research into students’ experiences of online learning and ideas for how to future-proof support of digital skills.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.


Honoring Social Justice Values While Maintaining Rigorous and Appropriate Decision Making (a Panel Discussion)

Tuesday, October 26, 1:00-3:00 pm EASTERN
Karen Andrews, University of California, Irvine
Scott Lissner, The Ohio State University
Adam Meyer, University of Central Florida
Maria Schiano, County College of Morris
Melanie Thornton, Partners for Inclusive Communities, University of Arkansas
Katy Washington, University of North Texas

AHEAD members frequently express that they have a commitment to the principles of social justice but aren’t always sure how to apply it in their work. Some may even feel that social justice goals can be at odds with current institutional processes. This panel of experienced disability resource providers will discuss issues such as: What exactly is social justice relative to our work? How can we articulate it for ourselves and effectively communicate it on our campus? How do we integrate values of social justice into institutional practices and processes? How do we promote a narrative that embraces social justice for disabled people as a win for our institution?

Panelists with experience with many types of student diversity will share the lessons they’ve learned, the personal principles they follow, and what they wish they had known earlier when balancing the complexities of institutional policies and the nuances of students’ personal situations. Plenty of time will be reserved for Q&A.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Data Driven- Storytelling with Numbers

Tuesday, November 2, 2:00-3:30 pm EASTERN
Kelly Dormer, Disability Specialist, Wayne State University
Leslie Johnson, Michigan State University

Data is critical in understanding the populations we serve, helps focus efforts, measure outcomes, and secure funding. With so many types of information to gather, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. This webinar will walk you through the benefit of data collection, developing an evaluation plan, what criteria will be evaluated, assessing program performance, data collection, and reporting and using evaluation results (with or without an electronic data management system). With the right systems in place, we’ll show you how data collection can go from tedious and time consuming to stress-free and exciting, because you will be gathering information in small ways on a daily basis as opposed to sifting through piles of papers in a panic when the campus administrators request the information.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

The Appointment that Can’t Wait: Developing Comprehensive Disability Resources Services for Students with Concussion on College Campuses 

Wednesday, November 10, 2:00-3:30 pm EASTERN
Nancy Chinn, Santa Rosa Junior College

Concussion can have immediate and potentially devastating impact on the college student as they try to navigate return to the classroom. Effectively serving students with concussion in DR requires an immediacy in response and approach to accommodations that is tailored to the student’s unique symptomatology and course of recovery. This research to practice based webinar will:

  • provide attendees with an update on the latest concussion research
  • describe the impact of concussion on the college student
  • highlight unique considerations for the student-athlete
  • delineate how to partner with Athletics Sports Medicine programs and Student Health Services to facilitate access and a team approach.
  • detail considerations for the initial interview, authorizing academic accommodations, and working with students with persistent concussion symptoms.
Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Ensuring Student Inclusion in a World of Technology

Tuesday, November 16, 2:00-3:30 pm EASTERN
Scott Lissner, The Ohio State University
Peter Bossley, The Ohio State University

As technology becomes a central part of instruction across higher education, the challenges for ensuring access for disabled students grows with the complexity of instructional technology. Join us to learn how Ohio State University is working to improve accessibility while balancing the needs and wants of faculty and instructional design staff. The presentation will cover legal and regulatory frameworks applying to procurement of accessible instructional materials, working with faculty on their materials selection, and discuss some approaches for assessing technology for accessibility.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.

Substance Use Disorder, Collegiate Recovery, and Student Accommodations

Thursday, November 18, 3:00 - 4:30 pm EASTERN
Dylan Dunn, SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic)

For the 2.2% of all students identifying as in recovery from substance use disorder, an often overlooked and misunderstood resource for them is their on-campus disability services and accommodation staff. This lack of clarity regarding accommodations for students in recovery often also exists for the disability resource professionals serving them. In addition to knowledge gaps, stigma related to substance use disorder is often one of the greatest barriers for individuals seeking support. Understanding our responsibility to support this growing population and what accommodations may be most appropriate is the first move in ensuring these students have an equal educational opportunity. In this webinar, information regarding the complex relationship between substance use disorder and federal disability protections will be shared and recommendations for creating more recovery-supportive policies and procedures will be suggested.

Did you miss the live webinar? You can now purchase a recording of this webinar and others from the Fall 2021 Recorded Webinar Series.


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Presenter Bios

Priscilla Adams

Priscilla Adams serves as the Coordinator for Testing Services at the University of Florida Disability Resource Center. With 5+ years of experience in Student Life, Priscilla brings her background knowledge of the testing and assessment industry to disability services. In her current role, she combines her passion for student success with the concepts of accessibility and universal design. Priscilla works diligently with instructors and campus partners to address barriers students experience in the testing environment. Priscilla is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration degree specializing in IT Management and has a special interest in assistive technology and information systems that support accessibility.

Karen Andrews

Karen Andrews, M.Ed. is the Director of the Disability Services Center at the University of California Irvine. She serves on AHEAD’s Board of Directors as a Director-at-Large and has served AHEAD as the Chair of the Racial and Ethnic Diversity and Disability (REDD Knowledge & Practice Community, a conference presenter, session moderator, and proposal reviewer. Karen has a firm foundation in understanding the complexities of eliminating barriers, providing accommodations and services, and fighting to promote inclusive excellence. She is experienced in leading large, diverse teams.

Jamie Axelrod

Jamie Axelrod, M.S. is the Director of Disability Resources at Northern Arizona University and Past-President of AHEAD. Jamie presents regularly 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 regular and well-respected contributor to professional listservs, including AHEAD’s discussion boards, and is 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 and on AHEAD’s Board of Directors.

Peter Bossley
Peter Bossley leads digital accessibility compliance at The Ohio State University. Outside his role with Ohio State, he has consulted for organizations in private and public sectors, served as a legal expert for national disability rights organizations, and has been a testifying expert in federal court on ADA and digital accessibility issues. With 15 years of full-time technology experience and a lifetime of being a blind person who is personally reliant on assistive technology, he understands the complex issues involved in making technology accessible. Peter is a Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA) by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) and regularly presents at industry conferences on digital accessibility.

 

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. 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. 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.

Dr. Nancy Resendes Chinn

Dr. Nancy Resendes Chinn has spent her career in the field of brain injury in clinical settings as a speech-language pathologist, and as a faculty member in Disability Resources working in both Sports Medicine and Veterans Affairs programs at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) in Northern California. She has collaborated with SRJC Sports Medicine to develop and maintain a comprehensive and innovative concussion management program for athletics and club sports, earning national recognition for concussion management in higher education. She has presented on the topic of concussion both nationally and internationally. Dr. Chinn is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, on the board of North Coast Concussion Management, and conducts research on the topic of concussion education in collegiate sport. Her most recent study addresses an innovative approach to concussion education and reporting behavior. She currently serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, and is chair of the AHEAD Research Review Panel.

Kegan Clark

Kegan Clark, M.Ed. is the Program Coordinator for the Disability Resources Testing Center (DRTC) at Texas A&M University which traditionally administers over 9,500 exams per semester. Before joining Texas A&M University, Kegan was an Academic Advisor/Tutor Coordinator for TRiO Disability Support Services at Wichita State University where he supported students with disabilities through academic coaching, career planning, financial planning, and coordinating tutorial services. Kegan presented both in-person and virtually during the AHEAD 2021 annual conferences over disability in Higher Ed., the social constructivist framework for understanding disability, and his experience leading the DRTC team in creating and implementing a novel method for proctoring students through Zoom. Kegan holds two bachelor’s degrees (Psychology & Spanish) and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology – Higher Education/Student Affairs from Wichita State University. He is passionate about leadership, developing others, and networking with colleagues across the country to share best practices for supporting students in Higher Ed.

Juana De Los Santos

Juana De Los Santos is a native of Dominican Republic who was raised in the boroughs of Providence, Rhode Island. Juana’s career path began with the U.S. Marine Corps where she served for over a decade. During her time in the Marine Corps Juana completed four overseas deployments and served as one of only 37 Equal Opportunity Advisors in the entire Marine Corps. Prior to her honorable discharge, Juana received the prestigious Albany, GA 30 Under Thirty award. Since then she has excelled academically and professionally. Juana currently serves as the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at Brown University and is inspired to help others become catalysts for change.

Kelly Dormer

Kelly Dormer has been a Disability Specialist at Wayne State University’s Student Disability Services since 2013.  Kelly is a licensed professional counselor and a certified rehabilitation counselor. She has a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and is currently pursuing a second masters degree in Information Management and Data Analytics. In addition to carrying a caseload of over 400 students, Kelly manages her office’s data tracking, reporting, and program evaluation initiatives. She has previously presented on how to use data to inform decision making at AHEAD and MI-AHEAD conferences. Kelly is the Treasurer of MI-AHEAD and the immediate Past President of the Michigan Rehabilitation Association. She also serves on the Accommodate Advisory Board.

Dylan Dunn, M.S.

Dylan Dunn, M.S. (he, him) serves as the Acting Senior Director of SAFE Campuses at SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic). Since 2018, the SAFE Campuses team has impacted over 300 institutions seeking to develop awareness and support for addiction and recovery. Prior to joining SAFE Project, Dylan worked with students in Residence Life, Alcohol and Other Drugs Programs, and Collegiate Recovery. In his free time while residing in Denver, he enjoys staying active with his dog Banjo.

Jennifer E. Gossett

Jennifer E. Gossett, M.S. is the Director of the Office for Student Access at Oregon Health and Science University and has worked in disability services for over 10 years in a variety of different roles. Her experience includes policy development, training, and accessibility assessments for both the digital and physical environment.

 

Paul Grossman

Paul Grossman, J.D. served as a civil rights attorney for the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), serving as its Chief Regional Attorney in San Francisco for 30 years. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Disability Law at Hasting College of Law, University of California, and a member of the AHEAD Board of Directors, the Public Policy Committee of the Association for Children and Adults with AD/HD (CHADD), and the Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) Expert Advisory Board. Dr. Grossman has worked on every type of education discrimination and investigated, written decisions, and settled hundreds of disability discrimination cases, often developing new approaches to protecting students with disabilities. He is the coauthor of The Law of Disability Discrimination (8th Edition) and its companion publication, Law of Disability Discrimination Handbook: Statues and Regulatory Guidance.

Katherine Hamilton

Katherine Hamilton is Glean’s Brand Manager, focusing on how we can help every learner to have the confidence and ability to build useful knowledge in an age of information overload. Glean (formerly Sonocent) creates inclusive note taking solutions that empower 100,000+ users across 500 institutions to reach their potential in and out of the classroom. Katherine’s vision is to shape Glean as more than just a technology company but instead a driver of real social change in diverse learning environments. Katherine has previously spoken at COE, AHEAD, ATIA, AHG, MC3 Learning & Technology, and CSUN conferences about improving equity and the relationship between note taking and learning.

 

Leslie Johnson

Leslie Johnson is the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Assistant Director, leading the Assistive Technology Center at Michigan State University. She has been at RCPD since February 2016. In her role at RCPD, Leslie works with MSU students and staff with disabilities to assess their needs for technology, determine assistive technology solutions, provide assistive technology training and support, as well as staying on top of technology trends and bringing innovative technology to MSU. Leslie serves on several committees at MSU that focus on advancing accessibility and growing awareness to make MSU accessible for all. She is also the MI-AHEAD President Elect.

Carrie Knopf

Carrie Knopf, MA, Disability Support Liaison ; Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

Scott Lissner

Scott Lissner is the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator and 504 Compliance Officer for The Ohio State University, where he is also an Associate of the John Glenn School of Public Policy and serves as a lecturer for the Moritz College of Law, the Knowlton School of Architecture and Disability Studies. Engaged in community and professional service, Scott is a Past President and Public Policy Chair of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and serves on the Board of Directors for The Center for Disability Empowerment, VSA Ohio, and the Editorial Board for Thompson’s ADA Compliance Guide. He is a regular and popular presenter both nationally and internationally, serves on numerous boards in support of access and equity. Recent publications include The Impact of the ADAAA of 2008 on Higher Education, Thompsons Publications; Universal Design in the Institutional Setting: Weaving a Philosophy into Campus Planning in Universal Design: From Accessibility to Zoning (J. Cowley-Evans & J. Nasser (Eds.); From Legal Principle to Informed Practice with J. E. Jarrow; and A Long View of Change, Disability Blog, The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Marie Lusk

Marie Lusk, MBA, MSW, LSW serves as the Director for the Office of Student Accessibility Services at Rush University in Chicago. She has presented at national symposiums on topics ranging from Opening and Operating a new Health Science Accessibility Office to the use of a Diagnostic OSCE to discern deficit from disability. She has contributed to several publications, including a chapter in the book Disability as Diversity and an article on technical standards in Disability Compliance for Higher Education.

Emily Magee

Emily Magee, M.S. is an Access Coordinator with the Office of Disability, Access, and Inclusion at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Prior to joining the team at Anschutz, she spent 5 years working in a disability resource office in Florida. Emily has a passion for access, education, and advancing the conversation around disability as diversity.

Lisa M. Meeks

Lisa M. Meeks, PhD is a former AHEAD board member and co-founder of the Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science Education; currently is serving her second term as President.  Dr. Meeks is co-editor and author of the leading books on the topic of inclusive health science education, and was the lead author of the AAMC Special Report: Accessibility, Inclusion, and Action in Medical Education: Lived Experiences of Learners and Physicians with Disabilities. She is co-creator of the social media campaign #DocsWithDisabilities, co-host of the Docs with Disabilities podcast, and creator and lead facilitator of the Equal Access Book Club.

Adam Meyer

Adam Meyer, Ph.D. is the Director of the Student Accessibility Services office and of Inclusive Education Services at the University of Central Florida. He was previously the Director of disability resource offices at Eastern Michigan University and Saint Louis University. Adam has served on the AHEAD Board of Directors and on AHEAD Standing Committees. He presents regularly on documentation, the social model of disability, leadership and office operations, initial student interviews, office data, and budgetary basics. Adam worked in the intellectual disability field for nearly 10 years prior to working in higher education.

Heidi Pettyjohn

Heidi Pettyjohn is Executive Director for Accessibility at the University of Cincinnati, where she serves as ADA Coordinator and supervises the directors of accessibility offices on the main and regional campuses. Heidi provides institutional leadership and guides efforts in the sustainment of an accessible and inclusive experience for disabled students, staff and visitors at the university. In the past four years, her work has focused particularly on leading the university in sweeping changes to their approach to ensuring that websites and other electronic and digital content is accessible to disabled students, employees, and community members. 

Jesus Remegio

Jesus Remigio is the Associate Director of Student Accessibility Services at Brown University. Part of what he does is to help oversee the budget, support the Director in managing staff and collaborate with staff in other areas of the department. Jesus' life’s journey has been an interesting one, thus far. Though not always filled with happy times, everything experienced has in some way, shape, or form made him the man that he is today. Although born and raised for some years on the beautiful island known as Dominican Republic, Jesus later moved at the age of seven to Rhode Island. He was born a proud, Deaf Hispanic to an amazing, single Spanish-speaking mother. Jesus' late grandmother was also a major influence in his upbringing and he misses her dearly. She’s still with him today in mind, and often Jesus recalls her encouragement, kindness, and support of his life. She always motivated him to take initiative and be assertive and kind, despite the negativity and prejudice often seen in the world.

Maria Schiano

Maria Schiano is the Director of Accessibility Services at County College of Morris (CCM) 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 has served as the President of New Jersey AHEAD for the past three years. She holds her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Brooklyn College and her Masters in Social Work from New York University. She has over 18 years of higher education experience, specializing in disability services and access, LGBTQ + services and promoting equity and inclusion through a social justice lens.


Melanie Thornton


Melanie Thornton
is the Coordinator of Access and Equity Outreach at the University of Arkansas - Partners for Inclusive Communities. In this position, she provides professional development and technical assistance on topics related to disability, diversity, digital access, leadership, and design. Previously, she worked at the Disability Resource Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she served as the Associate Director and Director of Project PACE, a Department of Education model demonstration grant. She led the campus community in increasing capacity related to Web accessibility and inclusive curricular design. Melanie has also served as a trainer for Project ShIFT, a project designed to develop the leadership skills of professionals across the country and supporting them in infusing disability studies perspectives into their practices. Melanie has presented at state, national and international conferences on topics related to disability and access and has worked as an independent consultant in a variety of capacities for 10 years.

Katy Washington

Katy Washington serves as the Director in the Office of Disability Access at the University of North Texas. She has spent over fifteen years working with faculty and staff to facilitate an inclusive campus environment for students with disabilities in various educational settings. 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. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) as the President-Elect. Dr. Washington is a highly motivated student affairs administrator with seventeen years of professional experience in various areas of student development such as disability services, standardized testing, student development, academic advising, and student success/retention programming. She has worked within a variety of institutional sizes and types including metropolitan and land-grant universities, a liberal arts college, and urban and Hispanic-serving two-year colleges and universities. She has fifteen years of progressive experience in Disability Services in the postsecondary setting, with eleven years in an administrative capacity.


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