The Art of Directing and Leading a Disability Resource Office

A Six-Week AHEAD Webinar Series

Adam Meyer, University of Central Florida

Enjie Hall, University of Toledo 

October 2, 9, 16 and November 6, 13, 20, 2020
1:30-3:00 EASTERN Time
 
This leadership webinar is closed to new registrations. However, it is ongoing with an 80-member cohort engaged in presentations and discussion. Because of the amount of interest in leadership expressed by the membership, AHEAD is planning another series of webinars for ALL members of the disability resource office in the spring. We hope you and your staff will be able to join us for a look at ways in which all members of the staff are leaders, regardless of the positions they hold.  
Registration for this event is closed. 

About This Webinar Series

As directors of disability offices, our professional focus is access and inclusion for disabled people in higher education. We have the opportunity to motivate and mobilize ourselves, our teams, and our entire campus communities to envision and pursue seamless access in which disability is valued as an aspect of diversity and access as a matter of social justice. Achieving this vision requires energizing our teams and campus stakeholders to recognize and embrace their capacity to promote equitable, inclusive campus environments. 

Directing a disability resource office offers the opportunity to guide and support an internal team while also being an agent for change for the whole institution. The work is not easy, but the rewards are significant. This six session webinar series will cover topics crucial to becoming an effective disability resource director, office, and campus leader. Substantial presentation and discussion will focus on supervising professional staff and on team development. Topics include:

  • Exploration of the internal drive to be a leader
  • Office mission and purpose
  • Leadership strategies
  • Building effective and energetic teams
  • Fostering individual success and growth
  • Establishing trust
  • Communication, accountability, and expectations with teams
  • Operating within a limited budget
  • Messaging to and collaboration with administration and colleagues
  • Managing up with your supervisor and their supervisor

Each of the six sessions will be 90-minutes in length and include a mix of presentation and large and small group discussion. Sessions will occur on October 2, 9, 16 and November 6, 13, 20. During the two-week virtual “break,” participants will have the opportunity to continue the discussion through a closed leadership email list. Finally, as we close out the series, participants will be offered the opportunity to create an action plan in preparation for 2021.

These webinars will be hosted in Zoom and include captioning. Complete instructions for participating and presentation materials will be sent via email prior to each webinar. Please contact Carol Funckes with any questions.

Because members carry a wide diversity of professional credentials, AHEAD’s webinars are not precertified for CEUs. If you would like to use AHEAD webinars for CEUs from you professional association / licensing body, please contact them directly to learn what information you will need to support your request. If the required information is not available on this page, contact Carol Funckes to discuss your need.

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Registration Information and Costs

Members: $249
Non-Members: $349

Register Here

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

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Presenters

Enjie Hall

Enjie Hall, M.R.C. is the Director of Campus Accessibility and Student Disability Services at the University of Toledo in Ohio, the University’s ADA Compliance Officer, and and a Director At-Large on AHEAD’s Board of Directors. Enjie previously worked at The Ohio State University in the Student Life Office for Disability Services and is a licensed professional counselor. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on a variety of topics relating to services for disabled students, moving beyond compliance to full inclusion, and assistive technology.

 

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.

 


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Schedule

October 2 – Defining Leadership and Purpose 

The opening session will focus on leadership as a broad concept. It will include discussion about our individual motivations as leaders and the successes and challenges that come with them. We will explore the purpose of disability resource offices and how they align with leadership opportunities.

October 9 – Building Teams

We cannot do this campus-wide work alone., It is critical for directors to first ensure their teams function well as a unit before working to be successful across campus. We will explore strategies for building your team.

October 16 – Working with and Supervising Individuals

Teams are comprised of individuals with unique needs, experiences, strengths, challenges and concerns. In this discussion, we will explore how to work effectively with team members at the individual level, while balancing the interest of the team. We will cover supervision strategies, accountability, managing expectations, and how to grow staff for their next steps.

October 19 – November 5

During the two-week pause in virtual meetings, we will continue the conversation via a closed email list. Agenda items during this time include:

  • Completing a Strengths Finder assessment (cost included in webinar registration);
  • Watching Brene Brown’s The Anatomy of Trust;
  • Identifying two to three personal action items. 

November 6 – Directing Office Operations

After discussing teams and working together as individuals, this session will delve into customer service, working with students and faculty, budget and data collection considerations, and other components of office operations.

November 13 – Leading Beyond the Disability Office

The heart of disability office work is not about what happens within the walls of the disability resource office but what happens on campus. Building a more inclusive and access-centered campus culture requires the dedication of the campus community. This week’s discussion will focus on strategies for fostering allies and working toward a stronger campus-wide commitment to access. 

November 20 – Leading Students

Working with disabled students is central to the work that we do. How can we introduce students to disability as a positive aspect of their identities and empower them to be part of the campus change? In this session, we will explore basic strategies for start these conversations. We will use this time to address outstanding issues arising from conversations over the previous 8 weeks.

November 30 – December 18 (Optional Participation)

Interested participants will be supported in developing a leadership action plan through online and video discussion. Action plans might be individual, internal to the disability resource office or based on goals for the campus. Ideas include:

  • Personal steps to invest in your individual leadership;
  • Developing a purpose statement for your office that reflects a social justice focus;
  • Team-building and development strategies that you want to incorporate in 2021;
  • Approaches you want to take in improving individual supervision and communication;
  • Moving from transactional service delivery to relational service;
  • Improving office customer service;
  • Developing and furthering relationships external to the disability resource office;
  • Developing students as social justice leaders.
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