Disability Awareness Month

Charlie Johnson is the Director of Scholar Support Programs at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. He directs the Nina Mason Pulliam Legacy Scholars Program that supports the success of lower-income students who have experienced foster care, have similar independent backgrounds, have physical disabilities, or are students with children. He also directs the Bowen Scholars program for selected African American students transferring from Ivy Tech Community College. Charlie directs the Bowen Scholarship program, which focuses on the success of first-year, independent students at IUPUI who have had experiences such as foster care and homelessness. Charlie developed and oversees the THRIVE Program, which focuses on the success of first-year independent students at IUPUI who have had experiences such as foster care and homelessness.

Charlie teaches a first-year seminar, a senior capstone for General Studies majors, and Mindfulness-based Emotional Intelligence at IUPUI. He has also taught Life Transitions for those in reentry from incarceration, Collaborative Learning for peer mentors, and Social Justice Philanthropy for graduate students. He is certified as a Mindfulness-based Emotional Intelligence instructor and as an Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program instructor. He is a contributing author to the book, Invisibility Factor: Administrators and Faculty Reach Out to First-Generation College Students. He has served in academic positions at Indiana University, Texas A&M University, and IUPUI. Charlie holds a Master of Science degree in Foundations of Education from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science degree in English and Humanities from Ball State University.

Shadiyah Jones graduated from IUPUI in 2019. Her degree was in general studies with three minors: Africana Studies, Communications, and Sociology. Shadiyah is also a part of the Nina Mason Pulliam Scholarship program alumni. She is an independent contractor as a life coach and has been life coaching for the last two years. Shadiyah really found her niche in life coaching. Life coaching is something Shadiyah really enjoys because it really makes her feel fulfilled in so many ways as a person.

Matt Griffin earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology from the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI in May 2012. With a career spanning over a decade in the technology sector, Matt has assumed diverse roles such as Consultant and Systems Architect. Presently, he serves as the Senior Advisor – Cloud at MISO Energy. Beyond his professional career endeavors, Matt has contributed as a volunteer to various Non-Profit organization Boards of Directors, including the Engineering and Technology Alumni Association, Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation, and the RHI Sports Program Boards. Passionate about adaptive sports, Matt is an active participant in Wheelchair Lacrosse, currently playing for the Indy RIP team based in Indianapolis, IN.

Lance Varnell was born in Bedford, Indiana, among the hills and limestone quarries of the Southern part of the state. In 1992, Lance moved to Houston, Texas where he pursued a career in video production. During this time Lance began dedicating most of his spare time to a passion for landscape photography. By 1998, Lance’s images appeared regularly in Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, Texas Highways Magazine, Texas Monthly, and National Geographic Adventure Magazine. In 2007, Lance decided to explore an alternate path and began working as a mariner on seagoing tug and barge units. He spent eight months a year working on the water for eight years while continuing freelance video projects as a director of photography when not offshore. In late December 2015, Lance walked down the gangway for the last time. A rare genetic mitochondrial condition had damaged his optic nerves and left him blind. Currently, Lance is pursuing educational goals and seeking a bachelor’s degree at IU Indianapolis within the School of Public and Environmental affairs. Lance looks forward to continuing his work, serving as a voice for our wild lands. Lance has embraced the written word and wishes to relay a positive message of hope and change through his environmental advocacy and establishing methods for backcountry travel for the visually impaired.

Dr. Cory Clark, Director of Diversity Enrichment and Achievement at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, focuses on supporting traditionally underrepresented minority students in higher education through training and program development. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in American Sign Language and English Translation, and a Master's in Student Personnel Services, both from Eastern Kentucky University. Additionally, he holds a Doctorate in Adult and Higher Education Leadership from Morehead State University. Dr. Clark is an advocate for diversity and equity in higher education. Committed to impacting lives through education, he aims to make a difference, one graduation invitation at a time.

Akaiya Bryant is sophomore at IUPUI. Her major is Social Work and has a minor in American Sign Language. Akaiya is studying to be a therapist in the mental health field. When she was young, she developed a speech impediment, but as she became older, she realized that her disability did not define her as a person. Akaiya’s accommodations through AES are due to her mental health. She cannot wait to share the rest of her story with the audience.

Selma Adie is a junior majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry and Spanish. Selma is the Vice President of the Disability Advocacy Organization and is deeply passionate about raising awareness and ensuring accessibility for everyone in their community.

Sarah Zetzl is a Biology student at IU Indianapolis. Sarah is on the pre-medical track with her degree. Most days, you can find Sarah and her service dog hanging out and studying around campus.

Chris Avila is a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Mathematics. While pursuing his degree, Chris has worked with disabled persons in various contexts and has gained experience working with groups that design medical devices. He has worked on projects that include designing models for clinical training applications, understanding and analyzing medication levels in blood samples, and functional accessible devices for patient care and assessment. Post-graduation, Chris hopes to apply his knowledge and unique skill set to advancing the field of biomedical engineering.

Larry Markel is the Director of the Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, a program that provides college students with physical disabilities with paid internships in positions related to their major and professional development training to improve employment outcomes. Prior to that, Larry was the Director of Disability Services at Ball State University for 13 years. During Larry’s tenure, Ball State was recognized nationally as a leader in physical accessibility for students with disabilities. A 2019 recipient of the Association on Higher Education and Disability’s Meritorious Contribution Award, Larry has co-authored multiple articles on disability and higher education that have been published in peer reviewed journals and presented at dozens of regional and national conferences.

Cameron Miller is a 2022 graduate from the Luddy School of Informatics and Computing at IUPUI, holding a degree in Health Information Management. He now works for Eskenazi Health as a Level I Outpatient Medical Coder. Outside of work, Cameron is passionate about human rights, spending time with loved ones, and his cat, Wasabi! He also enjoys knitting, reading, and photography.

MODERATOR: Dr. Seena Skelton- Dr. Seena M. Skelton is an accomplished professional serving as the Director of Operations for the Great Lakes Equity Center, a hub for research, technical assistance, and educational resource development located within Indiana University's School of Education-Indianapolis. In addition to this pivotal role, Dr. Skelton is also the Director for the Region III Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center, one of four regional equity assistance centers funded by the United States Department of Education under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, tasked with providing equity-focused technical assistance to public pre-K12 education systems across its expansive thirteen-state region. With a rich professional background spanning 28 years, Dr. Skelton has cultivated expertise in inclusive education, school improvement, and educational equity. She earned her Ph.D. and M.Ed. in School Psychology from the University of Cincinnati and holds a B.S. in Psychology from Central Michigan University.

In her current leadership capacity, Dr. Skelton strategically plans, directs, and manages projects and services offered to state and local education agencies, contributing significantly to the advancement of educational equity. Beyond her role at Great Lakes Equity Center, Dr. Skelton is actively involved in various boards and committees dedicated to improving education and life outcomes for minoritized individuals. Dr. Skelton’s commitment to advancing equity and inclusivity is reflected in her numerous publications, with representative works such as "Cultivating a Positive Ethnic-Racial-Disability Identity" and "Situating my Positionality as a Black Woman with a Dis/ability." Dr. Skelton's influence extends globally, as she regularly presents at state, regional, national, and international conferences, contributing to the ongoing dialogue on improving outcomes for marginalized youth.

MacAna Gilkerson is a law student at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law who is scheduled to graduate May 2024 with a Juris Doctor (JD). MacAna is from central Indiana and has her Bachelor of Arts in English from IUPUI, soon to be IUI. Some of MacAna’s accomplishments in law school include serving as Secretary for McKinney's Sports and Entertainment Law Society, receiving the Diversity Scholarship Foundation of Chicago’s Law Student with a Disability Scholarship, and being a founding member and President of the Accessibility and Equity Student Union at McKinney. MacAna has a non-apparent mental disability, a non-apparent physical disability, and two apparent physical disabilities. However, she only has school accommodations for one of the visible physical disabilities that hinder her typing speed.

Ashley “Chachi” Bocanegra, a first-generation student with Colombian and Mexican heritage, has faced physical challenges due to various illnesses. Now, in her first year of doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology, Chachi’s research focuses on chronic gynecological pain, particularly dysmenorrhea and endometriosis in women with physical disabilities. Drawing from her own experiences, she aims to shed light on the unique struggles of this often-overlooked group and advocate for more inclusive and effective interventions.

Claire Kilbarger-Stumpff (they/she) graduated Indiana University Indianapolis from the School of Social Work in May 2023 with a bachelor's in social work. They started the accelerated track with IU School of Social Work immediately after graduation and are on track to graduate with a master's in social work in May 2024. She is in her third year working as an Accommodation Support Professional at Accessible Educational Services. They have been diagnosed with ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder and have been learning to navigate the world since.

Michael Mace is the manager of the Indiana University system’s Assistive Technology and Accessibility Center. Michael and his team focus on helping people create engaging, inclusive, active-learning educational experiences that meet students where they are in their educational journey.  Michael frequently presents on topics such as universal design for learning and creating equitable digital course experiences on the various IU campuses as well as at various industry conferences. Michael is also the chair of the accessibility subcommittee for learning technology with the Unizin consortium. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from Marian University and a master’s degree in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University.

Dr. Kathy Marrs- is a Professor of Biology in the School of Science at IUPUI. She teaches Introductory Biology annually for about 800 science majors and Honors Introductory Biology. She teaches a project-based Microbiology lab for upper-level students and is part of an interdisciplinary Senior Research Capstone course with colleagues in Biology. She also team-teaches in several interdisciplinary Themed Learning Community (TLC) first-year seminars with colleagues from Chemistry and Neuroscience in Biomedical Engineering.

Her research has focused on a range of educational initiatives from K-12 outreach, undergraduate education, graduate education, and teacher preparation, funded through several National Science Foundation programs. She was selected for the Advocate for Equity Accessibility Award from the IUPUI Diversity Equity and Inclusion in October 2022 for her work to ensure that students with disabilities enjoy all campus life benefits.

Dr. Sharon Miller- is currently the Assistant Vice Provost for Purdue University in Indianapolis providing leadership for Purdue in Indianapolis with a focus on curriculum and the student experience. Dr. Miller received a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) and Master of Science and PhD degrees in Biomedical Engineering (BME) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Most recently, she served the IUPUI BME Department as Associate Chair and Director of the Undergraduate Program, helping develop, implement, and assess curricular changes that embed engineering design, ethics, and technical communication within the BME curriculum. Her grant funded engineering education work has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), in addition to many internal seed awards. This scholarship of teaching and learning and engineering education work focuses on learning how undergraduate student self-efficacy relates to design achievement. Dr. Miller enjoys teaching, advising, and mentoring students and has been awarded the Outstanding Materials Engineer (2024), IUPUI Advocate for Accessibility in Equity Awrad (2023), IUPUI Trustees Teaching Award (2022), the IUPUI Wisner-Stoelk Outstanding Faculty award (2021), the Jaguar Academic Advising Association Faculty Advisor of the Year (2020), and the Aurora University Mark and Marcus Trumbo Excellence in Teaching Award (2015). Her effective coaching of senior capstone design teams has led to local and national design student awards such as an NIH-VentureWell DEBUT award and her creative leadership has forged opportunities for students to connect with several Indianapolis companies and resources including the IU School of Medicine and the IU Health 3D Innovations Lab.