Maria Isabel Frangenberg

Diversity and Inclusion Fellow
Phone: 301-588-8252

Maria Isabel Frangenberg is a Diversity and Inclusion Fellow with the Association of University Centers on Developmental Disabilities (AUCD). She joins other faculty members from around the country in creating a blueprint for cultural and linguistic competence within the nationwide AUCD network. The blueprint seeks to expand diversity in both the network and the developmental disabilities field to ensure that the network is well-positioned to address growth in diverse communities and the growing number of people with disabilities. This blueprint and fellowship is one-year initiative funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD).

Maria Isabel brings extensive experience in working with diverse and underserved populations. Prior to joining AUCD, she worked at the Partnership for People with Disabilities, the Virginia UCEDD, as the Latino Community Liaison. There, she designed and implemented educational programs for Latino parents of children with special healthcare needs to enhance their meaningful participation in their local school districts. Additionally, Maria Isabel designed trainings and conferences to educate and build capacity for providers within the commonwealth of Virginia to enhance the cultural responsiveness of their organizations.  She was the first parent LEND trainee in VA, and continued her connection to LEND as a co- instructor for the Interdisciplinary Teamwork course.

Maria Isabel is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she obtained a BA in philosophy and political science. She is a native of Colombia, South America and lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.