Staff

Andrew Imparato has served as executive director of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) since 2013. As a disability rights lawyer and policy professional with more than 25 years of experience in government and advocacy roles, Imparato has worked with bipartisan policymakers to advance disability policy at the national level in the areas of civil rights, workforce development, and disability benefits. Prior to coming to AUCD, he was senior counsel and disability policy... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: AUCD Conference & Meeting Registrations, Membership Dues, Posting Employment Opportunities

Gwendolyn E. Clark is the Administrative Specialist with AUCD who assists and coordinates office activities related to the internal and external management and operation of the Association and its network of University Centers and Programs. She provides support to the Executive Director, Senior Director, Operations & Development, Manager of Human Resources, Operations & Events and other staff members and the projects that are under their direction.

Her duties include accounts ... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Sexual and Reproductive Health, Capacity Building, Health Promotion, Technical Assistance

Tanisha Clarke, MPH, is the Senior Manager of Disability and Public Health at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). She manages public health projects and capacity development activities for the National Center on Disability in Public Health. Tanisha leads national initiatives and provides technical assistance for participating sites including the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental a... READ MORE >

Anna participates in the planning, preparation and dissemination of public information as well as support and assist in carrying out a range of technical assistance activities, including training staff in selected online services to support AUCD central office teams. This position is a key coordinator of the range of training and information dissemination activities of the organization to further the mission and goals of all members of the AUCD network and central office.

Anna br... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Family Support, UCEDD TA, Healthcare Transition Learning Group, Down Syndrome Consortium

Sarah DeMaio is the senior program manager for AUCD's UCEDD Resource Center where she manages the technical assistance team for the UCEDD network. Sarah is also the project director for the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment (PFP-IDE). She provides oversight and leadership to the PFP-IDE which brings 20 mid-career professionals (Fellows) from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, to the US to study with AUCD network members and partners how to implement best practices in ... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Diversity Toolkit, TA Institute, Directors' Retreat, New Directors' Orientation, AUCD's International Efforts, Home and Community-Based Services, Coffee and TA Series (and related webinars and tip sheets), Harkin Summit, Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment

Dorothy Garcia is the project director for the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment (PFP-IDE). PFP-IDE is a professional exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State, which enables 20 emerging leaders in inclusive employment from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to participate in a five-week fellowship in the U.S. The Fellows are placed with AUCD network members, who provide mentorship and collaborate with them to develop an inclusive employment project to be i... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Access to Healthcare, Health Education, Action Learning, Communities of Practice

Dr. Adriane Griffen serves as the Senior Director, Public Health and Leadership, at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. With 20 years of experience, she specializes in disability and health, social marketing, qualitative research, and health education. Her activities focus on capacity building, systems change, and health promotion for people with disabilities across the life span.

Dr. Griffen integrates action learning principles and action research in her current w... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Nutrition and Healthy Weight, Health Promotion, Communities of Practice

Daphnee Guillaume is the Public Health Program Manager at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager, Disability and Public Health. She supports AUCD's public health programs that aim to strengthen the capacity to carry out activities in the areas of developmental disabilities and health promotion for people living with a disability. Other health promotion and technical assistance responsibilities include creating access... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Workforce Development, LEND and DBP Programs, Technical Assistance and Continuing Education, Maternal and Child Health, Leadership

Ben Kaufman is a Senior Manager who oversees AUCD's cooperative agreement with the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau to provide comprehensive support to the national network of 52 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) and 12 Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) training programs. He is responsible for the design and delivery of individualized, targeted, and universal technical assistance to ensure that curricula are relevant to current and pr... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Web Technologies/Internet Services, NIRS and LPQI Technical Questions, Web Application Development

Oksana Klimova, MS, is the Director of Web Services at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Oksana directs and oversees all aspects of AUCD's web systems in support of the association and network's strategic goals and priorities. She is responsible for creative design and development, from conception of prototype concepts through final programming, for all areas of online design, including association websites, extranet, online applications, online reporting systems a... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: MCH (LEND TA), Emerging Leaders Community (Trainees), AUCD Leadership Academy

Christine is a Program Manager for the Maternal and Child Health Technical Assistance (TA) team. She provides support to 52 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities programs, and is the primary point of contact for 12 Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Programs. In addition, Christine works with diverse stakeholders to ensure the AUCD Emerging Leaders Community serves as a national professional home for all current and former trainees, as well as early career profe... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: General AUCD Questions, Tuesdays with Liz, AUCD Marketplace, Invoices

Jalyn Marks is the Administrative Assistant and the Producer of Tuesdays with Liz: Disability Policy for All! She manages the AUCD Marketplace, tracks invoices, assists with web support, manages general office needs, and helps plan annual meetings, such as the Conference, Gala, and Disability Policy Seminar.

Before coming to AUCD, Jalyn interned at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on their Policy & Advocacy team. At NAMI, she worked on projects involving Med... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: AUCD Operations, Annual Conference, Annual Gala, AUCD Board of Directors, Giving to AUCD

Laura Martin is the Senior Director of Operations & Development at AUCD where she directs the organization's office operations and human resources, AUCD meetings and events, and Board of Directors activities. She also focuses on unrestricted corporate and individual giving for AUCD around the annual conference, annual gala and specific fundraising campaigns.

Prior to AUCD, Laura was the operations director for a non-profit in Washington, DC called Women In Government where she was... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: NIRS, Federal Reporting, Data

Natalie Martinez is the Data Support Manager for the MCH and UCEDD Technical Assistance Teams. Natalie supports the National Information Reporting System (NIRS) database. She assists UCEDDs and MCHB programs with technical assistance and data retrieval, reporting and guidance. Prior to AUCD, Natalie spent five years as the SIS Data Coordinator at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) supporting the Support Intensity Scale (SIS) Program. While at AAIDD... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Professional Fellows, PFP-IDE

Siddarth Nagaraj is a Senior Program Specialist at AUCD. He helps design and implement AUCD's international programs sponsorsed by the U.S. Department of State. This currently includes the Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Disability Employment (PFP-IDE), which bolsters inclusive employment in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda by facilitating educational exchanges and project collaboration between AUCD network members and emerging disability leaders from East Africa. Previously, Siddarth he... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: AUCD Communications, Social Media, Network Branding and Logos, Accessible Publications

Crystal Pariseau, MSSW, is the Director of Marketing and Public Engagement at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Crystal works with AUCD departments, network members, and partners, to raise the profile of AUCD through innovative communications, marketing, and public engagement initiatives. She oversees the branding and communications of the AUCD central office to increase awareness and engagement between the AUCD network and the public. Crystal plays a key role in t... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Public Policy, Advocacy, Victims of Crime/Abuse & Neglect

Rylin Rodgers is the Director of Public Policy at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities where she works on federal policy and legislative issues that affect people with developmental disabilities and their families. Prior to working at AUCD, Rylin served as the Training Director and Family Leadership Coordinator for the Riley Child Development Center (Indiana's LEND), and was a founding board member of Family Voices Indiana. Both as a parent and as a professional, Rylin has ex... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Public Policy, Advocacy, Victims of Crime/Abuse & Neglect

Denise Rozell, JD, is the Director of Policy Innovation at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Denise works primarily on issues affecting youth in post-secondary education, employment and independent living including as the co-Director for the PROMISE Technical Assistance Center (Promoting Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income). Denise's policy work also includes a focus on inclusive post-secondary education for students with intellectual disabilities i... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Technical Assistance, Program Development, Grant Writing, Succession Planning, Strategic Planning

Dawn Rudolph, MSEd, is the Senior Director for Technical Assistance and Network Engagement where she leads a wide range of training and supports for the national network of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) and the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Disabilities (LEND) programs, and also leverages their expertise to inform national efforts impacting people with disabilities. She brings over 30 years experience working with people with ... READ MORE >

John Tschida, MPP, is the associate executive director for research and policy at AUCD, where he provides strategic direction, develops funding opportunities, and builds external partnerships. He also leads the PROMISE TA Center. He has more than 20 years of experience using data and research to drive systems change at the policy and program level for individuals with disabilities.

Previously, Tschida served as director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Executive Director Support, Accessibility and Accommodations, Operations, AUCD Meetings and Events, Harkin Summit

Jennifer Tuell is the Executive Specialist at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). She supports AUCD's executive director, Andrew Imparato, in leading the organization as well as oversees AUCD's accessibility and accommodation strategies for events and meetings. Jennifer also has the privilege of working with Senator Tom Harkin on the annual Harkin International Disability Employment Summit and supporting his vision of identifying strategies to increase employment opp... READ MORE >

Luis Valdez is a Program Specialist for AUCD's Maternal and Child Health technical assistance team. His work entails monitoring scholarly research within AUCD's network and promoting its effective use, in addition to supporting efforts to identify gaps in research particularly among underrepresented groups. Prior to joining AUCD, Luis worked with the Latino Health Initiative of the Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Health and Human Services, assisting in the creation of Spanish-langu... READ MORE >

E. Troy Washington is the Senior Director of Finance and Grants Administration at AUCD. Troy has over thirty years of accounting and grants experience. He has vast accounting experience leading financial operations for several organizations. His accounting experience includes financial statements and reporting, cash management, financial analysis, month and year-end closings, and audit preparation and analysis. He also has extensive expertise in federal grants oversight, compliance, policies ... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Learn the Signs, Act Early, Act Early Ambassadors, Developmental Monitoring and Screening, Early Childhood

Danielle Webber, MSW, is a Public Health Program Manager at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Through a cooperative agreement with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), she manages and provides technical assistance to the "Learn the Signs. Act Early." Program, its 54 state and territorial Ambassadors, and the Act Early Network with the goal of increasing developmental mo... READ MORE >

Talk to me about: Tuesdays with Liz, Self Advocacy, Plain Language, Public Speaking, Public Policy, Mentorship

Liz Weintraub has a long history of leadership in self advocacy, and has held many board and advisory positions at state and national organizations. She is a full time member of the AUCD's policy team and also the host of Tuesdays With Liz: Disability Policy For All, where she attempts to make polices in accessible language so policy is accessible to all.

In the Spring of 2018, Liz ser... READ MORE >

Ann is a strong advocate for all people with disabilities and their families, has gained knowledge through personal experiences and interests. Ann has been a volunteer with AUCD since the Fall of 2018, assisting at the AUCD conference and in the office several days per week. Ann also serves on the Disability Advisory Commission as part of the Arlignton County Board, located in Arlington, Virginia. Additionally, Ann volunteers at her local food pantry and a local nonprofit that helps low-incom... READ MORE >

Meghan Breheney is very excited to be one of the 2019-2020 AUCD Emerging Leaders Interns. Meghan is currently completing her third year of a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship the Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, NY. She is a LEND Fellow and Maternal Child Health Bureau long-term trainee. Meghan received her Medical Degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2014 and completed a residency in General... READ MORE >

Katherine (Katie) Brendli is a summer intern for AUCD's policy team. She is a rising third-year doctoral student studying Special Education and Disability Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Formerly, Katie attended James Madison University, where she received her Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies, and her Master's degree in Special Education, with dual licensure in teaching students accessing the general and adapted curriculums.

Katie's primary research a... READ MORE >

Jazmin Burns is AUCD's Communications and Engagement Emerging Leader Intern for 2019-2020. She is currently working as a Postdoctoral Scholar Fellow in the LEND program at the UC Davis MIND Institute. Jazmin graduated from Alliant International University - Sacramento in May 2019 with her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. She has been a part of the UC Davis MIND Institute and UC Davis Health System serving in many different roles since 2012. Her passion includes working with individuals who have... READ MORE >

Damien Crayne is currently attending West Virginia Wesleyan College in Morgantown, WV and plans to graduate next spring with a BA in Business Management. He has participated in marketing and fundraising events with his local chapter of the American Marketing Association. He was also a manager for a year for the track team at his college where he filmed meets and helped with general team management and support.

... READ MORE >

Shante Dannil is a summer 2019 intern with AUCD's Public Health Department. She is a Master of Public Health candidate from Southern New Hampshire University and has received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia State University.

Shante's educational focus is on improving health literacy and communication in groups that are underserved or unserved. She has previous experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to which she credits as ... READ MORE >

Sarah Mueller, MPP, is the 2019-2020 Disability Policy Fellow where she works on federal policy and legislative issues that affect people with developmental disabilities and their families. Before joining AUCD, Sarah earned a Bachelors in Special Education from Eastern Michigan University, and taught high school students with intellectual disabilities in Rochester Hills, MI. Since then, Sarah served as a UCEDD Trainee at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University while earning a Maste... READ MORE >

Emily Starnes is a summer intern for AUCD's Public Health Department. She is a second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) candidate from the University of Georgia (UGA). She is also currently working on her Disability Studies Certificate through UGA's UCEDD, the Institute on Human Development and Disability. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Biological Sciences. from the University of Tennessee.

Emily's educational focus is on improving health literacy an... READ MORE >