About Me
I am an enthusiastic and collaborative accessibility specialist, driven by a passion for inclusive digital experiences and disability advocacy. I thrive on working together with others to strategically plan for and promote accessibility for all. With a Bachelors Degree in Special Education and a Masters in Higher Education, I am always eager to learn and grow, seeking opportunities to expand my professional experience while joining forces with organizations that share my commitment to accessibility, universal design, and disability justice.
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With over 10 years of experience supporting individuals with diverse disabilities and accommodation needs, I possess extensive knowledge of key regulations and guidelines such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 and 508 of the 1978 Rehabilitation Acts, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
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From working in K-12 education to higher education settings, from offering private business consultations to delivering impactful presentations at large conferences, I have developed a knack for innovation. By collaborating with multiple partners, I aim to surpass mere compliance with digital accessibility standards and instead future-proof their organizations.
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Through one-on-one consultations, engaging workshops, and immersive institutes, I have the ability to transform perspectives and inspire change agents for organizational leadership and change. I empower individuals to address accessibility right from the foundational stages of design, bridging knowledge gaps and enhancing technical expertise. Together, we can foster a culture of accessibility that benefits all. I look forward to meeting you soon!
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Skills and Expertise
Assistive Technology & Accommodations Expert
Experience in screen reader navigation/testing (NVDA, JAWs, & VoiceOver), dictation software (Dragon Naturally Speaking and Dictate), audio recording software (Glean) and text to speech software (Kurzweil 3000).Thorough understanding of accommodations and supports for differing disability types.
Organizational Leadership and Culture Change
Wide-range of experience in creating and facilitating inclusive, instructional design and curriculum planning to inspire organizational shifts in leadership and culture. Strong ability to facilitate a sense of belonging for a diverse portfolio of learners, content, spaces, and experiences. Successfully empowers others to enhance inclusion and access by modeling inclusive design through the use of educational technologies and inclusive teaching practices.
Collaborative &
Supportive Partner
Personable, collaborative teammate, who passionately supports others in doing the hard work related to digital accessibility. Dedicated to empowering others, assessing impact, and navigating the challenging world of digital accessibility.
Proactive Product and Project Manager
In-depth experience in leading Accessibility and Remediation Support Teams. Responsible for sustaining the production of high-quality, accessible course content. Well-versed in project management tools such as Asana and Wrike. Strive to develop sustainable work-flows through effective, proactive frameworks by leveraging technology and human resources.
Digital Accessibility Specialist
Strong skill set in Adobe Cloud Suite, ABBYY Fine Reader, and Microsoft Office 365. Strong understanding and use of the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE) and the Accessible Name & Description Inspector (ANDI). Experience auditing and providing feedback on accessibility.
Ambitious & Dedicated Team Leader
Well-developed ability to understand, give feedback, and resolve issues as it relates to understanding and organizing accessibility missions and plans. A "meet people where they are at" mentality, with a passion to dismantle systemic barriers, results in a self-starting, empathetic, yet ambitious team leader, dedicated to the wholesome and valued lived-experience for all.
Work Experience
2021 - Present
University of Denver
Faculty Developer of Instructional Accessibility (previously Accessibility Technologist for Learning and Instruction)
Office of Teaching and Learning
In my role as the Faculty Developer of Instructional Accessibility, I support faculty at the University of Denver with four key aspects of the faculty runway: content creation/procurement, course development, inclusive participation, and flexible assessment. I empower faculty and the institution alike to think proactively around disability or medical-related accommodations. I promote institutional change by cross partnering with multiple departments and divisions. I facilitate 1:1 consults, group workshops, and institutes with the Office of Teaching and Learning. I oversee the Accessibility Remediation Team's PDF production. I monitor the accuracy, quality and timeliness of AFT request fulfillment. I am an expert in Creative Cloud platforms (Adobe Acrobat, InDesign, etc.), Microsoft Office 365, Zoom and other educational technologies.
2020-2021
University of Denver
Assistive Technology, Alternate Format Text, and Accommodations Specialist
Disability Services Program
In my role as the AT, AFT, and Accommodations Specialist, I was responsible for reviewing and determining eligibility for accommodations for enrolled students at the University of Denver, with a focus on students who have sensory disabilities, mobility loss and those with print disabilities. I assisted students in learning more about assistive technology (AT) solutions and resources, such as computer screen readers, dictation software, alternate format texts (AFT), classroom aids and other technology solutions. I oversaw the AFT production program team including all e-text, e-music, Braille, enlarged print, PDF, Word, KES, DAISY, mp3. I supported DSP in data migration of new Accommodate software. Analyzes data imports, reviews accessibility of software, and creates accurate HTML templates for communications with students and faculty.
2016-2020
K-12 Public Education
Learning and Behavior Specialist, Type 1
Special Educator
In my role as a Special Education Teacher and Case Manager for students with disabilies, I oversaw the creation, implementation, and assessment of student Individual Education Plans (IEPs). I created diverse, inclusive learning experiences for my learners in both an asynchronous and synchrounous space. With educational technologies, I enhanced digital access and implemented Universal Design for Learning principles to proactively dismantle access barriers for all of my learners. I mastered designing unique user experiences through tailoring curriculum and instruction to meet individual needs of students, families, colleagues, and administrators.
Education
2021 - 2023
University of Denver
Master of Arts in Higher Education
Degree Emphasis on Public Policy and Organizational Change
GPA: 4.0/4.0
2011-2015
Illinois State University
Bachelor of Science in Education
Learning Behavior Specialist
Certified PreK – 12th Grade
Minor in Psychology
Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval
GPA: 3.8 / 4.0
Dean’s List: Four Semesters