Envisioning Access-Post Pandemic

Session 1 | 9 – 9:55 a.m.

Connecting the Dots to Community Employment

In this session, Capabilities presenters will cover the key factors necessary to create an inclusive community for people with disabilities through employer relationships, on-the-job support, natural support and self-advocacy. Capabilities will explain how to maintain, repair or rebuild relationships with community employers. Additionally, Capabilities presenters will introduce what on-the-job supports versus natural supports are, and how they both can be utilized for long-term employment success for individuals with disabilities. Included in how to support long-term employment success and community inclusion, Capabilities will explain self-advocacy and its role in community inclusion and employment success for individuals with disabilities.

Presenters: Belinda Bockrath and Beth Barr

Session 2 | 10 – 10:50 a.m.

An Equity Approach to Understanding Neurodiversity Across the Lifespan: Addressing the Needs of African American Students with disabilities

Neurodiversity is a term that “describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. Neurodiversity recognizes that cognitive processes are diverse and different.” However, traditionally under-represented groups, such as African Americans, continue to face barriers to access to care, testing, and late-stage diagnosis that can affect adaptive skills, brain development, and poor quality of life outcomes. Decades of research has emerged on the importance of early detection and culturally appropriate interventions that are critical factors in societal efforts to optimize disability outcomes. However, little research exists on the experiences of AAs who are neurodiverse. The lack of cultural responsiveness in neurodiversity research ignores the nuanced experiences of African Americans, which limits the ability to understand their experiences across the lifespan and effectively meet their needs. Therefore, our presentation will explore key barriers to neurodiversity and social determinants of health as it relates to African American students with disabilities and discuss preliminary strategies to building inclusive communities for students who are neurodiverse.

Presenter: Dr. Georgiana Logan and Dr. Kristen Allen-Watts

Session 3 | 11 – 11:55 a.m.

Envisioning Equal Access: Including Disabled College Students Who Are Incarcerated

Does your college have correctional education programs? Does Second Chance Pell Grant funding have your college adding a correctional education program? How is your college envisioning equal access to learning in this nonstandard environment? Maruschak, et al. (2021) states 38% of those incarcerated have a disability, double the rate (19%) of disability on college campuses (NCES, 2017). The presenter’s research (Montag, 2022) found only 58% of the studied community colleges provided any disability accommodations to students enrolled in college correctional education; of those colleges; 47% of these colleges provided only extra time on tests. Providing accommodations for general college students with disabilities in standard learning formats is complicated. Ensuring access and inclusion for disabled students inside the prison walls is far more complex, but not impossible. Discussion and research/practice-based case studies will provide you insider knowledge about the barriers on the inside, research-developed tools to help navigate and remove those barriers, and ways you can help your college create disability access and inclusion for this doubly impacted population of students.

Presenter: Jenifer Montag, Ed.D.

Keynote Address | noon – 1:30 p.m.

Melody Moezzi

In addition to writing and teaching, Moezzi is also an experienced keynote speaker on a variety of issues—most notably mental health, wellness, inclusion, writing, and activism, especially surrounding Islamophobia, Iranian-American relations, and disability rights. Moezzi is a graduate of Wesleyan University (BA), the Emory University School of Law (JD), and the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health (MPH). She lives in coastal North Carolina with her husband, Matthew, and their ungrateful cats, Keshmesh and Nazanin.

Georgiana Logan, PhD, MS

Dr. Georgiana Logan is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Marshall University in the Department of Health Science and Adjunct lecturer in the Department of Public Health, where she additionally serves as a Research Associate in the Minority Health Institute. She received her Ph.D. in Health Education and Health Promotion from The University of Alabama and her master’s in Health Education from The University of Michigan. Dr. Logan is a thought-provoking educator and a renowned professional development strategist and mentor with over 20 years of experience in the workforce. She serves on several academic, state, and national health and diversity committees, and has received multiple requests to speak nationally on her research endeavors which include; health disparities, health equity, men's health, environmental justice, and fatherhood. Lastly, she has also received numerous awards such as being the 2022 Most Valuable Faculty Awardee, 2021 Faculty recipient of Marshall University’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, a 2021 Marshall University Pickens Queen Teaching Awardee, a 2021 John Marshall Leadership Fellow, the 2020 WV Small Communities, Big Solutions Power of Performance “Changing Lives” Award Recipient for the Minority Health Institute, a 2020 Marshall University Inspiring Woman (EmpoWer) Award Recipient, and the 2020 Marshall University Outstanding Service Award Recipient.

Kristen Allen-Watts, PhD, MPH

Dr. Allen-Watts was recently appointed a tenure-track, Assistant Professor position at the Indiana University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She received her Ph.D. in Health Education and Promotion at the University of Alabama and a master's in public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Allen-Watts is multiple chronic conditions, public health interventionist that considers all levels of practice (i.e., systems, community and individual/family). She is interested in conducting research that provides tailored, individualized care for Black older adults living with comorbidities and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias, their care partners, and the clinician (i.e., triadic communication) with the goal of tailoring care throughout the course of ADRD and optimizing disease management, self-efficacy, and communication and understands the changing benefit-burden-risk of clinical targets considering a patient’s prognosis and goals of care. Based on Dr. Allen-Watts’s teaching, mentoring, and diversity work, she has created a national profile. She was recognized as one of 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientist in America (rising star) published in Cell Mentor and was awarded one of twelve Multiple Chronic Conditions Scholars for the 2022 Advancing Geriatrics Infrastructure and Network Growth (AGING) Initiative, which is supported by the John A. Hartford foundation and the National Institute of Aging.

Jenifer Montag, Ed.D.

Jenifer Montag, Ed.D., is the director of disability services / ADA coordinator at Marion Technical College. She has over 20 years of experience in postsecondary disability service provision / ADA coordination at a variety of institutions, including three community colleges. She completed her dissertation (Facilitating Equal Access for Disabled Students Who Are Incarcerated) at Northern Illinois University in 2022. Prior to her position at Marion Technical College, she was not familiar with college correctional education programs, much less the needs of the disabled students who are incarcerated. Currently, Jenifer’s focus is now on addressing the social justice issues arising from college correctional education programs and ensuring equal and equitable access to this critical program for those who are disabled and incarcerated. She has presented for Indiana AHEAD, the Ohio Association of Two-Year Colleges, and the Mid-Atlantic ADA Conference regarding equal and equitable access for the disabled students who are incarcerated and how colleges can make their programs accessible and inclusive.

Belinda Bockrath

Belinda Bockrath is a respected leader in vocational rehabilitation services with expertise in team-building, adaptive training, and unique service delivery. In 2022, she revamped Capabilities management structure ensuring individualized training and support to staff with all experience levels. In 2023, Belinda transitioned into a Service Leader role within Capabilities and supports our other District Leaders within Capabilities. Belinda is admired within Capabilities for her innovative approach to employment and coaching services, her empathetic management style, and her thoughtful approaches to training and customer service.

Beth Barr

Beth Barr is an innovative leader in vocational rehabilitation and adult habilitation services with expertise in project management, marketing, and team-building. She currently leads our South Region, including our Cincinnati, Dayton, and Wheelersburg locations, our statewide Driving Services team, and a company-wide project management system driving innovation for Capabilities. Beth is admired by her team because of her attention to customer service quality, her supportive management style, and her creative problem-solving skills.