Shannon Bessette is a Professor of Anthropology at Jamestown Community College. She also serves as Chair of the Direct Support Professional program, and the Community Health Program. She has a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma, and she recently completed a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of New England. At JCC, she is currently a member of the President’s Wellness Task Force, which seeks to make campuses a hub of wellness for every member of the JCC community, as well as the communities surrounding their campuses. As such, she hopes to amplify the voices of people with disabilities and to ensure that they will be a part of all of their discussions and planning for improvement.
During her career at JCC, she has worked to create and expand the conversations about UDL and diversity. All of her anthropology courses are part of the DEISJ category for SUNY General Education, and she has created a new course: Introduction to Dis/Ability studies.
This course has been tremendously energizing for her, and is an opportunity to discuss with students the importance of systems of power and activism in the disabilities community. She has also created the Direct Support Professional micro-credentials and certificate, and was part of a team that secured a SUNY/OPWDD grant to provide free college courses for DSPs in this area.
As part of her community involvement, she has helped to manage an accessible community garden for over a decade; it has been one of the only accessible community gardens in the area. Additionally, she has volunteered for several organizations focusing on food access, and more recently, is part of the efforts spearheaded by the Jamestown Justice Coalition to regularly collect hats, mittens, scarves, and warm socks. These have been distributed on clotheslines in areas of the city that are accessible to people with limited mobility, people who are elderly or with disabilities, and people who are unhoused. Participating in community initiatives is one of the most meaningful parts of her career and her life—it is important to her to be useful.
Liz Bowen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at Upstate Medical University, where she serves as a member of the Ethics Consult Service and Upstate's Diversity Advocates committee. She is also a Presidential Scholar at The Hastings Center and Co-President of the Health Humanities Consortium. Her research explores the intersections of disability studies, bioethics, and the health humanities, with a focus on how cultural narratives of disability shape public perceptions of ethical responsibility. At Upstate, she is co-director of a Health Humanities intensive course that introduces all pre-clerkship medical students to disability studies.
Dr. Bowen's commitment to access and equity have driven her work on several public-facing, interdisciplinary, and collaborative projects. She was associate director of "The Art of Flourishing: Conversations on Disability," a webinar series funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities that convened disabled artists, activists, and thought leaders to explore what flourishing means to them. An edited collection based on the series is forthcoming from Oxford University Press in 2025. She was also Co-PI of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation-funded project "Professional Education for Anti-Ableist Health Care," which brought together experts in medical education and disability studies to provide guidance for how medical schools can equip professionals-in-training with the tools to recognize and intervene upon ableism. This collaborative project produced the Hastings Center Issue Brief "Anti-Ableist Medical Education: Meeting the Challenges." Dr. Bowen has been an invited lecturer on disability advocacy, DEI, and ableism at universities, hospitals, and professional organizations. She has also worked as an access coordinator for conferences, events, and working groups since 2015.
In addition to her scholarship and teaching, Dr. Bowen has authored two books of poetry that address themes of disability, chronic illness, and gendered labor: Sugarblood (Metatron Press, 2017) and Compassion Fountain (Trembling Pillow Press, 2022). She serves as associate editor of The Healing Muse, a journal of literary and visual art published by SUNY Upstate's Center for Bioethics & Humanities. She is also the Disability section editor for Public Books.
Dr. Kathy Doody is a Professor in Exceptional Education and Chair of Graduate Studies. She has taught at Buffalo State University since 2004, first as an adjunct instructor and then as a full-time professor. As a former special education teacher, her professional areas of interest include special education work in all areas, with an emphasis on autism spectrum disorders and students with complex support needs. Kathy is particularly interested in diversity and inclusive practices, including differentiated instruction and UDL. Additionally, Kathy works with area high schools and community colleges to prepare youth with disabilities for successful and meaningful university experiences.
Kathy consults with many community partners to promote accessibility and inclusion including the Explore & More Children's Museum, and the Aquarium of Niagara, to tailor their venues to meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities. As a result of these partnerships, Kathy co-created a series of "AuSome" events, fully inclusive activities, tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with disabilities.
After extensive training and discussion within her courses, which are all designated as service-learning, Kathy's teacher candidates attend AuSome Evenings and other community events, under her leadership and supervision, to provide support to children/families at each venue.
Kathy's role as a professor at Buffalo State University provides her with a platform to showcase SUNY's dedication to accessibility within neighboring communities and beyond, allowing others to see SUNY leading the UDL/DEI charge by example.
Melissa Glenn is an Associate Professor of Biology at SUNY Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY, where she has been teaching since 2007. She earned her graduate degree in Physiology from Penn State University and spent several years in biomedical research before discovering her passion for education. Melissa primarily teaches asynchronous online Anatomy and Physiology courses. She has continuously enhanced her courses by implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and accessibility best practices, including developing accessible online laboratory experiences. In recognition of her efforts to create an equitable and meaningful learning experience for all her students, she received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2016.
Dr. Shelly Jones (they/them) is a Professor of English and Communication at SUNY Delhi, where they teach classes in accessibility, transmedia storytelling, and writing. For the past three years they have served as the Honors Program Coordinator. They studied English at the University of Rochester (BA), Creative Writing at SUNY Brockport (MA), and received their PhD in Comparative Literature from SUNY Binghamton. Their research examines analog and digital games through the frameworks of disability studies and intersectional feminism. Currently, they are conducting an IRB-approved study on the effects of incorporating tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) safety tools into the college classroom on student engagement. In 2020, they were awarded the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities.
.jpeg)
Talia Lipton is an Associate Professor of Communication at Rockland Community College and a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She has 30 years of clinical experience across a range of settings, including rehabilitation, acute care facilities, educational institutions, skilled nursing homes, and homecare. Her therapeutic background equips her with an understanding of the diverse needs of individuals facing communication challenges, such as those with speech and language delays, stroke recovery, and neurodiversity.
Talia is an active leader in college governance, serving on several committees, including Faculty Senate, co-chairing a Middle States Standard, College Assessment, and chairing the Open Educational Resources (OER) Committee. A passionate advocate for OER since 2015, she has helped lead a cultural shift at Rockland Community College, resulting in the conversion of dozens of courses across disciplines to OER. Additionally, she actively contributes to Faculty Professional Development, where she has presented on topics such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Digital Reading Strategies, and supporting neurodivergent students in the classroom.
Talia is involved in a wide range of collaborations at Rockland Community College. She serves as an advisor for a student club, works closely with ITTS course (Freshman Seminar) class peer mentors, and supervises interns in cross-cultural internships and peer-to-peer mentorships, helping students build practical communication skills and cross-disciplinary connections.
In her teaching, Talia teaches a variety of courses including, Intercultural Communication, Introduction to Public Speaking, and Introduction to the Schools Course (Freshman Seminar). She also teaches courses for students seeking study in Communication Disorders, (e.g. Introduction to Communication Disorders, Clinical Observations in Speech Therapy, and Speech and Language Development). Through these courses, Talia helps shape the next generation of speech-language pathologists, embedding accessibility principles into the curriculum and fostering a culture of inclusion.
Talia has been the lead on several successful OER and IITG grants, including a recent initiative focused on increasing students’ access, comprehension, and engagement with digital materials. She is passionate about cross-disciplinary collaboration and has participated in Lumen circles, the NACE Fellowship, SUNY COIL, and co-teaches a course for the SUNY CPD Inclusive Teaching and Learning Certificate (Innovative Strategies to Engage All Students).
Gillian Paku is an Associate Professor of English at SUNY Geneseo, where she has taught courses in literary disability studies, eighteenth-century literature, and writing pedagogy since 2008. She has coordinated accessibility efforts between first-year writing and the writing center since 2016, including leading the campus effort toward anti-racist writing pedagogies and co-developing the college-wide undergraduate tutor training course focused on a growth mindset and inclusive pedagogies. From 2017, she has worked with instructional designers to improve electronic and information technology accessibility in college-wide courses and has implemented reciprocal service learning and grading ecologies drawing on UDL principles in her own courses. Gillian is a member of the faculty advisory board for the Office of Accessibility Services and has been involved in many accessibility and DEIB initiatives across the campus and with ArcGLOW, which serves Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.
Dr. Carrie E. Rood is an educator and advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, with a focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and disability inclusion in higher education. Currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Cortland Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.) scholarship and program at SUNY Cortland, Dr. Rood is committed to developing inclusive pedagogical practices that engage diverse learners and foster equity in the classroom. She integrates UDL principles and guidelines into her teaching by offering flexible course formats, diverse modes of representation, and varied opportunities for student expression, ensuring that all students have access to meaningful learning experiences. As the Coordinator of the Cortland Urban Recruitment of Educators (C.U.R.E.), she supports pre-service teachers of color as they navigate higher education and prepare for careers in teaching.
Dr. Rood’s research interests lie at the intersection of disability, race, and other marginalized identities, with a focus on removing barriers to access in both teacher education and higher education. Using a Disability Studies in Education (DSE) lens, she examines how systemic challenges impact students with disabilities and students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, particularly in teacher preparation.
In addition to her teaching and research, Dr. Rood has been actively involved in a variety of initiatives aimed at improving inclusivity and accessibility on campus. Her leadership extends to her work on several key committees, including the Faculty Committee on Inclusive Practices, the President’s Committee on Inclusive Excellence, and the Disability Resources Committee. Through these roles, Dr. Rood has collaborated with faculty, staff, and administrators to identify and address barriers to inclusion for marginalized students, including those with disabilities and students of color. This has included facilitating numerous professional development initiatives aimed at increasing accessibility and fostering inclusive teaching practices across campus.
Casey L. Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY. Casey has been at HVCC for fifteen years and serves as an Academic Senator, co-chair of the Educational Policies and Standards committee, and a member of the Academic Review Board. Casey was selected to be a faculty mentor for Brightspace to work with colleagues on developing and updating their courses within Brightspace. Casey’s criminological research focuses on technology and deviance and pedagogical research focuses on accessibility in online learning.
Casey has completed the Deque University accessibility training and the SUNY Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Intermediate course, as well as the SUNY Online Empowering Every Voice webinar series. The Empowering Every Voice webinar series focused on inclusive course design for LGBTQ+ students, adult learners, veteran students, first-generation students, and justice-involved students. Casey has a particular interest in designing criminal justice courses to include the knowledge of justice-involved students, using Open Educational Resources to ensure all experiences of the criminal justice system are represented in coursework.
Casey presented at the SUNY Open Educational Resources (OER) Summit in October 2024 on inclusiveness in criminal justice courses, the SUNY Online Open Education Week in March 2024 on student engagement and OER, and the Hudson Valley Community College Faculty Workshop Day in March 2024 on empowering student autonomy in learning. Casey’s presentations focused on using OER to affirm the UDL principles of representation and engagement for students while encouraging autonomy in learning.
Dr. Jessica L. Sniatecki (she/her), PhD, CRC, is an associate professor in the Addictions and Behavioral Health program and chair of the Department of Healthcare Studies at SUNY Brockport. She holds her doctorate in Counselor Education from the University at Buffalo and has held national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor since 2004. Dr. Sniatecki teaches students how to effectively support and work with people with disabilities (substance use disorders and mental health disorders, primarily) and she has had clinical experience with individuals and groups in a variety of treatment settings.
Dr. Sniatecki’s research focuses on the college experience of students with disabilities, positive aspects of disability, and faculty knowledge and attitudes related to students with disabilities. She has published articles and delivered numerous workshops and presentations on topics related to disability experience, ableism, accessibility, and universal design. Most recently, she co-presented the webinar “Ableism in Higher Education” as part of the SUNY Access for All series and will be co-presenting “Universal Design for Learning: Improving Course Accessibility in an Era of Emergent Artificial Intelligence” in February 2025.
Dr. Sniatecki is involved in numerous service activities at SUNY Brockport related to diversity and inclusion. She is a founding member of the campus-wide Committee on Accessibility and has held leadership positions since its inception in 2015. She also serves on the University Senate Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Advisory Board, the School of Education, Health, and Human Services Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Council, the Personal Safety Committee, and the Student Conduct Board. Dr. Sniatecki also served on the SUNY Empowering Students with Disabilities Task Force (October 2021 – March 2023).
Dr. Sniatecki’s contributions have been formally recognized by SUNY as she was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2017 and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service in 2024.
Nicole Tschampel is an Associate Professor of Photography and Digital Filmmaking at SUNY Westchester Community College. She holds the Joseph and Sophia Abeles Endowed Chair in Art & Art History, and is one of four faculty directors of the SUNY WCC Center for Teaching and Learning. Her primary research areas are holistic student supports, trauma infused pedagogy and inclusive design. She was awarded a SUNY Chancellor Award for Teaching in 2019 and a SUNY WCC Foundation Faculty Excellence in Service Award in 2021. She is the founder and host of the Our Turn To Learn podcast that raises awareness of high impact practices at SUNY WCC.