August 17, 2022; 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern
Register online or reach out to [email protected] for more information
The University of Kansas Research and Training Center on Independent Living in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living, will be presenting a Community Living Summit. This webinar summit will be a presentation and forum providing information about Community Living Programs, how Centers for Independent Living can use the programs, and other important resources that are available.
Registration Fee: This event is free-of-charge.
Target Audience: Executive directors, program managers, consumers, and staff members of Centers for Independent Living and State Independent Living Councils
Presenters for the Summit include:
Dr. Jean P. Hall is the director of the Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL) and the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies. Jean is the principal investigator (PI) for the Research and Training Center on Promoting Interventions for Community Living, a NIDILRR-funded project, and the PI for the Kansas Disability & Health Program, a CDC-funded project which seeks to improve access to health promotion activities and services for Kansans with disabilities.
Lillie Greiman works as a Project Director at the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC:Rural) and has been with the center since 2012. She works across numerous projects with partners across the country and is passionate about the collaborative work the RTC:Rural does to improve the lives of people with disabilities in rural communities. Her focus areas are: housing, community participation, rural community development and spatial and demographic analysis. She’s originally from Helena, MT but has lived in Missoula for 15 years where she attended the university and earned her MA in geography.
Kelsey Goddard is an associate researcher at the Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL). Kelsey works with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) across the United States to document the effects that CIL services have on consumers with disabilities. Kelsey has presented research findings to the United States Access Board in Washington, DC and served as a committee member on the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns in Topeka, KS. Kelsey identifies as a person with a disability and strives to bring awareness to disability concerns through the intersection of research, policy, and advocacy.
Ryan Henley is a research assistant at both KU’s Research and Training Center on Independent Living and the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities. Ryan graduated with an associate’s degree in general studies from Johnson County Community College, and was a participant in the Project SEARCH program. At the RTC/IL, he assists with literature reviews and works with survey and transcript data for Promoting Interventions for Community Living.
Susan Ferguson is the Chief Program Officer at accessABILITY, the Center for Independent Living in Central Indiana. accessABILITY advocates with and empowers all people with disabilities through supports and services. This work allows Susan to live out her personal values of Social Justice, Empowerment, Dignity, and Curiosity. Susan has spent her 30-year career in social services and nonprofit leadership. She has developed a reputation for effective supervision and team development resulting in improved retention and performance. Susan’s experience includes leadership in family preservation, mental health services, victim services, and disability services. Susan earned her MBA from Western Michigan University and CFRM (Certificate in Fund Raising Management) from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Tammy Themel is the CEO of accessABILITY, where she carries out the strategic plans and vision established by the Board of Directors. She drives the team at accessABILITY towards “more is more” – more services, for more people with disabilities, leading to more independence and ultimately a better community for everyone. She is passionate about pressing for a change in the domestic violence and sexual assault that impacts persons with disabilities, which happens at a much higher rate than the population as a whole. Tammy has an MBA from Purdue.
Keshia Walker brings people and services together at accessABILITY, Center for Independent Living in Central Indiana. Keshia is the Inclusive Employment Advocate; BIN Liaison for the Inclusive Employment Program at accessABILITY. This program opens conversations with people of all disabilities at any point along their employment journey. Keshia has a degree in Psychology/Pre-Med from IUPUI and her BIN certification from Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Her passions include promoting access to medicine in underserved communities and advocating for inclusive and equitable employment for individuals with disabilities. Keshia is passionate about working alongside her peers with disabilities and playing a part in helping this marginalized community grow and prosper.
Randi Christine Gray is a Graduate Research Assistant who does work around exercise and physical fitness for individuals with physical disabilities. She is currently in her Ph.D. program for Counseling Psychology at the University of Kansas. She holds a Master of Science in Education in Health Education and Psychology of Physical Activity, B.A. in Psychology, and B.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies. Randi has previously worked as a Health Educator working with individuals with disabilities to improve their physical health. She continues to work in research on mental and physical health and is working towards her certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.
Lyndsie Koon joined the RTC as Associate Director in October 2019. She holds a PhD in Sport and Exercise Science, with a focus on the social psychology of sport and physical activity, from the University of Northern Colorado. She comes to the RTC after serving as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her research explored the exercise challenges and needs of adults aging with long-term mobility and sensory disabilities and evaluated the potential of various technologies to support and motivate physical activity participation. At the RTC, she focuses on physical activity and disability and assists with measuring the impact of the Home Usability and Out and About interventions on participants’ home usability, community engagement, problem-solving skills, and self-determination.
