Meet Our Team

Welcome to the Accessibility & Disability Services Department!

Our accessibility and disability services staff undergo extensive professional training throughout the year to ensure they provide you with the most up-to-date services and information related to disability access and postsecondary higher education accommodations. Our professional staff have been serving the disability community for many years and have both a professional and personal commitment, connection, and passion for our work to support equal access and disability inclusion and awareness.

The first step to success is access!

For general inquiries, contact us at disAbility@umbc.edu or (410) 455-2459.

 

Organizational chart titled “Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS & SDS)” with a hierarchical structure. At the top is Tanyka Barber, labeled Vice President, Institutional Equity & Chief Diversity Officer. Directly below are two roles: Tawny McManus, Assistant Vice President, Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS & SDS) Erin Minnigh, Administrative Assistant II / Office Manager, ADS & SDS Below them, four team leads are aligned horizontally: Michael Canale, Assistant Director, Student & Faculty Accommodation Support Stephanie Lazarus, ADS, Accessibility Manager / ADA Coordinator Cassie Kilroy Thompson, Assistant Director, Operations, Testing, & Data Management Lynda Espana, Disability Specialist, Intake & Accommodations Under Michael Canale: Tori Jakpa, Assistive Technology & Accessibility Specialist Jason Cummings, Graduate Assistant, Assistive Technology SDS ASL Interpreters (group) Under Cassie Kilroy Thompson: Sunny Varden, Program Management Specialist, Testing & Reception Desk Emily Won, Disability Specialist, Intake & Accommodations SDS Student Workers (group, shown beneath Sunny Varden) On the bottom right, there are two text descriptions: SDS (Student Disability Services): Provides accommodations such as testing administration, assistive technology, and alternative course materials. ADS (Accessibility & Disability Services): Handles employee accommodations, HR liaison work, campus accessibility resources, inquiries, ADA/504 concerns, appeals, compliance, and consultation.
Organizational chart of the Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS & SDS)

 

Student Disability Services Support Team

Picture of Michael Canale
Michael Canale
Assistant Director and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Coordinator, Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
canale@umbc.edu | 410-455-6358 (Desk) | 410-688-5088 (Text, FaceTime for DHOH students using ASL)

  • Student Disability Services’ administrator responsible for assistive technology, IT accessibility consultations, and faculty liaison for course accessibility.
  • Coordinator for Deaf and Hard Of Hearing (DHOH) services and supervisor of ASL interpreter contractors.
  • Accessibility specialist with specialization in sensory disabilities and accommodations (e.g., vision, hearing, and autism).
  • Assists AVP in student/faculty grievance solutions, student accessibility concerns, and academic success planning for students with disabilities.
  • Trainer/Supervisor of SDS Graduate Assistants for digital course material accessibility and special projects.
  • UMBC Inclusion Council representative, FYS Instructor: Intro to Disability Studies.

Image of Tori Jakpa
Toritsegbogwa (Tori) Jakpa
Assistive Technology & Digital Accessibility Specialist
tjakpa@umbc.edu

  • Accessible course materials, data management, and website accessibility.
  • Manage alternate format text requests and remediation for accessibility.
  • Assist faculty and staff members working with students using assistive technology accommodations.
  • Conduct in-service training and consultations with faculty, staff, and students.
  • Evaluate technology and software needs for students with disabilities.

 

Image of Erin M.
Erin Minnigh
Administrative Assistant II/Office Manager
Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) & Student Disability Services (SDS)
eminnigh@umbc.edu | 410-455-8455

  • Administrative support to ADS & SDS staff.
  • Responsible for all office business services, financial, payroll, procurement, billing/payment, maintenance, and inventory operations.

 

Picture of Cassie KT.
Cassie Kilroy Thompson
Assistant Director, SDS Services & Operations
mthomps2@umbc.edu | 410-455-3248
Cassie KT’s Virtual Office

  • Student Disability Services’ administrator responsible for SDS-accommodated testing administration and data management.
  • Liaison for Admissions, Orientation, Advising, and the Academic Success Center (ASC).
  • Responsible for disability services’ Accommodate software operations.
  • SDS representative to UMBC-USG campus (Universities at Shady Grove).
  • DAPi Honor Society Co-Advisor.

 

Picture of Sunny W,
Sunny Urizar (Warden)
Program Management Specialist and Testing Manager
Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
swarden1@umbc.edu | 410-455-2459

  • Administrative support for the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) front office.
  • Manages accommodated student testing, procedures, and reception office operations.
  • Responsible for hiring, training, and supervising student worker office staff.
  • Coordinator of SDS communications and inquiries.

 

Picture of Emily Won

Emily Won
Disability & Accessibility Specialist
Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
emilywon@umbc.edu

  • Conducts initial disability accommodation meetings.
  • Responsible for faculty, Residential Life, Counseling/Health, & Dining Services consultations on student accommodations and questions on accommodation implementation.
  • Serves as a support and advocate for students experiencing disability challenges in the educational environment.
  • Point of contact for disability services verification/eligibility accommodation forms (e.g., ETS, Graduate Admissions exams, and military requests)

 

Accessibility Resources Team

Picture of Stephanie Lazarus
Stephanie Lazarus
Accessibility Manager & Campus ADA Coordinator
Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS): UMBC main campus for employees, visitors, and campus access inquiries
slazar@umbc.edu  |  adasupport@umbc.edu | 410-455-5745
accessibility.umbc.edu

  • Manager of faculty and staff (employee) accommodations. Disability access consultant for campus visitors.
  • Responsible for collaborations on campus accessibility and inclusion initiatives, partnerships, training, access concerns/suggestions, and resource referrals.
  • Liaison to campus departments, including Facilities Management, Environmental Safety & Health, Human Resources, Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), General Counsel, Event planning, Campus Police, Transit, University committees, and academic departments.
  • Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD), Access Maryland, and State ADA Coordinators liaison.
  • DAPi Honor Society Co-Advisor, Member of Disability Studies Faculty Working Group.

 

Picture of Tawny M.

Tawny L. McManus
Assistant Vice President for Accessibility
Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) & Student Disability Services (SDS): Main & USG campuses
tmcmanus@umbc.edu | 410-455-2459

  • Administrator for Accessibility and Disability resource offices (ADS & SDS) with oversight for student and employee accommodations, disability services’ operations for students/staff/visitors, and ADA/Section 504 compliance, initiatives, and partnerships.
  • Responsible for managing policies, procedures, training, grievance and appeals process, staffing, and all fiscal operations/financial and budget management for the unit.
  • Primary liaison and consultant to University Committees, Provost’s Office, VPs & Deans, Human Resources, Student Affairs, Faculty Senate, General Counsel, Library, DO-IT, the Academic Success Center (ASC), Facilities Management, and the University of Maryland System (USM).
  • Specialized training in psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessment, digital accessibility, ADA(AA), Section 504 & Title IX laws, and higher education administration.

 

Part-Time/Contract SDS Staff

Picture of Jason C.
Jason Cummings
Graduate Assistant, SDS Assistive Technology Support
disAbility@umbc.edu
  • Accessible course materials, assistive technology, and departmental project support.
  • Data management, website accessibility, orientation, and accommodated testing assistance.

 

Lynda Espana
Disability & Accessibility Specialist
Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
lyndaee1@umbc.edu | (410) 455-2459
  • Conducts initial disability accommodation meetings.
  • Responsible for faculty, Residential Life, Counseling/Health, & Dining Services consultations on student accommodations and questions on accommodation implementation.
  • Serves as a support and advocate for students experiencing disability challenges in the educational environment.
  • Point of contact for disability services verification/eligibility accommodation forms (e.g., ETS, Graduate Admissions exams, and military requests)

 

Picture of Julie R.
Julie Rosenthal
Project Management Specialist (Retired/Part-time SDS testing support)
disAbility@umbc.edu

 

Student Staff 2024-2025:

 

Student Staff

Image of Fall SDS testing support staff


Student Staff 2024/2025: Amir Momoh, Harshith Gudapati, Namrata Oruganti, Nikhil Vadlamudi, Jasmine Kintu, Jnaneswar Vundavilli, Julianne Scott, Michael Adade, Logan Phaison, Ella Reinders, Aryan Damaraju, Bhargav Sarvepalli, Ipsa Sindhwani, Sarah Esubalew, Aaryaa Gaikwad, Susanna Kondetti, Layla Bugarini, and Alyssa Mathew.