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) 455-2359.
Student Disability Services Support Team
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 grievance resolutions, 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.
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Toritsegbogwa (Tori) Jakpa
Assistive Technology & Digital Accessibility Specialist
- 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.
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Erin Minnigh
Administrative Assistant II/Office Manager
Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) & Student Disability Services (SDS)
- Administrative support to ADS & SDS staff.
- Responsible for all office business services, financial, payroll, procurement, billing/payment, maintenance, and inventory operations.
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Cassie Kilroy Thompson
Assistant Director, SDS Services & Operations
- 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.
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Valerie D. Valentine
Disability Specialist, Office of Student Disability Services (SDS): Main and USG campus
- Disability intake & accommodation specialist.
- Responsible for faculty, Residential Life, Counseling/Health, & Dining Services consultations on student accommodations.
- Point of contact for disability services verification/eligibility accommodation forms (e.g., ETS, Graduate Admissions exams, and military requests).
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Sunny Warden
Program Management Specialist and Testing Manager
Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
- 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.
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Accessibility Support Team
Stephanie Lazarus
Accessibility Manager & Campus ADA Coordinator
Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS): UMBC main campus for employees, visitors, and campus access inquiries
- 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.
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Tawny L. McManus
Assistant Vice President for Accessibility
Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) & Student Disability Services (SDS): Main & USG campuses
- Administrator for Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS & SDS offices) with oversight for student and employee accommodations, disability services’ operations for students/staff/visitors, and ADA/Section 504 compliance and initiatives.
- 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.
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Jason Cummings
Graduate Assistant, SDS Assistive Technology Support
- Accessible course materials, assistive technology, and departmental project support.
- Data management and website accessibility.
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Julie Rosenthal
Project Management Specialist (Retired/Part-time SDS website assistance)
Liz Thompson
General Assistant (SDS Part-time project support)
Student Staff 2024-2025:
Aaron Ricks, Aayush Butala, Ada Glaser, Alexander Marc, Amir Momoh, Corey Benjamin, Dongthi Nguyen, Harshitha Joysula, Jasmine Kintu, Julianne Scott, Kartheek Mandem, Kemar Peart, Regina Demachi, Riya Rohit, and Srikar Sistla.
