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) 455-2359.

Image of Tawny McManus
Tawny L. McManus
Assistant Vice Provost for Accessibility & Disability Services
Office of Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) & Student Disability Services (SDS)
UMBC main & UMBC-USG campuses for students (SDS)
UMBC main campus for employees and visitors (ADS)
tmcmanus@umbc.edu   410-455-2459
  • Administrator for Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS & SDS offices) with student and employee accommodations oversight, disability services’ operations for students/staff/visitors, and ADA/Section 504 compliance and initiatives. ADA Coordinator certified.
  • 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, Office of Equity & Inclusion (OEI), 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
Michael Canale
Michael Canale
Assistant Director, 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

Cassie Kilroy Thompson

Cassie Kilroy Thompson
Assistant Director, SDS Services & Operations
Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
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) offices assisting in resources and referrals for students with disabilities
  • Responsible for disability services’ Accommodate software operations
  • SDS representative to UMBC-USG campus (Universities at Shady Grove)
  • DAPi Honor Society Co-Advisor

Valerie Valentine image

Valerie D. Valentine
Disability Specialist, Office of Student Disability Services (SDS)
valerie@umbc.edu
410-455-8496
  • 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)

 

Stephanie Lazarus

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

 

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
Sunny 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 workers office staff
  • Coordinator of SDS communications and inquiries

Part-Time SDS Staff

Priya Rajasagi  (HCC PhD graduate student)
Graduate Assistant, SDS Assistive Technology support
disAbility@umbc.edu
  • Accessible course materials, assistive technology, and exceptional project support
  • Accessible course materials, data management, and website

 

Liz Thompson
General Assistant (Part-time SDS)

disAbility@umbc.edu

Julie Rosenthal
Project Management Specialist (Part-time SDS)

disAbility@umbc.edu

Mila Viera Guedes
Visiting Research Scholar of Sao Paolo, Brazil

disAbility@umbc.edu

Student Staff 2023:

Jason Cummings                                                                                 

Corey Benjamin

Kruthika Anand

Dongthi Nguyen

Alexander Marc

Akhil Chinnam

Kimi Cease

Elizabeth Liedahl       

Jenna Schechter  

Jinal Kaneria 

Sree Vemula 

Aayush Butala

Jasmine Kintu

 

Notetaking inquiries:
sdsnotetaking@umbc.edu (also see SDS notetaking webpage for questions)