Linda B. Bimbo, Interim Director

PHONE: 603-862-0560 (Durham) 603-228-2084 (Concord)
FAX: 603-862-0555 (Durham) 603-228-3270 (Concord)
E-MAIL

Education

• M.S., Management, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, 1977
• B.S., Recreation Therapy, Springfield College, Springfield, MA,1987

Professional Background

Linda joined the Institute in 2003 bringing with her over 20 years of experience in providing direction and support to people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities in the community. Working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Departments of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and later with non-profit organizations, Linda has provided leadership and vision in the development of homes and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. She is a creative thinker, disciplined analyst, and forward-moving manager who can mobilize resources, mediate conflicting interests and achieve strategic visions of organizations and the constituencies they serve. As Project Coordinator she implemented the Community Wrap/Nursing Facility Transition Project. Linda was also Project Director for the Home Care Connections grant – Integrating Long Term Supports and Affordable Housing. Both grants are part of the Real Choice Systems Change Initiative. In 2007, Linda was appointed Deputy Director and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Institute.

Projects

Community Wrap, also known as the Nursing Facility Transition Project, was designed to transition older adults with mental illness from nursing facilities to the community. This 3-year project contained two inter-related initiatives targeted at 1) "Wrap Around Services," for transitioning older adults with mental illness from nursing facility settings to community-based settings; and 2) Expanding housing opportunities for people with mental illness and other disabilities in the Concord community and statewide. The wraparound approach has proven to be very effective in coordinating and delivering care when used with children diverted or transitioned out of institutional placements and has recently been shown to be similarly effective with older adults. The goal of the Project was to plan and coordinate integrated, community services and housing to ensure stable community membership for older adults with complex, and multiple problems who were residing in nursing homes or were receiving nursing home level care in the state psychiatric facility.

Home Care Connections – Integrating Long Term Supports and Affordable Housing was a three year grant funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The goal of Home Care Connections was to identify and work to overcome the barriers that prevent Medicaid-eligible older adults and adults with disabilities from remaining in their own homes and communities. The focus was on “aging-in-place.” The project was designed to develop and/or enhance systems that encourage and foster collaboration and cooperation of existing housing and support networks. Partnering organizations included, the Department of Health and Human Services: Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services and Bureau of Behavioral Health; New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority; Granite State Independent Living; and Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.

Mary Schuh, Associate Director

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Education, University of New Hampshire, 2002
• M.S., Special Education, Syracuse University, 1987
• B.S., Special Education, State University of New York at Geneseo, 1984

Professional Background

Dr. Mary Schuh is the associate director of the Institute on Disability. She has been with the Institute on Disability since its inception in 1987, working to coordinate family and consumer leadership development and educational systems change activities in the areas of: preschool, students with emotional and behavioral disabilities, higher education, and students with complex medical issues. Dr. Schuh has more than 20 years of experience in inclusive schools and communities and project management. She is currently working on systems change in the areas of personnel preparation, leadership development, assistive technology, and inclusive education. She teaches a course on Introduction to Exceptionality at the University of New Hampshire.

Projects

Dr. Schuh is the Leadership Development Coordinator for the National Inclusive Education Initiative (NIEI). The NIEI is focused on improving educational services and outcomes for students with autism and related disabilities through national efforts in the areas of model demonstration, leadership development, personnel preparation, professional development, clinical evaluation services, and research and policy.

Maria Agorastou

PHONE: 603-862-0318
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Accepted into the Doctorate of Education program, University of New Hampshire, 2006
• Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Children's Health and Disability, University of New Hampshire, 2004
• M.S.W., Social Work, University of New Hampshire, 2003
• B.S.W., Social Work, Technological Educational Institute (Patra, Greece), 1998

Professional Background

Maria joined the Institute on Disability in 2003 as a Social Work Graduate student interning for the NH Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program. From 2004-2006 Maria worked as an Intakes Coordinator for the Seacoast Child Development Clinic which is an Interdisciplinary clinical component of the NH LEND program. Since 2006, Maria joined the staff of the APEX II (Achievement in Dropout Prevention and Excellence) project as a Behavior Specialist and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) facilitator providing on-going training and technical assistance, data collection and analyses to local high schools to assist them in the development and expansion of implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. In addition to the APEX II initiative Maria is part of the NH Responds initiative as a Research Associate and High school facilitator.

Within NH Responds Maria provides consultation to 2 high schools on school–wide PBIS implementation and literacy interventions and assists in the development of an advanced graduate certificate in Secondary Transition for Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Challenges.

Maria is originally from Greece and she is working on her Ph.D in Teacher Education and Curriculum Theory at the Department of Education at the University of New Hampshire with a focus on Inclusive Education practices and Cross-Cultural attitudinal dimensions towards Inclusion and Systems change.

Projects

Research Associate

APEX: The Achievement in Dropout Prevention and Excellence (APEX) project provides training, technical assistance and staff resources to implement a comprehensive drop-out prevention model in high schools that have higher-than-average drop out rates.

NH Responds: NH RESPONDS is a five-year grant-funded initiative to improve the effectiveness of in-service and pre-service professional development for educators, particularly in the areas of literacy and positive behavior support. The NH Department of Education is partnering with UNH Institute on Disability and several institutions of higher education around the state along with NH Center on Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports (NH CEBIS) on this initiative.

Mary Ann Allsop

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Mary Ann has been the Conference Coordinator based out of the IOD's Concord office for the past three years. Prior to coming to the Institute, Mary Ann worked as a paraprofessional for 13 years. She is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree through Granite State College.

Joan Beasley

PHONE: 617-469-7391
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Public Policy, The Heller School at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 2000
• M.Ed., Community Mental Health Counseling, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 1981

Professional Background

Joan joined the Institute in 2008 and serves as the Director of the Center for START Services where she heads a multi-disciplinary team made up of national experts in the field of mental health and intellectual/developmental disabilities. She holds a license in mental health counseling and has worked to promote the development of effective services for people with disabilities and their families for more than 30 years.

She worked as the Clinical Director of a large non-profit organization for 20 years, and co-founded the START/ Sovner Center program in Massachusetts, which she directed from 1989 until 2000. In 2001, the START program was identified in the US Surgeon General’s report as a national model. The START Center at the Institute is dedicated to implementation of evidence-based and effective services and supports to individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities and behavioral health care needs and their families. Current projects include: a contract to provide trainings and evaluate the service needs of individuals in New Hampshire, statewide development and implementation of NC START in North Carolina, two Health Foundation pilot projects being developed in Butler and Hamilton Counties in Ohio for children and adolescents, and a contract with the State of Missouri to help in the development of Mo-START.

Dr. Beasley has published numerous articles and book chapters, and has provided training through the US and Canada. She serves on the National Board of Directors of NADD, and has been the editor of “The US Public Policy Update” an ongoing contribution to the NADD Bulletin, since 2003.

Projects

The Center for START Services: The mission of the Center for START Services is to enhance local capacity and provide collaborative, cost-effective support to individuals and their families through exemplary clinical services, education and training, with close attention to service outcomes.

Stephanie Bernier

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Stephanie brings her wealth of small business, customer service, and sales management skills to the Concord office where she manages administrative functions for that team. Stephanie plans to return to school in 2008 to complete her degree in health care administration.

Sarah Buckovitch

PHONE: 603-862-0561
FAX: 603-862-0034

Professional Background

Sarah has been with the Institute on Disability since 2001 and currently provides child care services for the Seacoast Child Development Clinic.

Patty Cotton

PHONE: 603-692-0948
E-MAIL

Education

• M.Ed., Cambridge College, Cambridge, MA, 1994

Professional Background

Patty directs Innovation Facilitators (IF), a new service initiative offering educational programs, facilitation services and professional development related to creative planning, strategic visioning, and consumer and family-directed service designs. IF is dedicated to advancing the standards of excellence in person-centered planning to support the shift from placing people in programs, to creating personalized support arrangements that are highly customized to the unique interests and needs of individuals. Patty works jointly with the Institute on Disability and the Browne Center for experiential learning at UNH to establish IF as a centralized resource for people with disabilities and families to hire an “independent” facilitator to guide them through person-centered planning. Since joining the Institute on Disability in 1989, Patty has coordinated numerous federally funded projects with a particular focus on model demonstration and system-change in adult services. She has extensive background in process facilitation, service brokering, and the development of natural support strategies. Patty has authored several publications on person-centered planning and natural supports, and provides training at both the state and national levels

Brittney DeVincenzo

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• Certificate for Administrative Support Specialist, 2007

Professional Background

Brittney joined the IOD’s Concord office team in November 2008 as Administrative Support Specialist. Prior to joining the IOD, Brittney gained experience in the Human Services field while completing an internship at Merrimack County ServiceLink Resource Center.

Ann Donoghue Dillon

PHONE: 603-862-0793
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• M.Ed., University of New Hampshire, 1998
• B.S., Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire, 1975

Professional Background

Since Ann's career began as an occupational therapist, she has enjoyed supporting young children, their families and providers. Although Ann is involved in systems design and systems change, connections to families and providers remains a strong interest and passion and her interest in autism has been fueled by these connections. Increasing the use of person-centered planning, organizing and designing responsive supports, and continuing education are personal priorities. Through the IOD, Ann is the Coordinator of Family-Centered Training and Support at the Seacoast Child Development Clinic and LEND, the parent liaison for the Center for Medical Home Improvement, a facilitator for the Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports project, coordinator of the Jumpstart project and a family specialist for the NEC Deafblind Project. Ann is a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) with the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. As the parent of a wonderful daughter who has disabilities, Ann has learned so much about education, inclusion, medical support and family support and uses this knowledge to influence her work at UNH.

Projects

Jumpstart: Individualized supports to young children with autism was a training and support grant designed to bring the Individualized Support Project (ISP) model to New Hampshire families and providers and to increase the local capacity to implement this model. The focus was on very young children with autism or autism-like characteristics and their families. Person-centered planning, functional behavioral assessment, individualized support plans were important components .

Beth Dixon

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• B.S., Behavioral Science, College of Lifelong Learning, 2001

Professional Background

Beth, a parent of four children and grandparent of four, is interested in equality for all people in all areas that affect our lives - education, social/friendship ties, work environments, housing options, recreation opportunities, and more. Beth enjoys organizing and presenting best practices to participants at the NH Leadership Series. Watching people change and broaden their expectations for themselves and/or their children is exciting to her - but even more exciting is watching them become involved in their communities and in public life.

Projects

The New Hampshire Leadership Series is a seven-month training session for adults with disabilities and parents or family members of children with disabilities. It is based on the national Partners in Policymaking model. The Series is funded by the NH Department of Education, NH Developmental Disabilities Council, NH Division of Developmental Services, 12 NH Area Agencies, Annie Forts UP Fund Laconia Savings Bank, and donations from NH Leadership graduates.

Jennifer Donahue

PHONE: 603-862-0321
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Administrative Account Specialist

Sönke Dornblut

PHONE: 603-862-4064
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• M.S., Community Economic Development, Southern New Hampshire University, 1999
• B.A., Political Science, Plymouth State University, 1995

Professional Background

Sönke's primary motivation lies within a deeply held belief that society must be accessible at all levels to all people in order to fulfill its promise as a democratic society. He is interested in developing infrastructures that support access for all by utilizing community economic development strategies and structures. Current work focuses on access through transportation for people with disabilities and others who do not drive, especially in rural areas. Sönke is also intrigued by connections - both historical and current - between languages and in language as a transmitter of cultural norms and values.

Projects

New Hampshire Assistive Technology Partnership Project The goal of the New Hampshire Assistive Technology Partnership Project is to increase access to assistive technology through the creation and support of consumer driven systems for the provision of state-of-the-art assistive technology products and services for citizens with disabilities in the state of New Hampshire.

The Rural Transportation Access Network is a two-year research project looking into best practices in rural, community transportation provision and funding resource utilization. The project is funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.

Jonathon Drake

PHONE: 603-228-2804
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• MSW, University of New Hampshire, 2006
• B.A., Psychology, University of New Hampshire, 2004

Michelle Fox

PHONE: 603-862-0561
FAX: 603-862-0034
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Program Support Assistant

Susan Fox

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• M.A., Sociology, University of New Hampshire, 2006
• Accepted into doctoral sociology program, University of New Hampshire, 2003
• M.S., Educational Leadership, Lesley University, 1981
• B.S., Education, University of Massachusetts, 1977

Professional Background

Susan Fox is currently a Project Director at the Institute on Disability at UNH leading New Hampshire’s work to prevent unnecessary institutionalization and to support all citizens to live within their home communities through the Real Choice System Transformation Grant in collaboration with the NH Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services. Prior to this, she served for five years as the State Director of the Division of Developmental Services. She managed services in a community agency serving persons with disabilities for over ten years. Including her years working in special education, she has been active in regional and statewide initiatives involving persons with disabilities for over 30 years.

Projects

The Real Choice Systems Change Project is designed to create and implement improvements in community-based care systems in order to improve health and long-term care services and supports that assist people with disabilities and long-term illnesses to live in the community.

Amy Frechette

PHONE: 603-862-0561
FAX: 603-862-0034
E-MAIL

Education

• A.S., Criminal Justice, New Hampshire Technical Institute, 1997

Professional Background

Amy has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome and brings her expertise as a self-advocate to her work with the IOD. She is a strong advocate and statewide leader in the area of ASD, serving as a board member for the Autism Society of NH and a governor appointed self-advocate for NH Council on ASD which is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the recommendations made in the report NH Commission on ASD. Amy is a 2007 graduate of the NH Family and Consumer Leadership Series and co-instructor for the Graduate Seminar on ASD in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Dept. (with Rae Sonnenmeier, Ph.D.). Amy works in the NH LEND Program and serves as faculty in self-advocacy for the LEND expansion program. Amy has an Autism Service Dog, Eden, a male Pomeranian who is 7 years old.

Matthew Gianino

PHONE: 603-862-2300
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• B.A., Theatre, University of Massachusetts, 1997

Professional Background

Since 2002 Matthew Gianino has been actively involved in the development and execution of comprehensive marketing and communications strategies and campaigns for both for-profit and non-profit organizations. In both leadership and hands-on roles, he has been instrumental in the deployment of countless successful public-oriented promotions and communication initiatives. With a background in the arts and writing, Matthew has been able to apply his eye for detail and his creative disposition along with 13 years of professional relationship building experience to encourage discourse and nurture relationships with targeted audiences, the press and strategic organizational partners. Since joining the Institute on Disability in January 2006, Matthew has spent much of his time evaluating and improving upon existing communications and marketing strategies as well as incorporating new initiatives in order to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for the organization. In addition to his expertise in communications and marketing, he is also well versed in graphic design, photography and video production.

Nichole Guntz

PHONE: 603-862-1769
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• B.A., Communication, Houghton College, 2006

Professional Background

Nikki has been with the IOD since April 2007 as Communications & Marketing Assistant. Prior to coming to the IOD, Nikki worked in internal communications with the Information Systems group at Liberty Mutual Insurance, exercising skills in website content management and design, event coordination and support, and publication production.

Dan Habib

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• B.A., Political Science, University of Michigan

Professional Background

Dan Habib is the director, producer and cinematographer of the new documentary, Including Samuel and is Filmmaker in Residence at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. Until joining UNH in April of 2008, Habib was the photography editor of the Concord Monitor since 1995. In 2006 and 2008, he was named the national Photography Editor of the Year for papers with a circulation under 100,000. Between his stints at the Monitor, Habib freelanced and created a multi-media documentary project titled “Teen Sexuality in a Culture of Confusion” (www.danhabib.com). His freelance work, including extensive documentary work in China, has appeared in numerous publications, including Time, Newsweek, Yankee, Life, Boston Magazine, Mother Jones and the New York Times. Habib has been named New Hampshire Photographer of the Year six times. He has been a judge of Pulitzer Prizes, Pictures of the Year, Best of Photojournalism and White House News Photographer's Association. He was one of 10 young photojournalists from around the world chosen for the 1995 World Press Masterclass in Amsterdam.

David Hagner

PHONE: 603-862-2554
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Rehabilitation Counseling, Syracuse University
• M.S., Rehabilitation Counseling, Syracuse University
• M.A., Philosophy, University of Cincinnati

Professional Background

Dr. Hagner is the Rehabilitation Projects director at University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability, and is a certified rehabilitation counselor with more than 20 years' experience in teaching, research, evaluation and direct service. He co-directs the New England Regional Continuing Education Program for Community Rehabilitation Personnel and currently conducts research in the areas of transition for youths with disabilities in the criminal justice system and home ownership for individuals with significant disabilities. Dr. Hagner is the author of five books and more than 35 chapters, monographs, and journal articles related to employment and rehabilitation. He is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences, and serves as consulting editor for the journal Mental Retardation.

Projects

The Regional Continuing Education program for Community Rehabilitation Personnel is a collaborative project of the Institute on Disability, the University of Hartford Rehabilitation Training Program, and the Assumption College Institute for Social and Rehabilitative Services. The project's purpose is to meet the needs of community rehabilitation personnel such as employment specialists, employment consultants, job developers, and supported employment program managers for continuing training and technical assistance to upgrade skills, infuse innovations into practice, and ensure high-quality employment outcomes for consumers with disabilities within New England.

School and Community Reentry for Youthful Offenders with Disabilities is a federally funded demonstration project to develop, implement, and evaluate a model system of reentry services and supports for youths with disabilities whose school and community participation has been disrupted due to delinquent behavior.

Strategies, Barriers, and Outcomes of Home Ownership for People with Severe Disabilities is a three-year field-initiated research project funded in August 2000 by the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). This research project is systematically investigating quality of life outcomes of home ownership for people with severe disabilities. The research focuses on the personal service, financial, and support network variables needed to achieve and maintain successful home ownership.

Andrew Houtenville

PHONE: 603-862-3999
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, National Institute on Aging, Syracsue University, 1998-99
• Ph.D., Economics, University of New Hampshire, 1997
• M.A., Economics, University of New Hampshire, 1991

Professional Background

Dr. Andrew Houtenville is an Associate Professor of Economics and Research Director of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire.  He is extensively involved disability statistics and employment policy research.  He is a co-Principal Investigator of the Hunter College Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC).  He has published widely in the areas of disability statistics and the economic status of people with disabilities. 

Dr. Houtenville received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of New Hampshire in 1997 and was a National Institute on Aging Post-Doctoral Fellow at Syracuse University in 1998/1999.  He was also a Senior Research Associate at Cornell University and New Editions Consulting in McLean, Virginia.

Cat Jones

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• M.F.A., Creative Writing, University of Washington, 2005
• B.A., English Literature, University of Washington, 2003

Professional Background

Cat is a member of the support staff team at the IOD's Concord office. Previous to returning to her home state of New Hampshire, she helped to develop and support a spearhead professional development program serving university staff at the University of Washington's Professional and Organizational Development in Seattle, Washington.

Cheryl M. Jorgensen

PHONE: 603-862-4678
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Health Education, Penn State University, 1982
• M.P.H., Maternal and Child Health Services Administration, University of Pittsburgh, 1975
• B.S., Health Education, Springfield College, 1974

Professional Background

Dr. Jorgensen is project director and assistant research professor with the Institute on Disability. She currently directs a four-year OSEP Model Demonstration project entitled Beyond Access: A Model that Promotes Learning of General Education Curriculum Content for Students with Significant Disabilities.

Dr. Jorgensen also teaches in a graduate program to prepare inclusion facilitators and works with the NH Department of Education on efforts relating to teacher certification, alternate assessment of students with disabilities, and teacher workforce development.

Since 1985, Dr. Jorgensen has worked with public school teachers, parents, and administrators to increase their commitment to and capacity for including students with disabilities in regular education classes. For the past several years, her work has focused on the restructuring of policies, organizational structures, and teaching practices that naturally facilitate inclusion and learning for all students.

Dr. Jorgensen has collaborated on several multi-university grant proposals, writes extensively in the field, presents at state, national, and international conferences, and does technical assistance in New Hampshire and the New England region. She serves on a number of statewide policy task forces, including those developing New Hampshire's "alternate" statewide assessment test (in response to the 1997 IDEA reauthorization), a task force that is restructuring general and special education teacher certification standards, and the effort to design a new professional development model for New Hampshire teachers.

Projects

Beyond Access: A Model that Promotes Learning of General Education Curriculum Content for Students with the Most Significant Disabilities, is a four-year OSEP-funded Model Demonstration grant designed to investigate the effectiveness of a student- and team-supports planning model that encourages students whose education consists primarily of learning functional life skills to learn general education curriculum content.

Equity & Excellence in Higher Education, is a three-year OPE-funded project designed to test the effectiveness of a model of college faculty professional development related to the improvement of post secondary outcomes for students with disabilities. Faculty professional development focuses on Universal Design for Learning translated from research to practice through faculty Reflective Practice groups.

Laurie Lambert

PHONE: 603-862-
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Advanced Graduate Certification, Autism Spectrum Disorders, University of New Hampshire, July 2009
• Advanced Graduate Certification, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, University of New Hampshire, July 2009
• M.Ed., Elementary Education, University of New Hampshire, 2001
• Special Education and Elementary Teaching Certifications, 1997
• B.P.S., Behavioral Science, College for Lifelong Learning, 1995
• A.S., Early Childhood Education, College for Lifelong Learning, 1993

Professional Background

Having come up through the education ranks as a paraprofessional, Title 1 tutor, general education teacher, special education teacher and inclusion facilitator, Laurie brings a wide variety of experience, perspectives and expertise to the education of children with disabilities. Laurie has had significant training in the many areas of educating students with disabilities obtaining Advanced Graduate Certification (July 2009) in the areas of Intellectual and Development Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Laurie has also done significant work in the Beyond Access for Students with Disabilities Project, the Beyond Access for Assessment Accommodations project and the Gaining Access to What Student with Cognitive Disabilities Know Project, all research projects that are part of the work of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire.

Projects

Beyond Access: A Model that Promotes Learning of General Education Curriculum Content for Students with the Most Significant Disabilities, is a four-year OSEP-funded Model Demonstration grant designed to investigate the effectiveness of a student- and team-supports planning model that encourages students whose education consists primarily of learning functional life skills to learn general education curriculum content.

Beyond Access for Assessment Accommodations: A general supervision enhancement grant to assist the NH Department of Education and NH schools to better support students with disabilities to participate in the NECAP with accommodations and the NH Alternate Assessment.

Gaining Access: A multi-year project in partnership with the NH Department of Education to revise the NH Alternate Assessment.

Eileen Leavitt

PHONE: 603-862-0824
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• M.Ed., Reading, University of New Hampshire, 1976
• B.S., Education, University of Massachusetts, 1971

Professional Background

Eileen joined the IOD in July of 2008 to provide professional development and technical assistance to schools around literacy under the NH Responds Grant. Prior to coming to the IOD ,  Eileen was as a classroom teacher grades K-6, Reading Specialist and Literacy Coach in NH schools for 37 years. For thirteen years she was a school coach in the Literacy Collaborative through Lesley University and Ohio State University. She wrote several successful literacy grants including funding New Hampshire’s first school- based Even Start program. She is a long time board member and current Vice President of the New England Reading Association. She has served as a library trustee in her town for over 20 years.

Projects

NH Responds: NH RESPONDS is a five-year grant-funded initiative to improve the effectiveness of in-service and pre-service professional development for educators, particularly in the areas of literacy and positive behavior support. The NH Department of Education is partnering with UNH Institute on Disability and several institutions of higher education around the state along with NH Center on Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports (NH CEBIS) on this initiative.

Peter A. Macalaster

PHONE: 603-862-4320
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Peter A. Macalaster joined the Institute on Disability in 1994 as an office assistant. Prior to his work at the Institute, Peter worked as a courier at BankEast for over 10 years and operated a small business in Boston, Massachusetts for 15 years. In 1999, Peter graduated from the Institute on Disability's Leadership Series and remains an active advocate for disability rights. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the NH Challenge newspaper and offers guest lectures in UNH classes and elsewhere on his experiences with disability. In his free time, Peter enjoys skiing, water skiing, and traveling.

JoAnne Malloy

PHONE: 603-628-6837
E-MAIL

Education

• M.S., Social Work Administration and Planning, University of Tennessee, 1981
• B.A., Fine Arts, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1976

Professional Background

JoAnne Malloy received a Masters Degree in Social Work Administration and Planning from the University of Tennessee in 1981. She was Director of Vocational Services at the Easter Seal Society of New Hampshire between 1982 and 1985, where she developed one of the first transitional employment projects for adults with psychiatric disabilities in New Hampshire . In 1991, she joined the staff of the University of New Hampshire 's Institute on Disability (NH's University Center for Excellence in Disability) where she has directed several federally-funded employment and dropout prevention projects. In 1996, she directed a federally-funded demonstration project to create employment opportunities for youth with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The model developed through that project, RENEW, has been recognized by the National Transition Alliance as a promising practice.

Ms. Malloy is currently directing the second of two major dropout prevention projects funded by the U. S. Department of Education, using a school-to-career and Positive Behavioral Supports and Interventions model to reduce dropout rates in New Hampshire high schools, and has recently been awarded a project from the Endowment for Health to train community mental health center staffs to provide RENEW services to youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. Ms. Malloy has published numerous articles and book chapters on employment for youth with emotional disorders and adults with mental illnesses, and is currently working on her dissertation for her doctorate degree in education at UNH.

Projects

APEX: Dropout Prevention Project- provides training, technical assistance and support to high schools in positive behavioral supports.

Medicaid Infrastructure Grant: Provides research, capacity building and infrastructure development to remove barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities.

NH Responds: A Professional Development Project of the New Hampshire Department of Education to Bring High Quality Practices in Literacy, Behavior, and Secondary Transition Services

RENEW: This project is designed to develop the capacity among mental health providers to provide RENEW (Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education, and Work) services to 60 adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders in New Hampshire, and to support the systems change, training, and sustainability issues related to the implementation of this practice throughout the state.

Melissa Mandrell

PHONE: 603-271-5560
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• MSS, Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr, PA 1989
• MLSP, Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr, PA 1989
• B.A., Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 1985

Professional Background

Melissa joined the Institute in 2005. She is currently project coordinator for a Medicaid Real Choice Grant designed to integrate affordable housing with long term supports. From 1999 to 2005, she served as the assistant administrator for children’s mental health services at the NH Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Behavioral Health. In that role, she developed and implemented statewide policy and programming; coordinated activities among multiple state, local and family agencies; provided consultation and technical assistance to children’s program directors at community mental health centers; ensured compliance with federal and state mandates for a variety of programs; wrote and monitored progress on the children’s portion of federal mental health block grant; and consulted with families receiving services from the mental health system. In addition, during that time she was the project director for CARE NH, a SAMHSA grant initiative for the development of a system of care for children with multiple service needs. Previous to that, she worked in a number of roles, including administrator and social worker for a mental health clinical research center, United Way community funding coordinator, and psychiatric social worker at a hospital.

Projects

Home Care Connections – Integrating Long Term Supports and Affordable Housing is a three year grant funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The goal of Home Care Connections is to identify and work to overcome the barriers that prevent Medicaid-eligible older adults and adults with disabilities from remaining in their own homes and communities. The focus is on “aging-in-place.” The project is designed to develop and/or enhance systems that encourage and foster collaboration and cooperation of existing housing and support networks. Partnering organizations include the Department of Health and Human Services: Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services and Bureau of Behavioral Health; New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority; Granite State Independent Living; and Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center.

Michael McSheehan

Phone: 603-862-2144
Fax: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL
Follow Michael on Twitter

Education

• Master's Level Training, Communication Sciences & Disorders, Syracuse University
• B.S., Communication Disorders, University of New Hampshire, 1990

Professional Background

Michael McSheehan, a project coordinator with the Institute on Disability/UCED and Clinical Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, has been affiliated with the Institute on Disability since 1993.

Michael is a coordinator of the newly funded National Inclusive Education Initiative for Students with Autism and Related Disabilities. He has worked on a variety of state and federally funded initiatives to advance research, policy, and practice in inclusive education, alternate assessment, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), autism spectrum disorders, collaborative teaming, and Response to Intervention (RtI).

With the National Initiative, Michael coordinates an effort to create 20 model demonstration schools in the U.S. that are successfully promoting membership in general education classrooms, participation in general education instruction, and learning of general education curriculum by students with significant disabilities. In partnership with the NH Department of Education, Michael is currently assisting to revise the NH Alternate Assessment (Gaining Access) and to develop and scale up a RtI model that blends academic and behavioral supports (NH RESPONDS). Additionally, Michael is an active faculty member with the NH Resource Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

As a researcher and professional developer, Michael has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapter, and a forthcoming book (Summer 2009) in the areas of autism, AAC, and access to and learning of general curriculum. He consults with various state departments of education and presents internationally. Currently, he is working with several states to replicate components of the Beyond Access Model to improve student and team outcomes in general education settings by assisting districts, schools, and teams to build their capacity to educate children with significant disabilities in general education classrooms. Michael shares exceptional skills in working with teams to solve challenging problems within school-wide improvement and reform efforts, and is nationally recognized for his presentations at TASH, OSEP, NATTAP, ASHA, and other inclusive education conferences

Projects

National Inclusive Education Initiative (NIEI): The NIEI is focused on improving educational services and outcomes for students with autism and related disabilities through national efforts in the areas of model demonstration, leadership development, personnel preparation, professional development, clinical evaluation services, and research and policy.

Gaining Access: A multi-year project in partnership with the NH Department of Education to revise the NH Alternate Assessment.

NH Responds: A Response-to-Intervention, model demonstration and professional development project of the New Hampshire Department of Education to bring high quality practices in literacy, behavior, and secondary transition services.

Beyond Access for Assessment Accommodations: A general supervision enhancement grant to assist the NH Department of Education and NH schools to better support students with disabilities to participate in the NECAP with accommodations and the NH Alternate Assessment.

Maureen Miller

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Susan Lovas Orr

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Susan has been with the IOD since October 2008 as Senior Program Support Assistant for the Aging Programs. Prior to coming to the IOD, Susan worked for CCA Global Partners’ Training Department as Business Manager, which included playing an integral part in the planning and execution of “Education Day” at the bi-annual Conventions for two of their divisions. Before CCA, Susan worked for Clear Channel Communications at WGIR AM/FM Radio. She held many positions over 12 years there including Office Manager, Traffic Coordinator, Sales Assistant and Copywriter; as well as assisting the on-air staff with production and creative development.

Jason Paradis

PHONE: 603-862-4114
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Information Technologist II

Tobey Partch-Davies

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• ABD/Ph.D., Community Economic Development & Policy, School of Community Economic Development, Southern New Hampshire University
• M.S., Community Economic Development, New Hampshire College, 1998

Professional Background

Before rejoining the Institute on Disability in 2009, Ms. Partch-Davies served for six years as founding director of the Center for Community Economic Development & Disability at Southern New Hampshire University, where she served as Principal Investigator for a sub-study of NIDRR funded Asset Accumulation and Tax Policy Project; the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funded Living with Independence, Freedom & Equality (LIFE) Project, and the Principal Investigator for several CMS funded sub-studies for New Hampshire's Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. She is the current PI for the experimentally designed REAL Opportunity Study, a NIDRR funded Asset Accumulation and Economic Self Sufficiency Study in partnership with the Burton Blatt Institute of Syracuse University.  She is the PI for the New Hampshire Medicaid Buy In Utilization project in partnership with Mathematica Policy Research, the co-PI for the Employment Infrastructure Evaluation, and the project manager for the Employment Indicator System, a multi-system, web-based, quality improvement tracking system for the employment development of people with disabilities, all sub-studies affiliated with New Hampshire’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant.

Kathleen Pirie

PHONE: 603-862-4117
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Kathleen Pirie brings more than seventeen years of administrative and leadership experience to her role as Office Manager at the IOD’s Durham Office. This experience, combined with Kathy’s commitment to providing quality support and service, makes her well suited for this role.

Leigh Rohde

PHONE: 603-862-0791
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• M.Ed., Early Childhood Special Education, University of New Hampshire, 1986
• B.A., Special Education, University of Massachusetts, 1981

Professional Background

Leigh began working at the Institute in 1993. Prior work included teaching in a special education preschool program and as a family support worker in an early intervention program. She began at the Institute by providing technical assistance and training around elementary school inclusion. She has served as project coordinator for the Granite Ladders Project, a five-year research project evaluating the effectiveness of a literacy curriculum in Head Start classrooms, funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education, Institute of Education Sciences and the Community Options project, a model demonstration project promoting inclusive options for preschoolers. Leigh currently provides technical assistance and training for school districts and community providers in the areas of literacy and Response to Intervention.

Leigh is a mother of three, including one child with special educational needs. She recently began working on a Ph.D. in Teacher Education with a focus on literacy for young children with disabilities, and she is a past board member of the Northern New England Down Syndrome Congress.

Projects

NH Responds: A Professional Development Project of the New Hampshire Department of Education to Bring High Quality Practices in Literacy, Behavior, and Secondary Transition Services

Amy Schwartz

PHONE: 603-862-2962
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• M.P.H., University of Hawaii, 1992
• Certificate, Disability Studies, University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies UAP Program, 1992
• B.A., Anthropology, University of Hawaii, 1990
  

Professional Background

Amy Schwartz joined the Institute for Health Policy and Practice in December of 2001 and current manages the New England Genetics Collaborative and the SPARK project. Previously, she was the Vice President of Provider Network Management for the Neighborhood Health Plan, a Medicaid HMO headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. She has held several management positions for health insurance companies in provider relations, contract negotiation and cost containment. She completed her graduate degree in public health at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with a concentration in maternal and child health and a minor in disability studies. Amy has also completed a 40-hour course in mediation for health care executives. Her specific expertise and experience is in health insurance, business management, health care finance, contract negotiation and government programs. Amy has worked on projects with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Office of Medicaid and the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, the New Hampshire Insurance Department and Public Health.

Projects

New England Genetics Collaborative. The primary goal of the New England Genetics Collaborative is to assure that individuals with genetic disorders and their families have access to quality care and appropriate genetic expertise and information in the context of a medical home that provides accessible, family-centered, continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate, and culturally effective care.  The SPARK project (Strategic Partnership for Arsenic Research in Kids) is a collaborative research study with Columbia University to study the potential cognitive effects of elevated arsenic levels in water on children in New Hampshire and Maine.

Frank Sgambati

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Education

• M.S., Special Education, Southern Connecticut State University, 1976
• B.A., Psychology, Unity College, 1971

Professional Background

Frank has worked in the education field for more than 30 years and brings a rich and varied experience to the Institute on Disability. Over the years experiences have included working with young children, adolescents and adults with disabilities in the areas of pre-school, educational, vocational, recreational, and community living environments. Among many other related achievements, Frank has served on various boards and with community volunteer organizations. He was instrumental in establishing KARP (Kearsarge-Area Recreational Program), an integrated summer recreational program for school-age children. Frank also founded and established PEOPLE'S PLACE (a community counseling and information center) in 1972 in Milford, Delaware, where he met his wife Kathy while they were working together as VISTAs.

Projects

Partnerships for Educational Innovations is funded through the New Hampshire Department of Education. This grant provides professional development, systems change, and technical assistance throughout the state by promoting the full inclusion of students with disabilities.

Karen Smith

PHONE: 603-862-3454
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• B.A., Psychology, Coe College, 1982

Professional Background

Karen has been with the IOD since February 2008 as Project Coordinator with the New England Genetics Collaborative (NEGC). The NEGC is a cooperative agreement with HRSA intended to improve access to high quality genetic services in New England. Directly before this position Karen worked as a research assistant with the Crimes Against Children Center at UNH. Karen has a strong background in human services, having directed a Juvenile Intake program for eighteen years prior to working at UNH. This experience spanned child welfare, the juvenile court system and social services, and helped Karen learn to look across systems as well as to manage day to day activities. She now uses those skills here at the IOD.

Rae Sonnenmeier

PHONE: 603-862-1860
FAX: 603-862-0034
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Speech Language Pathology and Augmentative Communication, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1999
• M.A., Speech Language Pathology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1984
• B.S.Ed., Communicative Disorders, State University of New York College at Buffalo, 1980
  

Professional Background

Rae M. Sonnenmeier, Ph.D., is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focuses on designing AAC systems to support students’ learning of the general education curriculum, including literacy skills. She teaches courses on AAC, autism spectrum disorders, and leadership in the field of developmental disabilities. Through her work with the Seacoast Child Development Clinic, she provides clinical assessment and consultation regarding best practices for using AAC to families, school personnel, and early intervention providers.

Kate Stimmell

PHONE: 603-862-4471 or 603-862-0561
FAX: 603-862-0034
E-MAIL

Education

• ABD/Ph.D., University of New Hampshire
• M.S.OT, Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
• B.S.OT, Boston University, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 1998
  

Professional Background

Kate is an occupational therapist with over 10 years clinical experience working with people of all ages.  She is a doctoral candidate in Education at UNH and her studies have focused on supporting children with autism spectrum disorders. Kate currently teaches in the Occupational Therapy Department and she is the project coordinator for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program.

Projects

NH-LEND: The NH LEND Program is a collaborative effort of the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth and the Institute on Disability, a University Center of Excellence in Disabilities (UCED), and the College of Health and Human Services at the University of New Hampshire. The program provides interdisciplinary leadership training to those who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities or special health care needs and their families. Training experiences are individually designed to provide future leaders with both value-based and evidence-based training.

Michelle Sullivan

PHONE: 603-862-0284
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, 2004
• Ph.D., Experimental Psychology, University of California at San Diego, 2002
• M.A., Experimental Psychology, University of California at San Diego, 1998
• B.A., Psychology, Experimental Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, 1993

Projects

Michelle is currently developing an MCH research grant application to conduct a longitudinal investigation of infants at risk for the development of autism spectrum disorders. Infants will be identified as having an older sibling with a diagnosis of autism as well as having “red flags” for the development of autism as measured on the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (Wetherby & Prizant, 2002). Focus of the investigation will be early markers of autism in the social and communication development of these infants during monthly videotaped parent-child interactions in the home environment as well as periodic structured parent-child interactions in the laboratory.

Vidya Sundar

PHONE: 603-862-0284
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Ph.D., Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, 2006
• B.S., Occupational Therapy, Santosh College of Occupational Therapy, Dr. M.G.R University, India
  

Professional Background

Dr. Sundar joined the Institute on Disability in 2007 and is responsible for providing research and evaluation support to several projects at the IOD. Prior to this, Dr. Sundar was a post-doctoral associate at the Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE). She has extensive experience working with disability advocacy and community based agencies. Dr. Sundar’s expertise is in research and evaluation design, applied statistical techniques and measurement models in disability research. Her research interests include long term care specifically community living for the aging population and assistive technology for older adults.

Projects

Gaining Access: A multi year project in partnership with the NH Department of Education aimed at providing recommendations to revise and improve the NH Statewide Alternate Assessment System by better understanding the sensory profiles of students with severe cognitive disabilities in NH

NH Leadership Series: The goal of the New Hampshire Leadership Series is to support self-advocacy and leadership skills for individuals with disabilities and their family members who wish to affect change at a personal, community, and statewide level to support the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities in their schools and communities.

Transitions in Caregiving: The purpose of this project support nursing home diversion for persons identified to be at risk of spend down to Medicaid by (1) modernizing and transforming family caregiver support funds into flexible into consumer-directed service dollars managed locally by Caregiver Support Specialists at the ServiceLink Resource Centers (SLRC) and (2) by providing support and services and training to caregivers of older adults at risk of institutional placement

Youth Empowerment Services: A three year initiative designed to develop and promote self advocacy and leadership skills in young adults with disabilities to help them prepare for the future.

Jill Varney

PHONE: 603-862-3476
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• B.A., Women's Studies, University of New Hampshire, 2002

Professional Background

Jill has been with the Institute on Disability since 2007 as the publications coordinator/program support assistant. Her background includes experience in both the nonprofit and corporate settings, and her extensive customer service experience strongly supports her activities as the publications coordinator.

Janet Williamson

PHONE: 603-228-2084
FAX: 603-228-3270
E-MAIL

Professional Background

Janet has been employed at the Institute on Disability for the past 14 years in a number of capacities. She is currently the training coordinator for FLEX, one of the three grants awarded to New Hampshire under the Real Choice Initiative. Janet is a powerful advocate in the movements for inclusive education, consumer direction, self-determination, individualized budgets, and community-based supports and services. As the parent of a 32-year-old son with significant disabilities, Janet and her son have demonstrated how these values lead to a healthy, more satisfying, and independent way of life without increasing the resources necessary to provide supports and services.

Projects

Facilitating Lifespan Excellence (FLEX) is a three-year Systems Change grant awarded by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid to increase the capacity of New Hampshire communities to provide community based Long-Term Care supports and services for all residents.

Therese Willkomm

PHONE: 603-862-1056
FAX: 603-862-0555
E-MAIL

Education

• Nationally Certified Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP), 1997
• Ph.D., Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, 1997
• M.S., Vocational Rehabilitation, Job Development, Job Placement, Drake University, 1984
• B.S., Vocational Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Stout, 1982
• B.S., Special Education K-12, University of Wisconsin-Stout, 1982

Professional Background

Dr. Willkomm is currently the Director of the New Hampshire Statewide Assistive Technology Program (ATinNH) with the Institute on Disability and a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. In addition, Dr. Willkomm is the coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Assistive Technology Program and the coordinator of the Disability Studies Minor. She has been in engage in providing/managing assistive technology services for over 28 years in the areas of home, school, and worksite modifications for persons with disabilities. She is known nationally and internationally as “The MacGyver of Assistive Technology" and for her work in rural rehabilitation technology. Dr. Willkomm has presented in 38 states, five foreign counties, and three U.S. Territories and authored 22 publications including her most recent book titled “Make A Difference Today – Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes."

Current Research Areas

• Creating Low Cost Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes
• Making Low Cost Interactive White Boards Accessible
• Creating Low Cost Accessible Educational Materials
• Assistive Technology and Secondary Injury  Prevention
• Universal Design for Learning