International Advisory Committee
The members of MIUSA’s International Advisory Committee, launched in 2017, represent diverse fields and experiences. Their expertise and commitment to advancing disability rights and leadership globally will assist MIUSA to continue to reach its goals to:
-offer dynamic, innovative programs-
-build the pipeline of leaders with disabilities, especially women and girls-
-provide opportunities to strengthen disability rights globally by international exchange & international development.-
Members
Andraéa LaVant
Andraéa LaVant is founder and president of LaVant Consulting, Inc. (LCI), a social impact communications firm that offers cutting-edge corporate development and content marketing for brands and nonprofits. LCI’s specialty is helping brands “speak disability with confidence.”
Angela Marin
Angela is an alum of MIUSA’s Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) program and has expertise in disabled women’s leadership. As a professional English-Spanish translator in her country of Peru, Angela Marin helps her clients and co-workers solve problems and answer questions.
Donald Steinberg
Donald (Don) Steinberg is a Senior Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion at InterAction, where he focuses on advancing diversity and inclusion within the U.S. NGO sector. Don brings expertise in the fields of international relations, peacebuilding, and development.
Dulamsuren Jigjid
Ms. Dulamsuren, an alum of MIUSA’s Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) exchange program, is an Executive Director of the Culture Centre for Deaf in Mongolia. She has a strong focus on human rights and multicultural affairs and works passionately on building productive relationships between communities and cultures.
Ekaete Umoh
Ekaete Judith Umoh, an alum of MIUSA’s Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD), is an international disability rights activist committed to inclusive development for people with disabilities; especially of women and girls with disabilities.
Eliana Vera
Eliana Vera retired in 2016 after more than 35 years’ experience leading programs with foundations and non-governmental organizations in the international development sector. Her last position was with SNV USA, as Project Manager for the Procurement Governance for Home Grown School Feeding project, funded by the Gates Foundation.
Dr. Jennifer Fullick
Dr. Jennifer Fullick is the Director of Health, Safety and Security at The Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA). With over 20 years of experience in higher education and international education, Jennifer advocates for advances in the field of international education and access abroad. Dr. Fullick is excited to explore evolving dimensions and innovations within the education abroad landscape; for all learners contribute, and benefit, from a meaningful international experience.
Johileny Merán
John Wodatch
John L. Wodatch is a civil rights attorney with over 30 years of experience with the Federal Government, specializing in the rights of persons with disabilities. He provides advice and information on the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Other Disability Rights Laws and Regulations.
Karen Lassner
Karen Johnson Lassner has 35 years of international experience developing, managing, implementing, and evaluating community health services. Her experience is particularly broad, having worked early in her career for ten years for a Brazilian civil society organization
Kate Raftery
Kate Raftery currently serves as an expert consultant in Peace Corps’ Office of the Director. Prior to that she was the Director for Service Innovation at Peace Corps. Among the other roles she has held at Peace Corps include the Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Response Program Team Lead and twice the Chief of Operations in the InterAmerica and Pacific region.
Kevin Boling
Kevin Boling is a retired administrator of the 4J school district in Oregon and principal, most recently at Bertha Holt Elementary School. He is a passionate advocate for inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools and has spoken to many international groups, utilizing his lens as a principal, teacher and activist.
Maegan Shanks
Maegan Shanks an alumna of a MIUSA exchange program bringing young deaf and disabled leaders to Costa Rica. Currently, she is an Adjunct Faculty and Program Assistant for the International Development M.A. Program at Gallaudet University
Marcie Roth
Marcie Roth is a global disability rights leader and an expert on whole community inclusive emergency and disaster management. She has served in senior and executive leadership roles for national and global disability advocacy organizations since 1995.
Marshall Peter
Marshall Peter served as CEO of Direction Service, Inc., a multi-program family support agency, for thirty-six years and for seventeen years as the founding Director of CADRE, The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education.
Martha Walters
Martha Lee Walters was an attorney who represented individuals in employment and civil rights matters for 30 years before she became an Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
Megan Smith
Megan Smith is a disability rights activist who has worked over the last 14 years for grassroot organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) globally. Her work has focused on the rights of landmine survivors and women with disabilities in Australia, Afghanistan, and Cambodia.
Laurie Winthrop
Laurie Winthrop, Principal of Winthrop Coaching and Consulting, provides development solutions and resources for companies needing targeted expertise in leadership and organizational effectiveness.
Paul Hippolitis
Paul Hippolitus is formerly the Director of World Institute on Disability (WID’s) Employment and Benefits Disability Initiative and continues to work with WID on special projects.
Precious Ncube
Precious Ncube is a Projects and Disability Advocacy officer and a Counsellor by profession at King George VI Centre in Zimbabwe.
Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin
Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin became Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Israel in July of 2015. He served as Senior Rabbi from 2003 until 2015 and served as TBI’s Rabbi since 1995.
Dr. Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh
In August of 2012, Dr. Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh joined the University of Oregon as Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, with the responsibility for collaboratively leading the University of Oregon’s efforts to embed inclusion, equity and diversity in its institutional practices, policies, and norms.
