My goals are to continue to build on and further enhance AAIDD strengths, including its journals, assessment and publication activities.  I would also want to continue to strengthen early career researchers and practitioners, supporting them to engage in AAIDD and establish a professional home.  A particular focus would be diversifying the next generation of leaders and creating spaces where people from diverse backgrounds feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to lead in the organization.  Additionally, given the complexity of the problems with achieving the mission of AAIDD and advancing outcomes in the IDD field, another targeted goal would be to continue to build and enhance strong alliances across researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and organizations in the disability field to engage in effective advocacy, research, policy, and practice.  

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:  

Current Position:
Professor, University of Kansas
Director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities

Previous Positions:
Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana
Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin

Education:
Ph.D., University of Kansas
M.A., University of Dayton
B.S., The Ohio State University

AAIDD Participation:

I have participated in a wide variety of roles within AAIDD.  To highlight a few examples:

• I served as a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors from 2007-2011
• I was one of the founding co-Editors of Inclusion from 2013-2019
• I continue to engage and support the work of the Terminology and Classification committee and was a co-author of the 11^th edition of the manual
• I continue to engage in efforts related to the Support Intensity Scales, and am a co-author of the Adult and Children’s versions, as well as other SIS-related publications
• I have participated in AAIDD meetings and published in AAIDD journals and contributed to other service activities for over 15 years.

Activities/Awards:

I have had the privilege of doing research in the areas of self-determination and supports planning for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout my career.  The work of my research group has led to multiple publications in AAIDD and other journals in the fields as well as books and practitioner-oriented materials that align with the mission of AAIDD to promote progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.