Experience

Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities

• United States
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Manager-Living Well

  • Jan 2020 - Present

• Co-Leader-Partners In Policymaking

  • Oct 2019 - Present



Disability Rights Wisconsin

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Lead Advocacy Specialist

  • Feb 2009 - Jan 2020

  Public Policy Responsibilities and Experience:• Member of DRW Public Policy Committee; Registered Lobbyist since 2015.• Work with State legislators on education policy issues when legislation is being proposed or changed.• Coordinator of statewide report on Seclusion and Restraint Data in Wisconsin Public Schools; leader of legislative strategy to update Act 125.• Assist in state and federal education policy work by tracking, reviewing legislation and preparing policy analysis.• Developed personal relationships with state legislators including members of the Joint Finance Committee.• Prepare testimony and testify at legislative and department hearings.• Assist in preparing the policy and legislative agenda for Disability Rights Wisconsin.• Participate on the Survival Coalition Education subcommittee.• Serve on the Wisconsin Council in Special Education.• Provide state budget training across the state with partner agency BPDD to educate communities.Lead Advocate Experience:• Provide direct advocacy for students and families with school districts in Southeastern Wisconsin Counties.• Perform outreach and training activities to parents, school districts, and community on special education.• Create training materials for presentations to parents, school districts, and community.• Prepare state procedural complaints, mediation requests and due process filings to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for clients.• Assist parents at IEP meeting, mediation and due process hearings.• Partner with other advocacy groups who work on behalf of students with disabilities including BPDD, WI Family Ties, Alianza, and WI FACETS.• Train new advocates on special education laws and provide day to day supervision on case issues. • Member of several statewide stakeholder groups on issues related to education.• Grant coordinator for transition grant for three consecutive grant periods.• Collaborate on grant proposals for increasing funding for DRW.



Maximus- Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare

• SSI Supervisor

  • Aug 2004 - Feb 2009

  • Investigated potential cases and determined disabling condition based on Social Security Administration criteria. • Collaborated with off-site case managers to identify children in the foster care system who may be eligible for SSI.• Prepared files to support filing SSI applications with Social Security and subsequent follow up of potential cases. • Ongoing management of children on SSI with Social Security Administration, trust department, and case managers. • Involved in set up of new policies and procedures manual and developed training manual for SSI Advocacy Unit.• Created informational/marketing materials for partner agency education on SSI.• Created multiple record keeping forms as part of new policies and procedures for SSI Advocacy Unit.• Hired and trained new advocates for SSI Unit.• Supervised 4-5 advocates.• Developed SSI Advocacy project to be taken Statewide.