Disability Studies and Action Collaborative

Disability Culture, Scholarship, and Community

People – Institute for Critical Disability Studies

People – Institute for Critical Disability Studies

Institute for Critical Disability Studies Co-Directors

The ICDS is currently headed by two half-time co-directors. Andrew (English), and GIM (College of Science and Engineering) are faculty at WWU. You can contact them at ICDS@wwu.edu.

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Kristen Chmielewski

she/her

Faculty, Recreation Management & Leadership
Teaches: DISA 330

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GIM (G McGrew)

he/they

Senior Instructor, College of Science & Engineering

Teaches: DISA 350

Find office hours for Co-directors, Graduate Assistants, and Faculty teaching DISA courses here

Affiliated Members

The diverse faculty, staff, students, and community members who contribute to the critical disability studies program represent colleges and departments across Western Washington University as well as collaborators outside of Western.

WWU Faculty and Staff

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Elizabeth Boland

Professor, Health and Community Studies

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Kathleen Brian

Senior Instructor, Global Humanities and Religions
Teaches: DISA 450, the Capstone in Critical Disability Studies

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Kat DeNicola

she/her

Access Manager, Disability Access Center

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Yasmine Elglaly

Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Teaches: Critical Disability Studies Minor elective: Accessible Computing

Yasmine’s webpage

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David Engebretson

he/him

Digital Technologies Accessibility Coordinator

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Kyann Flint

Instructor, Critical Disability Studies
Teaches: DISA 330, DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies

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Lindsay Foreman-Murray

Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Inclusive Teaching
Teaches: Cross-listed DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies

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Allison Giffen

she/her

Faculty, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Teaches: Electives for Critical Disability Studies Minor

Allison’s webpage

I am a professor in the English department and specialize in 19th-century American literature and culture with an emphasis in disability studies and critical childhood studies. My current research in explores the intersections of race, disability, and childhood in late 19th-century literature.
Note: Allison was our Interim Co-director in Spring 2023

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Tim Kowalczyk

he/him

Chemistry & Energy Studies

Tim.Kowalczyk@wwu.edu
Tim’s webpage

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Pam Kuntz

she/her

Dance Program Advisor / Senior Instructor
Teaches: DISA 350, a core Topics course in the Critical Disability Studies Minor

pam.kuntz@wwu.edu
Pam’s webpage: kuntzandco.org

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Ceci Lopez

Assistant Professor of Law, Fairhaven
Teaches: Cross-listed DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies: Disability & Law

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Andrew Lucchesi

he/they

Associate Professor, English

Teaches: DISA 330, DISA 350, DISA 450

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Scot Nichols

Fairhaven College

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Joseph Mogharreban

he/him

Director, Disability Access Center

mogharj@wwu.edu

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Tara Perry

she/her

Professor, Department of Communication Studies, faculty affiliate to Institute for Critical Disability Studies and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies

perryt@wwu.edu

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Candice Styer

Instructor of Special Education, Woodring

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Anika Tilland-Stafford, PhD 

they/them

Senior Instructor, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies & Honors College
Teaches: DISA 330, Critical Disability Studies

Office: Miller Hall 415D

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Adrian J. Villicana

Assistant Professor, Social Psychology, Fairhaven

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Daman Wandke

Instructor, Educational Leadership and Inclusive Teaching
Teaches: DISA 330 Critical Disability Studies and DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies; Electives for the CDS Minor; DISA 201 Stories of Disability in the World

Contact: wandked@wwu.edu

Collaborators and Community Members

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Pau Abustan

||All Pronouns||

Formerly Visiting Assistant Professor, Women Gender, and Sexuality Studies

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Sean Bruna

he/him

Sean’s webpage

Graduate Teaching Assistants

Graduate TAs assist the operations of the Institute in many invaluable ways, including event logistics and planning, course and curriculum feedback, office hours, and student mentorship and leadership organizing.

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Fred Engelfried

Graduate Student, Environmental Studies / Urban Planning

ICDS GTA Fall 2024 – Spring 2026

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Kat Smith

Graduate Student

ICDS GTA Fall 2025 – Spring 2026

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Pheonix Booth

Graduate Student

ICDS GTA Fall 2025 – Spring 2026

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Sam Carvalho

Graduate Student

ICDS GTA Fall 2025 – Winter 2026

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Maggie Minogue

Graduate Student

ICDS GTA Fall 2025

Our Previous ICDS Graduate Assistants

The ICDS is grateful for the work that our Graduate Assistants have done to help the Institute meet our growing and changing needs, from helping to plan and manage events, to TAing course in our Minor. We would like to acknowledge them here:

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Sarah Lucas-Page

she/her
Graduate Student, Music and Performing Arts
ICDS GTA Fall 2024 – Spring 2025

Sarah Lucas-Page is an award-winning composer and clarinetist who has dedicated her life to the art of music and activism… [read more]

Sarah Lucas-Page is an award-winning composer and clarinetist who has dedicated her life to the art of music and activism by continually pushing the boundaries of her creative expression. She has been creating and performing new clarinet music to help fight injustice and bring awareness to issues within the LGBTQIA+ community, Fat Body Politics, Women, and Neurodivergent people. Lucas-Page is pursuing her master’s degree in music composition at Western Washington University, studying with Dr. Charles Halka, Dr. Robert Hamilton, and Dr. Rachel Yoder. She is a Graduate Assistant for the Institute for Critical Disability Studies department and the music department.

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Lorraine Floyd

Graduate Student, Rehabilitation Counseling

ICDS GTA Fall 2023 – Fall 2024

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Eden Chapman

Graduate Student, Masters in Teaching
ICDS GTA Fall 2023 – Summer 2024

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Spike Osadchuk

Graduate Student, Anthropology
ICDS GTA Fall 2022 – Winter 2024

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Hidemi Mitani Shen

she/her

Graduate Student, Computer Science
ICDS GTA Fall 2022 – Spring 2023

Find office hours for Co-directors, Graduate Assistants, and Faculty teaching DISA courses here

ICDS Committees

For questions about joining Institute for Critical Disability Studies standing committees, ad-hoc committees, and task forces, please email icds@wwu.edu.

Standing Committees

  • Curriculum Committee*
    • DISA coursework approvals and interdisciplinary minor in critical disability studies
  • Programming (Events) Committee*
    • ICDS and community events, workshops, lectures, and other projects
  • Development Committee*
    • grants and fundraising
  • Outreach Committee*
    • publicity & collaborative relationship-building
  • Scholarships & Awards Committee*
    • ICDS scholarships and Scholars Week student recognitions

Advisory Councils

  • Student Advisory Council*
    • a student-organized body of undergraduate and graduate students providing recommendations to the ICDS
    • Leadership positions are compensated: learn more at student employment
  • ICDS Advisory Council* (formerly Interim Advisory Council)
    • an advisory council to the ICDS co-directors consisting of internal and external members

General Membership & Community

Ad-Hoc Committees and Task Forces

  • DS Minor Task Force
    • Objective: Complete submission of disability studies minor paperwork and propose additional core classes for the minor
    • COMPLETED!
  • ICDS ADEI Statement Task Force*
    • Objective: Collaboratively finish the Institute’s statement on accessibility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

* = this committee is looking for additional members

Add or update my ICDS affiliation information