Ms. Ray-Leonetti is the Associate Director of Policy at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, Pennsylvania's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. She oversees the Institute’s self-direction and Family Leadership work.  Before joining the Institute, Ms. Ray-Leonetti spent the first 20 years of her professional career advocating for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. She has a BA in Humanities from York College of Pennsylvania and a JD from Temple University School of Law.

Ella is a staff attorney at Disability Rights Pennsylvania, who has worked on Assistive Technology issues and is currently working under a grant that focuses on providing outreach and legal services to people with disabilities who live in northwestern Pennsylvania. Ella received her B.A. from Duquesne University and her J.D. from William & Mary Law School. While in law school, she interned for two Protection and Advocacy organizations, Disability Rights Maryland and the disAbility Law Center of Virginia. She participated in William & Mary’s Veterans Benefits Clinic, and in William and Mary’s Parents Engaged for Learning Equality (PELE) Clinic, where she advocated on behalf of students with disabilities in the public education system.

Mike is a RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Professional and the 2017 ISTE Inclusive Learning Network Outstanding Educator. Mike is a nationally and internationally recognized presenter providing practical training to professionals interested in assistive and inclusive technology and the Director of the Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center. In addition, Mike is an adjunct professor at Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ) teaching Masters level educators in Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning and one of the co-authors of the book Inclusive Learning 365: Edtech Strategies for Every Day of the Year.

Session Title: Remote Supports: Key Considerations

Rebekah Taussig is a Kansas City writer who lives in a house full of half-finished art projects, loud music, and a fussy family of tenderhearted snugglers. She writes to understand, to reclaim, and to participate in changing the cultural narratives we have around disability, motherhood, and what it means to live in a human body. She believes storytelling can change the world. Literally.

She earned her PhD from the University of Kansas, runs the Instagram platform @sitting_pretty, and authored the bestselling memoir Sitting Pretty.

After almost a decade of teaching in the traditional classroom, she has pivoted to full time writing and speaking. You can find her writing regularly on her substack, This Too.

Session Title: Question & Answer (Technology for Access and Community Living strand)

For over twenty years, Ms. Tesler has been a passionate advocate and visionary who supports inclusion and meaningful lives for people with developmental disabilities. She is a graduate of Lafayette College, Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (C2P2) through Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities, The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities through the University of Delaware, and the Charting the LifeCourse Ambassador training through the University of Missouri – Kansas City Institute for Human Development. From 2005 to 2019, Ms. Tesler worked for Vision for Equality providing training and mentoring for family members and self-advocates, most recently as the director of the PA Family Network. Her work also included systems advocacy to end the waiting list for services and to promote public policy to support all people to live self-determined lives in their communities. Ms. Tesler began her tenure as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council in October 2019.

Session Title: Technology Solutions Specialists: Learning from the Experts

Session Title: Technology Solutions Specialists: Learning from the Experts

Matt Smith

Hey, I'm Matt Smith, a 34-year-old resident of Western PA with autism. I have worked for 8 years with Self Advocates United as 1, serving the disability community in Pennsylvania. My position includes peer-to-peer mentoring, encouragement of self-empowerment, and promotion of inclusive practices.  I enjoy volunteering in leadership roles in the community. Last year, I was honored to be asked to introduce keynote speakers at the Everyday Lives Conference and facilitated engagement among attendees with developmental disabilities. More recently, I was an active participant in the Statewide Advocates Influencing Leadership (SAIL) program, working with other stakeholders to impact disability friendly legislation. Currently, I serve on the Board of Directors with the Autism Society of Northeastern PA. Last month I was selected to be involved in the Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policy Making program at the Temple University Institute on Disabilities. I am always eager to learn new things, and I am really excited to have the opportunity to serve as a Technology Solutions Specialist.

Technology is a part of everybody's life, whether it be something as simple as a refrigerator or a pair of glasses. Technologies are critical for people with disabilities, as assistive tech can elevate a person's quality of life and can enable them to participate in things that they otherwise would have difficulties with. Technology can also be fun! I am grateful to get to spread the word about assistive technologies and increase accessibility.

Gretchen Laudenslager

I am Gretchen Laudenslager from Quakertown, PA which is in Bucks County. I have been employed as a Power Coach with Self Advocates United as 1 since 2016. I help develop and present various topics that are important to people with disabilities. I also work for IM4Q. We collect information from people with disabilities with a goal of making their lives better.

I use a lot of technology in my daily life but I know there is a lot more to learn. I'm excited to be a part of Technology Solutions and share what I've learned with other people with disabilities.

Quinn Crispell

My name is Quinn Crispell. I am a 21-year-old female who has Down syndrome. I am a junior professional studies major at Misericordia University. I am a member of the cross-country team and I made the Dean’s List and the Middle Atlantic Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Last year, I received the MAC Giant Steps award for competing in athletics while overcoming adversity.

My main interest in technology is to help with schoolwork. I use Kurzweil and Glean to help with reading. I use a Livescribe Echo 2 pen to help with notes.

Joseph Reisner

I am Joseph Reisner, a resident of Philadelphia. I am an autistic disability rights advocate with a passion for telling stories through the use of computers. This has come naturally throughout my life, and I started creating an animated web series titled "Josh & Kevin" when I was in high school. The series is still running and can be found on YouTube. In 2023, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Visual Arts from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I am planning episodes of the show that will focus on disability advocacy.

I am currently in a part-time graphic design internship for my career coach, Rich Davis, at Comfort Career Connections. In my internship, I enhanced the user interface on Rich’s website and helped him write two Canva slide decks. This experience helped me to explore myself, use my skills, and help tell a story of how invisibly disabled individuals can create a comfortable workplace for themselves.

I have learned that I enjoy being helpful, enthusiastic, innovative, and motivated to help society. I look forward to using my strengths and Technology Solutions Specialist skills to make today’s technology easier to use for disabled individuals throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

Bobby Evans

I'm Bobby Evans, and with the assistance of technology, I was able to defy the odds to achieve what many thought was impossible. I was diagnosed with significant disabilities when I was only four months old. Doctors once predicted I would never walk, talk, see, or have typical developmental milestones due to Cerebral Palsy caused at birth. Today, because of technology, I am not only speaking and walking, but I’ve also overcome every challenge that was assigned to me using technology, like my AAC device to turn challenges into opportunities.

Through the power of technology, I communicate effectively, work as an improv actor, and serve as an Ambassador for Best Buddies, an organization that fosters inclusion and empowerment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, I've have been a volunteer with the Red Cross for over two years, contributing to my community in meaningful ways. I could not have achieved everything that I have today without the power of technology.

My journey has been shaped by resilience, determination, and a passion for using technology to enhance lives and break down barriers. I'm excited to bring these experiences, along with my skills and perspective, to this new role.

Nae Vallejo (they/them)

Nae Vallejo, Project Director at Art-Reach, is disabled, neurodivergent, autistic, HOH and a service dog handler. They are dedicated to anti-oppression work, body, land and labor liberation, disability justice and thinking of ways to support themselves and their communities. Some of Nae's passions are community need assessment projects through the lens of community based participatory research and cross organizational collaboration. They are a community connector and a Title II ADA Coordinator. Nae's fiery passion for technology is a vast experience from accessibility and independence, to advocacy and self-expression, career opportunities and remote work, sensory friendly solutions to social connection and support and much more.

Andre Rhone

My name is Andre Rhone. I am a member of the Sun Collaborative, which advocates for the support of inclusivity for neurodivergent teens and adults in classrooms. I also volunteered for Special Olympics Basketball. I am also a member of PAARCC, which stands for Pittsburgh Adult Autism Research Community Collaborative. I am also an adult life scout in troop 7004 in Munhall. I am a Black individual with a diagnosis of autism and psychosis. I joined technology solutions because I mainly want to advocate for technology for all disabled individuals. My favorite part about this program is that I have a role in helping those in my community. I look at it as family helping out family. My belief is that I can relate on a more personal level because I live with a disability.

Christopher Moore

My name is Christopher Moore. I am a lead power coach and ambassador for Self Advocates United As 1. I have a diagnosis of autism and seizure disorder. With my work as a power coach I present and teach information on a variety of topics important to the disability community including using technology. As an ambassador I am a member of the communities of practice committee. I presented on a disability panel at the national LifeCourse Nexus conference where I shared my experience with advocating for myself and others. I served as a member of the information sharing and advisory committee.

Monique Chabot, OTD, OTR/L, SCEM is the Associate Director of Assistive Technology at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. An occupational therapist for over 15 years, she has spent her clinical and academic career specializing in geriatrics, home modifications, aging in place, assistive technology design, and smart technology. In addition to her occupational therapy training, she is in her final semester of her PhD in Architecture and Design Research where she is focusing on redesigning kitchens with the inclusion of smart technology to support older adult's cognition for aging in place.

Session Title: Access to Technology for Aging in Place

Diana is a seasoned Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) and Tech Integration Specialist with over 25 years of dedicated experience in Assistive Technology Integration & Service Provision across the lifespan in all environments, including the Workplace, Community, Residential & Independent Living, Education & Classroom (K-12, Higher Ed, Transition), and in the Home.

Throughout her career, Diana has held roles such as Executive Director, Senior Consultant, and Business Owner, leading technology integration initiatives across multiple sectors. She has also contributed her expertise as a member of various boards and industry committees.

Diana believes that Technology Supports Independence, Autonomy, Success, Engagement, Productivity, and Efficiency, and allows an individual of any age to address a barrier or challenge, while enabling them to accomplish goals and tasks. She is most enthusiastic about educating individuals and their support professionals about the free, built-in and low-cost assistive technology options and accessibility features that are widely available but often underutilized. Diana values both her own lived experience and the perspectives of the individuals and teams she has worked with, from children to adults, which continuously shape her expertise. Diana appreciates the process of lifelong learning and empowering others by sharing her knowledge and skills.

When disconnected from tech, Diana enjoys outdoor activities including kayaking, hiking, gardening, biking, boating, and most especially spending time with family.

Session Title: Fostering Independence and Safety Using Technology

Kara Yost, MS, OTR/L has been the Program Manager for Inglis Home Modifications for Independence Program for nearly three years. Prior to this she worked as a Regional Housing Coordinator for Self-Determination Housing of PA. And before coming to SDHP, she worked as an occupational therapist with a focus on home health and aging in place. She has a BA in Urban Studies and History of Art and Architecture from the University of Pittsburgh and an MS in Occupational Therapy from Philadelphia University.

Session Title: Smart Home and Home Modifications: A Team Approach

Lynn Stewart-Krieger, E.C.H.M, C.E.A.C.,C.A.P.S., is the Environmental Accessibility Specialist at Inglis. She provides her expertise to both Inglis Home Modifications for Independence Program as well as Inglis Housing Corporation, providing accessibility assessments and consultation for both individual homes as well as large housing complexes. Prior to working for Inglis, she was the Director of Home Modifications and Access at the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania. She studied at Pennsylvania State University.

Session Title: Smart Home and Home Modifications: A Team Approach

Patrick DeMico is Executive Director of The Provider Alliance (TPA), a Pennsylvania association dedicated exclusively to supporting community services for individuals & families with intellectual disability and autism (ID/A). DeMico has worked in the ID/A field for over 40 years, beginning his service as a Direct Support Professional in 1982. He has held leadership positions in the provider community, consulted for human services organizations on financial management and strategy, and represented the ID/A community in its advocacy and policy development. He has served The Provider Alliance and its membership in his current role since 2017. DeMico completed his undergraduate studies at Duquesne University, subsequently earned his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and is currently enrolled at the Duquesne University Kline School of Law.

Session Title: Leveling Up: The Pennsylvania Technology Accelerator

Shea Tanis, PhD, is currently an Associate Research Professor at the Kansas University Center on Disabilities, Life Span Institute, University of Kansas. She has published articles and investigated the definition of intellectual disability, the measurement of adaptive behavior and support need, the construct of self-determination, federally funded supports and services for people with IDD and their families, and self-directed employment strategies. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in applied technology solutions, Technology First Systems Change, cognitive accessibility, and advancing the rights of people with cognitive disabilities to technology and information access.

She also serves as PI for the State of the States in Developmental Disabilities Longitudinal Data Project of National Significance funded by the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For over 40 years, the project has investigated determinants of public spending for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services and Supports in the United States. Dr. Tanis has been a co-author on The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Monograph since 2011. She is the sibling of a man with a traumatic brain injury and is past chair of the National Sibling Leadership Network and co-founder of the Colorado Sibling Leadership Network Chapter. She received her PhD from the University of Kansas, Department of Special Education and BA from Brown University in Psychology.

Session Title: Leveling Up: The Pennsylvania Technology Accelerator

Kaley Day brings her passion to improve quality of life and access for people with disabilities in her current role as a Grant Projects Coordinator for the State of the States in Developmental Disabilities Longitudinal Data Project of National Significance (Kansas University Center on Disabilities, Life Span Institute, University of Kansas). Kaley graduated from the University of Denver with her bachelor’s degree in strategic communications in 2012. She spent 13 years with AdvocacyDenver, the Denver county chapter of the Arc, serving as Coordinator for Communications and Grant Development and Advocate for Adults assisting clients and families in navigating life, home- and community-based services, and the legal system in Denver. Kaley has a sibling with developmental disabilities and complex medical needs, and is a founding member of Rocky Mountain Sibs, the Colorado chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network.

Session Title: Leveling Up: The Pennsylvania Technology Accelerator

Will Hall joined PATF as their CEO in August 2024. Prior to joining PATF, Will was the Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programs at the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity. Will had been with the City since 2017 and has had many roles overseeing Economic Mobility programs and initiatives. Will also spent a number of years as the Senior Housing Program Manager at Clarifi and as a consumer litigation attorney. Will is an adjunct professor of business law and public policy at Drexel University. Will graduated from Temple University with a JD/MBA. Will lives in the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia with his wife, Jen, and their dog, Didi.

Session Title: Funding your Assistive Technology

Don Shirley is a seasoned leader dedicated to advancing inclusion and accessibility in human services and healthcare technology. As President of SafeinHome since 2017, he has spearheaded initiatives to support the independence and self-determination of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Under his leadership, SafeinHome has delivered over 5 million user hours and served more than 2,000 individuals, ensuring they live safely and independently while delivering peace of mind and dignity to the community it serves.

Session Title: Thousands of People, Millions of Hours of Consistent, Person-Centered Support

Jeff Ruffing is the Assistive Technology Development Specialist at Inglis Community Services. He has a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology. His background is in engineering and his current focus is on providing assistive technology services to individuals with disabilities and older adults in a community-based setting. His areas of focus are smartphone and tablet accessibility, smart home technology, and adaptive gaming.

Session Title: Tips for a Successful Smart Home Technology Installation

Gina Novario, OTD, OTR/L is the current Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training Fellow in the Rehabilitation Science and Technology Department at the University of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2021 with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Her research interests include the utilization of smart home technology as assistive technology (AT) solutions to promote independence for persons with disabilities, as well as AT provisions within and Medicaid Home and Community Based Service waivers.

Session Title: Tips for a Successful Smart Home Technology Installation

Jack Fried is a clinical and research engineer with a dual appointment at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology as well as the UPMC Center for Assistive Technology. At the clinic, he assesses clients, recommends technology, and provides training with a focus on computer access. His research is part of Pitt’s Healthy Home Laboratory to understand the usability and effectiveness of commercial smart home technology to help users age in place. He has previously researched wheelchair caster design improvement using community data and standard protocols. Jack is an adjunct professor at the university and teaches Fundamentals of Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology Applications.

Session Title: Tips for a Successful Smart Home Technology Installation

State Rep. Jessica Benham took office on a platform of fighting for the interests of residents in the 36th Legislative District and solving the critical problems that her constituents face: lack of access to quality health care and to economic opportunity, poor air and water quality, and failing infrastructure. Benham’s background is in advocacy for health care, education and worker’s rights, with experience advocating for legislation on the federal, state and local levels.

Prior to holding public office, Benham was Director of Development for the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy (PCAA), a grassroots self-advocacy project run by Autistic people for Autistic people. She co-founded PCAA after moving back to college, and it remains the only LGBTQ Autistic-led advocacy organization in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

Through her work with PCAA, Benham has worked to ensure that individuals with disabilities are treated fairly in the legislative process. She has provided feedback and consultation for legislation including the Autism CARES Act on the federal level and health care efforts at the state level. She advocated strongly for Paul's Law, which states that an individual can’t be deemed ineligible for an organ transplant simply because of a disability and was signed into law in Pennsylvania in 2018.

However, her advocacy efforts are not limited to health care. Benham also has experience fighting for workers' rights, notably during her time as a graduate worker at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was involved in efforts to organize a union of graduate student workers through the United Steelworkers.

Benham has B.A. degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies from Bethel University, an M.A. in Communication from Minnesota State University, and an M.A. in Bioethics from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently resides in the Southside Slopes with her cat, Ravi.

Session Title: Technology First: Policy, Practice, and Innovation

Shea Tanis, PhD, is currently an Associate Research Professor at the Kansas University Center on Disabilities, Life Span Institute, University of Kansas. She has published articles and investigated the definition of intellectual disability, the measurement of adaptive behavior and support need, the construct of self-determination, federally funded supports and services for people with IDD and their families, and self-directed employment strategies. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in applied technology solutions, Technology First Systems Change, cognitive accessibility, and advancing the rights of people with cognitive disabilities to technology and information access.

She also serves as PI for the State of the States in Developmental Disabilities Longitudinal Data Project of National Significance funded by the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For over 40 years, the project has investigated determinants of public spending for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services and Supports in the United States. Dr. Tanis has been a co-author on The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Monograph since 2011. She is the sibling of a man with a traumatic brain injury and is past chair of the National Sibling Leadership Network and co-founder of the Colorado Sibling Leadership Network Chapter. She received her PhD from the University of Kansas, Department of Special Education and BA from Brown University in Psychology.

Session Title: Technology First: Policy, Practice, and Innovation

Kaley Day brings her passion to improve quality of life and access for people with disabilities in her current role as a Grant Projects Coordinator for the State of the States in Developmental Disabilities Longitudinal Data Project of National Significance (Kansas University Center on Disabilities, Life Span Institute, University of Kansas). Kaley graduated from the University of Denver with her bachelor’s degree in strategic communications in 2012. She spent 13 years with AdvocacyDenver, the Denver county chapter of the Arc, serving as Coordinator for Communications and Grant Development and Advocate for Adults assisting clients and families in navigating life, home- and community-based services, and the legal system in Denver. Kaley has a sibling with developmental disabilities and complex medical needs, and is a founding member of Rocky Mountain Sibs, the Colorado chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network.

Session Title: Technology First: Policy, Practice, and Innovation

Suzanne Erb has dedicated her career to self-advocacy and inclusion, becoming the first totally blind student at her local public high school in 1971. With a Master's in Counseling Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, she has over 30 years of experience in direct service, case management supervision, and training in the disabilities field. As an Accessibility Consultant, she advises public and private entities on creating welcoming, accessible spaces and provides disability etiquette training for various organizations. She has also served on multiple boards and commissions, including Disability Rights Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities, while also being an accomplished musician in her spare time.

DJ Stemmler worked in healthcare for over 35 years as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and later as a Program Manager at a Center for Independent Living, advocating for disability rights. Passionate about assistive technology, she spent 13 years at UPMC’s Center for Assistive Technology and volunteered with the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation. Her career also included roles at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the University of Pittsburgh's HIV Prevention and Care Center, where she fostered connections between disability and other advocacy communities. A lifelong advocate for deinstitutionalization, she adopted Sergei, a disabled child from Russia, who remains her greatest inspiration.

Teri Owens is an AAC user who utilizes technology to email, text, and communicate with others. She is a participant at CLASS' Day Program and has engaged in many public speaking events throughout the Pittsburgh area. Teri Owens has Cerebral Palsy and is a disability rights activist.