The Community Education and Dissemination Council (CEDC) offers community service activities that include community education and technical assistance for or with individuals with developmental disabilities, their family members, professionals, paraprofessionals, students and volunteers is a prescribed core function of UCEDDs and an important task of LENDs. The CEDC was established to:
- Serve as a focus and forum for the identification and discussion of issues of community education and technical assistance
- Function as a representative voice of community education interests and concerns within the AUCD network
- Influence the development and implementation of national community education policies and initiatives
- Share resources and exemplary community education programs developed and used by UCEDDs and LENDs across the nation
In November, Dr. Meagan Orsag was elected to serve as Chair of the National CEDC for a 3-year term. She will be attending meetings throughout the year in Washington DC, New Orleans, and Atlanta. She will also be serving as a member of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD) Board, representing both the CEDC and AUCD.
Meagan Orsag (PhD, MEd, BS) is the Associate Director at the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University. She is Director for the “Aggie Disability Awareness” project, “Purposeful Life Family Training” series, “Whose Life it is Anyway? Person-Centered Practice” project, and the “Success for Today and Tomorrow: Accessing Disability Resources” Conference. She established the think tank group “Statewide Partners in Transition” where agency leaders, family groups, UCEDD staff, and school district professionals meet to discuss emerging issues related to transition and program development. Meagan also serves on community boards and steering communities related to community education, outreach, and support services.
She was previously the Program Coordinator for the Postsecondary Access and Training in Human Services (PATHS) program, a certification program for individuals with and without disabilities to become direct support professionals and childcare professionals. Meagan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a PhD in Special Education Administration. She has been published in peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Her research interests include: access, equity, leadership development, program evaluation, transition, and diversity on college campuses. Meagan is married to Darren Orsag and they have three daughters (Natalie, Neely, and Nola) with one on the way!