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Accessibility in Aggieland

Presenter Biographies

Dr. Kristie Orr (Disability Resources)
Dr. Meagan Orsag (Center on Disability and Development)

Dr. Meagan OrsagDr. Orsag has been the Associate Director of the Center on Disability and Development since 2015. While serving in this position, Dr. Orsag has encouraged and exemplified the virtue of good citizenship. Dr. Orsag has accomplished this through her leadership roles in the development and sustainability of several projects and focus areas, which include: (1) Trained over 600 faculty and staff at Texas A&M through the work of Aggie Disability Awareness, Educating Every Aggie, and UTIlize; (2) Provided access for youth to nationally certified person-centered trainers and curricula for youth with disabilities; (3) development and leadership on local and statewide conference committees such as Able Active Adaptive Conference and Success for Today and Tomorrow Conference; (4) leadership on grant-funded projects Capacity Building and PCEP, which focused on the transition of youth with disabilities from school to work or postsecondary; (5) development and leadership of the parent workshops and support groups Purposeful Life serving over 150 family members yearly and (6) support of graduate students who have an interest in disability research through Diversity Leadership Fellows. She supports and maintains positive relationships with over 50 projects at the Center and out in the community.

Andrew Barna Jr. (Division of Human Resources and Organizational Development)
Tracy Glass (PATHS Program)

Tracy GlassTracy Glass has been the PATHS Program Director and Coordinator since 2017. Tracy is responsible for the development, execution, improvement, promotion, and expansion of the PATHS Program. Tracy enjoys partnering with students to create a personalized plan that fits each student’s educational, employment, and independent living goals.

Dr. Cheryl Grenwelge (HOPS and WACO)
Dr. Xuan (Jade) Wu, AIFD, CFD, EMC (Program Manager, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension)

Jade Wu photoDr. Xuan (Jade) Wu received both MS and Ph.D. degrees in horticulture from Texas A&M University, where she taught various horticulture courses for six years. Even since she was a little child, her favorite thing to do has always been visiting botanical gardens. The improved well-being that flowers and plants bring to humans has always been fascinating to her and guided her throughout her life to pursue education and a career that lightens up and makes a difference in peoples’ lives with flowers and plants.

With a great passion for plants, Dr. Xuan (Jade) Wu collaborated with faculty from various departments and conducted research in all components of horticulture—science, art, business, technology and education. Part of her dissertation work focused on horticulture education, which provides a touchstone of information that will enrich and enhance the educational opportunities for anyone interested in entering this profession. Jade is also an internationally recognized floral designer. She’s an accredited member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), which holds the highest standards for floral design and floral designers in the US. Other internationally recognized credentials she holds include AIFD Certified Floral Judge/Evaluator, Certified Floral Designer, and European Master Certification.

Luis Castillo (Practicum Coordinator for HOPS)

Luis Castillo photoMy name is Luis Castillo, and I am the Practicum Coordinator for HOPS.  For the past ten years, I was the Transition Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for TWS/VR.  I am a graduate of Texas A&M, with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of North Texas.  I was born and raised in Bryan, Texas and am a proud father of 2 sons, Dylan (d-i-l Chelsey), Joshua Castillo and husband to Elizabeth (Elllie) Gándara-Castillo.  Our hobbies include traveling, spending time with family and tending to our plants and trees.

Dr. Olivia Hester (Aggie ACHIEVE)
Dr. Carly Gilson (Aggie ACHIEVE)
Dr. Laura Stough (Faculty, EPSY, Center on Disability and Development)

Dr. Laura StoughDr. Laura Stough is Assistant Director at the Center on Disability and Development, Professor of Educational Psychology, and Faculty Fellow at the Hazards Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University. Dr. Stough investigates how environmental hazards affect individuals with disabilities and other historically marginalized populations. She is currently conducting research projects on Hurricane Harvey, the 2017 California Wildfires, and the effects of COVID-19 on individuals with disabilities. Together with her students, Dr. Stough developed the REDDy Directory and the Mobile Tips for First Responders, applications for locating disability-related information and resources. She is co-author with Ilan Kelman of Disaster and Disability: Explorations and Exchanges, which includes 19 chapters written by individuals with disabilities from around the world on their experiences with disasters and emergencies. Dr. Stough is Chair of the Special Interest Group on Emergency Preparedness for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and former Chair of the Disability Task Force for the Division on Emergency Management for the State of Texas. She served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica.

Margaret (Peggy) Zapalac (Office of Risk, Ethics, and Compliance)

Peggy Zapalac is the University’s ADA Coordinator among other responsibilities in the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance (OREC) related to compliance, risk assessment and management, and regulatory reporting.

Ms. Zapalac has been with Texas A&M University for over 25 years and began her career at the University in the Internal Audit Department.  She then worked several years as a Management Advisor in the University’s Management Advisory Services Office performing projects related to business process improvement; organizational structures; effectiveness and efficiency; compliance; internal controls; and best practices.  In OREC, along with ADA compliance, she has overseen the implementation of the University’s enterprise risk management program and continues to work with the University’s compliance committee, compliance projects, Title IX, Clery, audits, rules/SAPS, etc.

Prior to working at Texas A&M University, Peggy worked in public accounting and was an Audit Manager with KPMG in both the Houston and Denver offices.  She is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and holds a CRMA (Certification in Risk Management Assurance) from the Institute of Internal Auditors and a CCEP (Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional) from the Society of Corporate Compliance.

Julie Kuder (Office of Risk, Ethics, and Compliance)

Julie Kuder photoJulie Kuder is the Deputy ADA Coordinator at Texas A&M.  This is amongst other responsibilities that include rule and SAP administration and other compliance work.  She has been with the Office of Risk, Ethics and Compliance 17 years.  In her prior life, she worked for the County Attorney and the City of College Station municipal court. 

 

She is the proud mother of two wonderful girls, one of which is going to TAMU and the other is a senior in High school.