2019 ADA Coordinator Training (Charlotte-Concord, NC)

Melissa Anderson

Prior to starting her own consulting business, Melissa worked at the US Access Board, serving as their Transportation Engineer, developing accessibility guidelines and assisting Federal, State and Local Agencies in meeting their obligations to provide accessible facilities for people who have disabilities. Her work involved refining the proposed Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines, updating the Transportation Vehicle Accessibility Guidelines and leading the Rail Vehicles Access Advisory Committee. Melissa also continues to participate as a subject matter expert on several research panels and remains a member of two committees for the Transportation Research Board. Prior to her work for the Access Board, she was employed for 10 years with the Missouri Department of Transportation, where she was involved in traffic and safety data collection and analysis, research, standards development, and professional services procurement. Melissa became the statewide non-motorized transportation engineer, where she was responsible for developing pedestrian and bicycle policy, training staff and local agencies, and reviewing plans for accessibility.

Troy Balthazor

Troy Balthazor, M.Ed., ACTCP, and Founder of TPB Enterprises, has worked in the disability field for over 25 years. He has spent much of his career advocating for the utilization of Universal Design in the built environment and in the classroom, his primary goal being the inclusion of all members of our diverse communities in the activities and environments everyone enjoys. Troy served as an Americans with Disabilities Act Specialist for the Great Plains ADA Center for over 10 years. The ADA Center is part of the University of Missouri's Architecture Department in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. Troy provides training, education and technical assistance on the ADA and related civil rights legislation to businesses, public entities, people with disabilities and their families, and a variety of other audiences. He helped plan and host the National ADA Symposium annually, providing the most comprehensive training available in the United States on the rights and responsibilities set forth under landmark civil rights laws aimed at providing equal opportunity to all citizens, regardless of ability level.

Bill Botten

Bill Botten, an Exercise Physiology graduate from the University of Kansas, joined the US Access Board in May of 2000. Bill specializes in accessibility issues related to recreation facilities and outdoor developed areas including boating and fishing facilities, trails, picnic and camping facilities, sports facilities and play areas. His training experience includes hundreds of presentations over the last 30 years to local, state, and national audiences on injury prevention, disability awareness and sensitivity, and accessibility issues. He was part of a team that developed the new combined guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act as well as serving on several ASTM committees for inclusive fitness equipment and play area surfaces.

Julie Brinkhoff

Julie Brinkhoff serves as co-director of the Great Plains ADA Center, one of ten regional centers that make up the ADA National Network. She oversees the development and delivery of the Center's core services: technical assistance, training, and information services. Julie has designed and developed numerous materials and trainings on ADA topics related to employment, Title II and III implementation, accessible information technology and service animals. She has worked with a number of state agencies and local governments to develop training programs and policies to better implement the ADA. Julie received her Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Student Services in 1985 from the University of Missouri.

Jana Burke

Dr. Jana L. Burke is the president and founder of Mariposa Professional Services, a consulting firm specializing in ADA compliance strategies for organizations with rights and responsibilities under the law. Dr. Burke is a researcher, trainer and consultant who specializes in the ADA employment provisions and workplace strategies for ADA compliance. (insert space) Prior to starting her own firm, she was the project director and principle investigator for the Rocky Mountain ADA Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research. She has conducted more than 300 ADA-related training sessions for employers, businesses, professional organizations, attorneys, state and local government entities, disability organizations, and people with disabilities. (Insert Space)Dr. Burke received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Organization & Management from Capella University, a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University, and is a graduate of The Colorado College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Mike Edwards

Mike has been with the Great Plains ADA Center since 2001 where he serves as Missouri Coordinator. In 2010, Mike developed the ADA Coordinators Training Certification Program (ACTCP) in conjunction with the University of Missouri College of Human and Environmental Sciences. He coordinates all ACTCP activities. Mike has extensive experience in conducting access surveys, training on all areas of the ADA as well as providing technical assistance and consultation to individuals, businesses and communities.

Cheri Hoffmann

Cheri began her career in 1976 working with the Federal Government as a training coordinator. During her 16 years with the Federal Government, she worked with the Staff Judge Advocates Office as a paralegal and at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as a paralegal assistant. Her areas of experience include: legal, technical writing, training, contracting, procurement, and architecture engineering /design. Throughout her career, Cheri has been involved in volunteering, fundraising or assisting with researching laws for people with disabilities. In 2000, Cheri began actively working with the Independent Living Movement as the Advocacy/Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Independent Living (CIL) Disability Resource Center. She started several programs and services as well as coordinated training and awareness events such as the Parking Accessibility Resource Committee (PARC), CIL Advocacy Council, Gulf Coast Regional Demonstration Center – Assistive Technology Program and the University of West Florida Accessibility Committee. Cheri began her career with the Southeast ADA Center as a part-time ADA Technical Assistant and later moved into a full time training manager position in 2003. Additionally, she is a recognized voice for ADA technical assistance and training for the Southeast ADA Center for eight states for businesses, state and local government and people with disabilities for her knowledge with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal laws. Cheri currently has her ADA Coordinator certification from the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program through the University of Missouri- College of Human and Environmental Sciences, School of Architectural Studies and the Great Plains ADA Center as well as the University of Alabama Birmingham, ADA Coordinator Program.

Jack Humburg

Jack Humburg is the Executive Vice President of Housing, Development, and Americans with Disabilities Act Services for Boley Centers, Inc. For the past twenty six years, Mr. Humburg has served as the Florida Affiliate for the Southeast ADA Center, a program of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research under the U. S. Administration for Community Living. In addition to his ADA responsibilities, Mr. Humburg is responsible for the development of affordable housing at Boley Centers. Currently, Boley Centers owns and operates over 650 units of affordable housing and administers over 390 Housing Choice Vouchers for individuals with disabilities in Pinellas County.

Robbie Kopp

Robbie is Able South Carolina’s Director of Advocacy & Community Access. He puts his ADA Coordinator Certification to work through consulting businesses and municipalities to increase their accessibility and commitment to inclusion. He also furthers disability rights by connecting constituents with disabilities with their representation and magnifying the disability voice through Advocacy Day for Access & Independence.

Robbie coordinates the Community Leadership Academy that trains people with disabilities on how to serve on Boards, Committees, and Commissions in the community. From time to time, severe weather or disasters threaten South Carolina, and Robbie works with community partners and other organizations to makes sure the people with disabilities have access to evacuation service, shelters, and assistive technology and he pushes inclusive policies when the weather is clear. His amazing wife and his dog Maggie cheer him on every day.

Julia Sain

Julia Sain has worked at Disability Rights & Resources since 1984 and has been the Executive Director since 1997. In the early 90’s, Julia was one of 25 North Carolinians chosen by the US Department of Justice to receive direct training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Since then she has provided training locally, statewide and nationally on the five titles of the ADA, the ADA Accessibility Guidelines, and the ADA Amendments Act as well as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Fair Housing Act Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Air Carriers Access Act. She was the first person from North Carolina to be certified as an ADA Coordinator through the University of Missouri and her ADA training sessions are approved for CEUs for participants in the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP). Julia has been a professional audio describer for museums and live theater since 2002 (the first show she described was Lord of the Dance) and has trained over 25 individuals to also become describers.

Marsha Schwanke

Marsha Schwanke has been designing, developing, programming, testing and managing content-rich, database-driven web applications and distance education / online training projects since 2000 for the Southeast ADA Center, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University. Her focus is maximizing usability and accessibility based on "best practices" research and established guidelines, such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Section 508 Standards. Ms. Schwanke has a Bachelors Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Ohio University (1993) and a Masters Degree in Information Technology from American Intercontinental University (2000). She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and has over 30 years experience as a manager, practitioner, and volunteer working with children and adults with disabilities in hospital, long-term care, and community settings. She has authored and facilitated over 100 presentations and trainings on disability awareness, web accessibility, and assistive technology.

Bryon Scott

Bryon R Scott, ADAC has spent 23 years as construction project manager in the retail environment and was the ADA point on construction issues. Completed the ADA Coordinator Training Certificate Program in August of 2015. Bryon is currently working as a Project Manager at EMG Corporation performing Accessibility Assessments for both Title II and Title III clients.

Dori Tempio

Dori Tempio is the Director of Community Outreach & Consumer Rights at Able SC. Her passion for helping consumers with disabilities understand their rights, promoting independent living for all, and making connections leads her and her service dog sidekick Shack on exciting journeys. Each year, Dori trains hundreds of individuals all over the state, including people with disabilities, community businesses, organizations, service providers, and federal as well as state agencies. Her networking allows her to gather resources, materials, and information, enhancing her oversight of Able SC’s Information and Referral Services.

Dori also serves on the SC Disabilities Voting Coalition, SC Emergency Planning Committee for People with Functional Needs, and the Person-Centered Planning Workgroup. Dori implements Community Leadership Academy to empower individuals with disabilities to become leaders in their communities by serving on boards, committees, and commissions. In 2017, she served as a Faculty Member of the Georgetown University Leadership Academy in Networks Supporting Leadership and Increasing Cultural Diversity for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and she has been instrumental in the development and implementation of several national pilot curricula for individuals with disabilities.

Kimberly Tissot

Kimberly Tissot proudly serves as the Executive Director of Able SC where she guides the staff in applying the philosophy of independent living to real situations. Kimberly believes in the value of individualized and community-based empowerment as she wants people to recognize their full potential. Under Kimberly’s leadership, Able SC has experienced years of growth, success and has become a nationally recognized Center for Independent Living. Kimberly’s road to disability rights began at an early age, after having her leg amputated from a rare childhood cancer, Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Kimberly began deciding her style of mobility, becoming the first soccer player with a disability in her town, and speaking up anytime she was treated differently. Kimberly has over 20 years of experience advocating for disability inclusion on a local, state and federal level, and also internationally! Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in human development from Boston University, Wheelock College of Education and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. In 2017, Kimberly led the efforts in the passing of progressive legislation in South Carolina, “Persons with Disabilities Right to Parent Act” and in 2018, the SC Employment First Initiative Study Committee. Kimberly mentors other Centers for Independent Living across the nation due to her marked success in the field. She also serves as an Executive Director mentor to other South Carolina nonprofit organizations via the state’s nonprofit association. In addition to Kimberly’s role at Able SC, she has successfully held multiple state-appointed responsibilities, serves on the board of directors of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living’s; co-chairs the National Council on Independent Living’s (NCIL) ADA and Civil Rights Committee, as well as co-chairs the NCIL Parenting Rights Task Force. Her special interests include parenting with a disability, developing new disability rights leaders, legislative disability rights advocacy, and advancing disability employment and awareness. When Kimberly isn’t at Able SC, she is making precious memories with her husband and son!

Barry Whaley

Barry Whaley is the Director of the Southeast ADA Center, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University School of Law. Previously, he was a research project director at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute working with the Supported Higher Education Project, the ADA Employment Consulting Project and the Kentucky Post School Outcome Center. He has also worked as a Consultant for Atlas Research providing technical assistance and training for staff working with the Homeless Veterans Supported Employment Project. For many years, he was the Executive Director of Community Employment, Inc. a supported employment provider. Beforehand, he worked for the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and began his career with the “New Neighbors” deinstitutionalization project. He is a founding board member and past president of Kentucky APSE.

Barry holds two Bachelor of Arts Degrees from Indiana University and a Master of Science in Mediation, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from Sullivan University.

Christine Woodell

Ms. Christine Woodell has been an advocate for people with disabilities all of her life. She is an ADA consultant at ADA Services, Inc. Ms. Woodell has provided extensive consultation and training to state and local government entities across Mississippi and throughout the Southeast. She has trained a cadre of AmeriCorps workers to conduct accessibility surveys in towns throughout Mississippi. She is currently working diligently with federal and local officials to prevent a repeat of the Katrina disaster in which so many people with disabilities were killed and injured. Currently, she is both a reservist and a contractor with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Ms. Woodell serves as an ADA telephone technical assistance specialist for the Southeast ADA Center and does extensive training as well. She has received extensive training from HUD, EEOC, the United States Department of Justice and other agencies involved in ADA compliance. Ms. Woodell is a polio survivor and so intimately understands the importance of the ADA. Her training is warm, witty, and very practical.