Sandra B. Vanegas, PhD
Principal Investigator
Research Interests:
Health disparities that impact children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Sandy Magana, PhD, MSW
Co-Investigator
Research Interests:
Disparities that impact individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan
Angela McCarty
Community Board Liaison
Nico Nelson, MPH
Assistive Technology Advisor
Research Interests:
Increasing accessibility to knowledge, services, and technology for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Larissa Minner
Research Associate
Kate Harwood, MSSW
PhD Student, Graduate Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Healthcare transition for youth with complex healthcare needs
Katie Smith, MSSW
MSSW Student, Graduate Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Support for youth with disabilties
Mikaela Russell
MSSW Student, Graduate Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Healthcare transition for youth with disabilties
Maya Uzwyshyn
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Supporting youth with disabilities
Harini Vijayanarashiman
Volunteer Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Supporting youth with disabilities
EMPOWER Project Team Alumni
Rawan Channaa, BS
Research Associate
Research Interests:
Supporting families and children with disabilities in the transition from pediatric to adult care; Exploring physicians practices to bridge gaps between behavioral health and medical care for children with developmental disabilities
Michelle Zhou, BS
Volunteer Research Assistant
Research Interests:
Lived experiences of autistic people, autism underdiagnosis, and the intersection of autism and other identities
Christopher Shepperd, MSW
Graduate Research Associate
Chris is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work on the Administrative, Policy, Practice track with the aim to provide evidence-based guidance to human service programs. His areas of work and research have revolved around mental health, neurodiverse populations and their needs, and program management.
Alyssa Barrera Lansford, M.S., M.A., BCBA., LBA
ACT LEND Fellow
Lyssa’s research focuses on advancing the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) by integrating qualitative, intersectionality, and culturally responsive aspects to help showcase the voices of the diverse populations we serve and to find more solutions to progress the field ethically.