UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI CENTER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Coordinator, Community Engagement
- Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD
Amy Clawson is a Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD/OhioF2F. She helps families find the resources and information they need in order to navigate health care, school and community systems. Amy also trains families and professionals on important topics, such as transitioning to adulthood. Outside of work, Amy enjoys spending time with her family and her dogs, hiking, and kayaking.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Research Assistant
Arin Gile is a clinical research assistant in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. She is a licensed professional counselor who specializes in outreach for individuals with developmental disabilities. She coordinates the Act Early Ohio efforts, as well as the Early Intervention project for LEND. In her free time, Arin enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. Arin also teaches dance in the Cincinnati area and is the program director for dance classes specifically designed for children with developmental disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Network Partner, Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council ( ODDC )
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Specialist
- Senior Specialist, Community Engagement
Celia Schloemer is our Community Engagement Specialist. Celia provides family support for networking, connection resources across the lifespan, special education advocacy and support, and Charting The Lifecourse support and presentations. For fun, Celia enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Professional / Family Member, the Freeman Center
Elizabeth Trenkamp is a Family Navigator and the LEND Family Discipline Coordinator. She is a member of the Empowering Families Symposium Planning Committee. Elizabeth enjoys supporting families in their journeys by identifying "next steps" and helping them build their skillset to become confident and effective advocates for their child. For fun, Elizabeth enjoys gardening and exploring new things that she can add to enhance her garden space. She also enjoys researching and traveling to new places.
Job Titles:
- Professional, Warren County Board of
Job Titles:
- UCCEDD 's Health Activities Coordinator
Erica Harris is the UCCEDD's Health Activities Coordinator. Erica trains individuals with disabilities on inclusion and accessibility related to health, wellness, and safety. Outside of work, Erica likes to travel anywhere that is warm and requires an airplane to get there.
Job Titles:
- Director of the UCCEDD
- UCCEDD Director, Associate Professor
Ilka Riddle is the Director of the UCCEDD. She is responsible for providing guidance and leadership to staff and community partners in order to improve the health and lives of children and adults with disabilities on the local, state, and national level. Ilka also collaborates with internal and external partners, writes reports, conducts research and policy work, applies for state and federal funding, and expands the impact of our UCCEDD and other UCEDDs across the country. Outside of work, Ilka likes to read and attend her children's various music and sports activities.
Jane Gerhardt is our LEND Policy Specialist. She provides analysis and guidance regarding legislative, regulatory, and policy indicatives, as well as coordinate the policy and advocacy curriculum for LEND. She enjoys helping emerging advocates and leaders understand the ways disability policy impacts their patients and families and empowering them to have a voice to change policy for the better. For fun, Jane enjoys hiking, biking, and shopping.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant
- Administrative Assistant for LEND
Jay Hogan is the Administrative Assistant for LEND. She is responsible for assisting LEND trainees with conference registration, scheduling meetings, updating LEND curriculum, and editing and uploading LEND sessions to the YouTube Channel. Jay enjoys taking her two kids on vacations. In her free time she likes to try new things and do hair. Her life goal is to help people find their inner glow.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Psychologist
- LEND Program Director
Jen Smith is the LEND Program Director. Jen is a clinical psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who specializes in treating children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also helps children with behavioral feeding problems at the DDBP Feeding Clinic. She utilizes evidence-based practices that emphasize the strength of her patients, inspired by her belief that all people have something to contribute in this world and that anyone can grow and learn with the right supports in place. Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and friends. She also enjoys traveling to new places, cooking, antiquing, and watching sports.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Coordinator
- Coordinator, Community Engagement
Jena Wells is the Community Engagement Coordinator for Ohio P2P. Jena develops training and awareness materials and supplies, conducts peer mentor training sessions for parents and caregivers across Ohio, matches peer mentors with parents and caregivers in need of support, and develops partnerships and collaborations with other organizations serving families of individuals with disabilities. She is passionate about uniting families so they do not feel alone in their journey and in her spare time enjoys walking, hiking, or running.
Job Titles:
- Project Specialist
- UCCEDD 's Project Management Specialist
Jennifer Walsh is the UCCEDD's Project Management Specialist. She is responsible for training and event coordination and website updates, technology and systems support, managing financial responsibilities, collaborating with team members on various projects, training and onboarding new team members, and providing administrative support. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her friends and family, crafting and sewing projects, indulging in her love of all things Disney, traveling, and working on puzzles.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of the UCCEDD
- UCCEDD Associate Director, Associate Professor
Kara Ayers is the Associate Director of the UCCEDD and a LEND Core Faculty member. She is a psychologist and an Assistant Professor whose research interests include parenting with a disability, disability culture in media, and health inequities experienced by people with disabilities. In addition to conducting research and teaching, Kara also analyzes policies to decide how they would impact people with disabilities and then works with policymakers to improve those policies. Outside of work, Kara enjoys reading and watching her kids participate in sports.
Job Titles:
- Advanced Practice Nursing
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Child Find Specialist
Kathryn Wize is our Child Find Coordinator. She identifies and refers potentially eligible children to Ohio Early Intervention, provides education and support for families and medical providers to understand the referral process, and tracks and follows up on early intervention referrals for Cincinnati Children's patients. For fun, Kathryn enjoys shopping at antique stores and trying new recipes.
Job Titles:
- Network Partner, Disability Rights Ohio
Job Titles:
- Professional, Ken Anderson Alliance
Job Titles:
- Family Member / Professional / CAC Chair, CCHMC
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator for the Center for Dignity
- Senior Specialist, Community Engagement
Leah Smith is the Project Coordinator for the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities. She is responsible for coordinating projects to help medical professionals see their own implicit bias against people with disabilities. Outside of work, Leah enjoys hanging out with her two kids and going to the beach.
Job Titles:
- Speech - Language Pathology
Job Titles:
- Coordinator, Community Engagement
- Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD
Lynne Fogel is a Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD/Ohio F2F. Lynne is responsible for providing information and referrals for families of children with special healthcare needs, training events, promoting family advocacy in decision-making groups, providing input on groups focused on family support, and partnering with state agencies that provide services to families of children and youth with special healthcare needs. Outside of work, Lynne enjoys walking, reading, scrapbooking, and birdwatching.
Job Titles:
- Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD
- Senior Specialist, Community Engagement
Marion Cosgrove Rauch is a Family Support Specialist for the UCCEDD/Ohio F2F/Ohio P2P. Marion works with families of children with special healthcare needs to overcome difficulties with healthcare, insurance, and social service systems. She is also growing the Parent 2 Parent program and providing trainings on topics such as self-care and supported decision making. For fun, she enjoys sewing, cooking, baking, and making art.
Job Titles:
- Communications Coordinator
- UCCEDD 's Communications Coordinator
Rachel Miller is the UCCEDD's Communications Coordinator. She is responsible for keeping the public informed on what the UCCEDD is doing through social media, newsletters, brochures and reports, and assisting with event planning. Rachel is also interested in finding creative ways to help her colleagues in their family support efforts. For fun, Rachel enjoys staying active with her husband and toddler, walking, napping in the sun, and basically anything outside.
Steph Weber is the LEND Training Director. Steph specializes in working with children with developmental disabilities and behavioral concerns. Her treatment focuses on improving disruptive behavior, such as tantrums and aggression. Her personal philosophy is to assume competence and maintain high expectations for her patients and their families. Outside of work, Steph enjoys watching sports (especially Xavier Musketeers basketball), watching Netflix shows, going to the theatre, reading, practicing hot yoga and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Data and Training Coordinator for the UCCEDD / LEND
- Senior Specialist, Community Engagement
Vicki Hennessy is the Data and Training Coordinator for the UCCEDD/LEND. She is responsible for data collection, database management, helping with grant progress reports and research projects and working with parents and professionals on grant compliance. She also enjoys helping current LEND trainees with various questions and needs. For fun, Vicki enjoys drawing.