Creating a Culture of Comfort with Accessibility

Friday, January 23, 2026 | 8:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Atrium Room | Stamp Student Union

Our signature annual event, the retreat will help staff and faculty move beyond basic compliance toward a more profound, human-centered understanding of accessibility and disability inclusion. Participants will enhance their comfort and confidence with designing accessible environments (both physical and digital), interacting inclusively with students and colleagues who have disabilities, and integrating accessibility into our everyday work.

Schedule

Moderated by members of the Office of Undergraduate Studies Thrive Task Force

  • 8:30 A.M.

    Check-In

    Welcome! Coffee and light breakfast refreshments are available.

  • 9:00 A.M.

    Kahoot Warm-Up

    Jarrell Slade
    UGST Thrive Task Force Chair & Associate Director, Pre-College Programs

  • 9:20 A.M.

    Welcome

    Jarrell Slade
    UGST Thrive Task Force Chair & Associate Director, Pre-College Programs

  • 9:25 A.M.

    Strategic Plan Connection

    William Cohen
    Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Studies

  • 9:45 A.M.

    Introduction of Keynote Speakers

    Ashleigh Brown
    Senior Associate Director, Letters & Sciences

  • 9:50 A.M.

    Disability Compliance and Accommodations for All

    Emily Singer Lucio (ADA/504 Coordinator, Belonging and Community at UMD)
    Ginny Hutcheson (Learning Experience Designer, Teaching & Learning Transformation Center)
    Monica Aisenberg (Disability Specialist, Accessibility and Disability Service)

  • 10:35 A.M.

    Talkback/ Q&A Discussion

    Jarrell Slade

    UGST Thrive Task Force Chair & Associate Director, Pre-College Programs
  • 10:50 A.M.

    Break

  • 11:00 A.M.

    Interactive Activity: Designing with Empathy Challenge

    Ron Padrón (Director, Opportunity, Access, Community Engagement Supporting in the College of Information)
    Galina Madjaroff Reitz (Director, Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction program)

  • 11:50 P.M.

    Wrap-Up and UGST Support

    Laura Cech (Associate Director of Communications, Office of Undergraduate Studies)
    Amina Lampkin (Communications Coordinator, Office of Undergraduate Studies)

  • 12:10 P.M.

    Post-Program Evaluations and Lunch

Respond to the Survey

Keynote Speakers and Presenters Bios


Emily Singer Lucio currently serves as the ADA/504 coordinator. Emily has been in the field of higher education and disability since 1991. She has been a member of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) since 1992. Over the years, she has given many presentations to students, parents and faculty, as well as presented at the AHEAD conference annually since 1997. Emily received her B.A. in public policy studies, with a focus on special education-legislation and practice, from the University of Michigan in 1992 and went on to receive her M.A. in special education from Eastern Michigan University in 1993.

Galina Madjaroff Reitz is a strategic leader in higher education with over two decades of experience driving innovation, advancing digital accessibility, and fostering inclusive student engagement. She currently serves as director of the masters’s in human-computer interaction program in the College of Information and as associate director for higher education with the Maryland Initiative for Digital Accessibility (MIDA). Previously, she led the information science program at the Universities at Shady Grove, where she achieved record enrollment growth and launched new interdisciplinary minors. Dr. Reitz holds a Ph.D. in human-centered computing, with a research agenda focused on accessible interface design for individuals with disabilities, particularly in voice-based technologies. A passionate educator and mentor, she has developed courses in patient-centered design and inclusive methods. Her work with MIDA includes experiential learning initiatives like design sprints and accessibility hackathons. Her current research explores the development of AI-driven agents to assist individuals with Parkinson’s disease in completing physical therapy, advancing accessible health technologies. Her career reflects a deep commitment to equity, mentorship, and the transformative power of education.

Ginny works as a learning experience designer in the Teaching & Learning Transformation Center. She develops and leads workshops, provides instructional consultations, and facilitates learning communities to help instructors build their pedagogical skills. She loves helping instructors experiment with new teaching strategies. Ginny is passionate about making instruction engaging, challenging, and equitable for all learners. Ginny holds an M.A.Ed. in curriculum and instruction with a focus on gifted education and a B.A. in psychology and elementary education from the College of William and Mary. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in teacher education and professional development. Prior to joining the TLTC, she worked in elementary education as a teacher; English learner specialist; student and peer mentor; instructional coach; curriculum designer, and administrator. Ginny loves working with instructors to revamp their courses to make them more engaging and accessible. She is passionate about universal design for learning, active learning, inclusion, problem-based learning, and formative assessment.

Monica Aisenberg currently serves as a disability specialist with the Accessibility and Disability Service Office (ADS). Monica has been in the disability field since 2015, previously working in employment services before moving to higher education in 2022. Over the years, she has given many presentations to students, parents and faculty, as part of various outreach initiatives with ADS. Monica received her B.A. in public health sciences, focusing on family science, from UMD in 2015. She went on to receive her M.A. in interdisciplinary secondary transition services from George Washington University in 2021.

Ron Padrón is a queer, disabled activist who has worked in higher education for nearly two decades. Having spent much of his career working with at-risk student populations he now serves as the director of Opportunity, Access, Community Engagement, Support (OACES) in the College of Information. His work centers justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in course and curriculum development, to student services and shared governance. He has presented and published on inclusion, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and disability justice, in venues such as The Political Librarian, Including Disability, NACADA, and the UMN Global Accessibility Awareness Day conference. He serves as co-chair on the UMD President’s Commission for LGBTQ+ Issues; director of Academic Involvement for the Including Disability Global Summit; associate editor for the Including Disability journal; and as an advocate and educator in the Maryland Initiative for Digital Accessibility.

About the Task Force

On behalf of Dean William Cohen and Jarrell Slade we extend thanks to all those involved in the planning of this retreat. A special thanks to our presenters and facilitators. Most importantly, we thank you for your presence and participation. We'd love to hear from you!

Email Jarrell Slade, Thrive Task Force Chair, or any committee member with your questions, big or small.

  • Lambert Aryee
  • Ashleigh Brown
  • Leslie Brice Bustamente
  • Georgette Hardy DeJesus
  • Alice Donlan
  • Jacqueline Kautzer
  • Amina Lampkin
  • Jarrell Slade
  • Selah Thom
  • Christopher Villalobos

Spring Brown Bag Series

The UGST Thrive Task Force is planning the spring Brown Bag series and we would like to hear from you! Starting in February, we aim to offer opportunities for professional growth, belonging and inclusion initiatives, and resources for well-being. Your input is critical to help us launch a series that works for you!

Respond to the Survey
Faculty and staff during a previous retreat

UGST's annual retreat is a time for faculty and staff to learn, collaborate, and innovate.