Mentoring accessibility leaders

Leading HuskyADAPT

I attended my first HuskyADAPT toy adaptation workshop during my first winter at UW. By the following year, I was co-leading the design program, mentoring 36 students working on accessibility challenges submitted by community members. Midway through the year, I became the organization’s overall leader. In this role, I focused on building student leadership capacity, strengthening partnerships with disability organizations, and increasing organizational stability through consistent programming and multiple pathways for involvement.

HuskyADAPT has been one of the most transformative parts of my Husky Experience, a space where students learn to design with, not for, disabled communities.

UW’s first holiday toy adaptation

In fall 2024, I organized UW’s first holiday toy adaptation event. Eighty 80 volunteers adapted over 40 toys for a local nonprofit’s holiday party. A highlight was watching a father-daughter pair, whom I had worked with previously, see the behind-the-scenes process of accessible toy design. That moment encapsulated the connection, learning, and joy that HuskyADAPT creates.

Mentoring accessibility researchers

I have mentored five undergraduate researchers and two physical therapy doctoral on interdisciplinary projects supporting young children’s assistive technology use. These students have presented at local and national conferences, contributed to manuscripts, and, perhaps most importantly, learned to be thoughtful playmates and co-designers with children and families.