Michigan
Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)
Meet Our Staff
Members
Use the following to help scroll down this page:
Norman
G. DeLisle, Jr. | Donna Aiken | Kathryn
Wyeth | Corrie Bair | James Francis-Bohr | Wade Handrich | RoAnne
Chaney | Teresa Christmas | Melinda Haus | Carolyn Lejuste | Joe Longcor | Tari
Muniz | Nelson Grit | Nick Prass | Theresa
Squires| Aimee Sterk | Jeanette Thomas|
Norman G. DeLisle, Jr. has been the Executive Director of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition since 1997, and has worked in disability advocacy since 1970. Norm has been a part of, and has worked with, Michigan's disability community in a wide variety of settings from school systems to medical programs and legal services. His educational background is in psychology with graduate work in developmental learning and Montessori. His work has always focused on the broad community of people with disabilities, and their long quest for self-determination and community inclusion. Norm has learned from personal experience what it is like to be disempowered and cut off from the support of friends and family. He believes that the true role of professional knowledge is to effectively catalyze the deepest hopes and dreams of all people. Human services systems are at their best for both consumer and provider when they do not forget this basic goal.
Norm has driven MDRC's effort to make web technologies a tool of education and advocacy for Michigan's disability community. In particular, he has used standards-based web design as the core of truly accessible web sites.
Kathryn Wakeman Wyeth
Kathryn Wakeman Wyeth is a program manager for Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. One of her major roles is directing the Michigan's Assistive Technology Project. Ms. Wyeth also works with housing, leadership, CONNECT, and a variety of internal ad-hoc and administrative teams. Kathryn has supported the work of grassroots groups in increasing access to Assistive Technology since 1997. She served as MDRC's Operation Director and Associate Director for seven years. Ms. Wyeth has extensive experience with presentations and in developing training for groups. She brings experience with issues related to remote/virtual office staff support needs, and skills in use of the internet as a communication, research and advocacy tool and in accessible web design.
Ms. Wyeth has over 25 years experience working with people with disabilities and families on both a state-wide and local level. She has worked with MDRC since 1994, initially as Education and Rights Coordinator, working primarily with a project designed to bring Michigan Rehabilitation Services staff together with people with disabilities in local teams working on issues which impacted employment. Prior to this she worked for Copper Country Mental Health for 9 years promoting person-centered planning through Community Supported Living Arrangements and inclusion in the community. She is a governor - appointed member of the Statewide Independent Living Council and previously served on the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council representing local groups around the state (RICCs). Kathryn is a resident of Eagle Harbor which is in Keweenaw County of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and also has a home in Holt, Michigan.
Corrie Listenberger Bair
We are sad to report that Corrie died Saturday October 29, 2005 after a long battle with cancer. Corrie Listenberger Bair was Operations Director for Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. She co-directed (with Ms. Wyeth) Michigan's Assistive Technology systems change project focusing on policy development and provision of technical assistance with community groups.
Her areas of expertise were community organizing, organizational capacity building, and management of non-profit organizations. Corrie received her Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. Corrie was a member of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council, appointed by the Governor as a primary consumer. She was the founding Board President of Community Connections, a Center for Independent Living in Benton Harbor, Michigan. She believed that to build a strong disability rights movement, people with all types of disabilities have to bridge perceived differences and work together.
Donna Aiken, Administrative Director
Her career with MDRC began in 1994 as an Administrative Assistant. Her 13 year term with MDRC has taken many turns which lead her to becoming the Administrative Director. Having over the course of this time been entirely responsible for the financial accountability of the organization she now shifts to include the position of Events Coordinator, sharing the accounting responsibility with the Administrative Accountant and Program Assistant.
James Francis-Bohr
We are sad to report James Francis-Bohr, PhD died in April of 2007. He was actively involved with Michigan's Assistive Technology network since its inception in 1991. Jim drew on his personal experience with Assistive Technology in activities of daily living including employment, transportation, and personal care. Jim currently was the Information Technology Specialist for Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. He also had been appointed by the Governor to the Long-Term Care Commission. His wisdom, humor and advocacy are greatly missed.
Wade Handrich
He began his career with MDRC in 2005 in the position of Administrative Accountant & Program Assistant, and as such came to assist the Administrative Director in the financial responsibilities for the organization. He is now responsible for the majority of the financial tasks. Wade has a B.A. in accounting from Goshen College.
His experience working for another Non-Profit makes him a good fit for MDRC. As part of his previous employment he spent considerable time in Africa. As a result of this he acquired a passion for travel and continues to have travel as a goal to experience.
RoAnne Chaney
RoAnne Chaney is a Program Manger for the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. Her areas of expertise are Long-Term Care, community integration, and meaningful consumer involvement.
RoAnne has vast experience in disability and health care issues here in Michigan. Previously, she was a Senior Program Officer with the Center for Health Care Strategies in Princeton, New Jersey where she worked on Medicaid managed care issues. RoAnne was the Associate Director of the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living for ten years where she and a team developed a collaborative interagency process to assist individuals with a variety of significant disabilities leave nursing home settings to live in the community. RoAnne has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Public Administration from Eastern Michigan University.
Teresa Christmas, Office and Communications Coordinator.
Teresa can be reached at extension 315.
Melinda Haus
Melinda Haus has advocated for disability rights for 10 years. She has worked at Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. and was a co-founder of the Michigan State University Council for Students with Disabilities.
Melinda first joined MDRC as an MSW intern in August 2005 and joined our staff as the Leadership Development Coordinator in January 2006. Melinda is currently finishing up her Masters Degree in Social Work and her long-time goal is to start a non-profit organization that enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Carolyn Lejuste
Carolyn Lejuste, PhD has worked in the field of disability rights since 1978. With over 20 years experience of organizing both in her professional and private life, Carolyn has understood community organizing as a powerful tool of change. Carolyn values continuing education, and was recently certified by the Fielding Institute in Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement.
Carolyn founded the Center for Disability Leadership (CDL), a W.K. Kellogg funded project from 1993 to 1996. CDL was structured after the SALT program at Highlander Education and Research Center. Many of the people who attended the CDL workshops continue to be active in Michigan's disability rights advocacy community.
Joe Longcor
Joe Longcor started in April 2005 as the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG)Project Manager. The purpose of the MIG project is to develop policy recommendations, conduct analyses necessary, and complete the planning necessary for Michigan to remove barriers and build infrastructure to effectively support the employment of individuals with disabilities. Joe is responsible for coordinating the efforts of multiple administrations within MDCH (Michigan Department of COmmunity Health), other state agencies, consumers and advocates and other stakeholders and other grant staff and contractors; ensuring that the work plan is followed and goals are achieved, and operating the grant within its budget.
This position is located at and will work under the direction of Michigan Department of Community Health's Office of Consumer-Directed Home and Community-Based Services.
Tari Muniz
Tari Muniz started the end of March 2005 as the Cash and Counseling Project Coordinator under the direction of Michigan Department of Community Health's Office of Consumer-Directed Home and Community-Based Services. The Cash and Counseling project, funded through a three-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will develop and implement a model for consumer-controlled services within the MI Choice waiver program. Tari will provide leadership and coordination for the overall project, including guidance and technical assistance to MI Choice Waiver sites toward successful project implementation. In addition she will coordinate policy analysis and development in support of consumer-direction options for the purposes of promoting consumer choice and control across all LTC services and settings.
Having worked for the Client Assistance Program, Tari was most recently Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ingham County. In 1995, Tari was chair of The EVENT, the predecessor to the Statewide Action Day.
Nelson Grit
Initially trained as an educator, Nelson spent the majority of his early career in social work. He worked for the Michigan Department of Social Services (FIA, DHS), first as a case worker, later in licensing of Adult Foster Care Facilities. After spending a few years with his family in Central America in development work, he joined Van Buren CMH, where he developed community residential resources for consumers served by the county and also managed two group homes before the residents were relocated to less restrictive living arrangements in the community. Nelson initiated person centered planning in the county and assisted a number of people to locate and move into supported living in their own independent apartments.
During his work in Van Buren, Nelson was involved in a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded self-determination grant, participating in the unbundling of Medicaid and providing people choices on how and where they wished to be served.
After an absence of 6 years spent in professional fundraising, Nelson is pleased to be back serving in the development and cataloging of affordable housing for people with disabilities.
Nelson can also be reached at (616) 855-4475.
Nick Prass
Theresa Squires, CONNECT Project Coordinator
Theresa Squires was hired in November 2006 as the College Leadership Coordinator. Ms. Squires started at MDRC as an intern in the summer of 2005 and was hired as MDRC’s Americorp Vista worker in November 2005. Ms. Squires is continuing her work with CONNECT, building a state-wide network for college students with disabilities who have or want to take on leadership positions on their campus or in their communities. She is also working on the Informed Communities grant from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council.
Theresa went to Michigan State University for two years and was very involved with their student group, Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD). She was Vice President and President while being with them. She also served on the Michigan State University’s Government, ASMSU, as the Council of Students with Disabilities representative. She is very passionate about the Disability Movement, organized and loves to work with others for a common goal.
Aimee Sterk
Aimee Sterk started her new position as Project Coordinator with MDRC on March 15th. She is dividing her time between the AT project, Building Your Financial Future, and Walk & Roll and other fundraising activities.
Most recently, Aimee worked with the Michigan Department of Community Health overseeing the implementation of the Money Follows the Person grant. Prior to that, many of us got to know her in the nearly four years she worked for Lakeshore Center for Independent Living. Aimee can be reached at MDRC, extension 329.
Jeanette Thomas
Jeanette's position as Administrative Assistant involves clerical, grants tracking and administrative assistant tasks, related to the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Project, and to other grant projects DCH's Office of Consumer-Directed Home and Community-Based Services is charged with implementing.
This position is located at and will work under the direction of Michigan Department of Community Health's Office of Consumer-Directed Home and Community-Based Services.
