Who are Direct Support Workers (DSWs)?
DSWs are professionals who work with older adults and individuals with disabilities.
DSWs provide a wide variety of supports such as daily living activities, community integration, skill development, emotional & behavioral health, and maintaining physical health. DSWs work in a variety of settings, including private homes, day programs, and group homes. They also assist individuals as they navigate their communities, schools, and workplaces. The goal of a DSW is to help older adults and individuals with disabilities live as independently as possible and to improve their quality of life.
Dedicated. Collaborative. Workforce
We strive for excellence
The Kansas Direct Support Workforce Training is a service of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) in partnership with educational, provider agencies, and stakeholders. The goal is to provide resources and training program for Direct Support Workforce (DSW) professionals. A multidisciplinary team collaborated to develop and deliver a comprehensive DSW training program. This comprehensive DSW training program will improve worker competency in delivering quality, person-centered care to Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) participants. The training program is designed to meet the training needs of DSWs in Kansas.
Partnerships
Multidisciplinary Team. Dedicated Professionals
Meet Our Team of Experts
Highly qualified professionals and experts in the field contributed their knowledge, experience, and skills to the design of the training curriculum.
A multidisciplinary team of authors developed the training modules in close consultation with community partners.
Brad Linnenkamp
Brad Linnenkamp worked for the KU Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) as an Assistant Researcher and previously worked for the Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas for 20 years. Brad has led and contributed to nationally funded research on Supported Decision Making, self-determination, and community engagement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brad sits on many state and national committees including the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, Employment First Commission, and the Self-Advocate Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC) National Advisory Board. In 1990 Brad received the “Achievement Against the Odds Award” from President Bush for overcoming obstacles in his life and assisting others to achieve independence. In his spare time, Brad enjoys anything sports-related, especially the Royals, Chiefs, and Jayhawks!
Carrie Wendel-Hummell
Carrie Wendel-Hummell, PhD, has extensive experience in researching, developing programs, and evaluating HCBS in Kansas, as a researcher in the KU School of Social Welfare. Her dedication to enhancing aging and disability service systems stems from her time as a Direct Support Worker (DSW). This firsthand experience fuels her commitment to creating high-quality trainings tailored to the diverse needs of DSWs.
Corinne Neal
Dr. Corinne Neal is the Associate Director of the Woolfolk Center for Language Disorders Research at the University of Texas at Austin. She received her M.A. & Ph.D. from The University of Kansas with an emphasis in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and child language. She has worked clinically and in her research with children and adults with complex communication needs who use AAC.
Daisy Jo Valeo
Daisy Jo Valeo, OTD Student at KUMC, supporting the project creation with first-hand experience of transfers and teaching fall prevention to patients, and staff in the KC area.
Dory Sabata
Dory Sabata, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA is the Department Chair of Occupational Therapy Education at KU Medical Center and a module developer for the DSW Training Project. For over 30 years, she has contributed to services, research, and teaching focused on maximizing participation and community engagement by persons who are aging and with various abilities. She shares her expertise in aging-in-place and has a history of developing online training for caregivers. Early in her career, she was a direct care worker with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She continues to value training and services that improve communities.
Evan Dean
Evan Dean, Ph.D., OTR, FAAIDD is Associate Director at the Kansas University Center on Disabilities. Evan has been supporting youth and adults with intellectual disabilities in community settings for over 10 years and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Evan’s research on enhancing community participation, employment, self-determination, and supported decision-making for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been funded in the United States through a combination of national, state, and foundation grants. Evan is a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and is also a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and World Federation of Occupational Therapy.
Jennifer Babitzke
Jennifer Babitzke, M.S., M.A. is a graduate student and research assistant at the University of Kansas. Jennifer’s research areas include family sociology, intergenerational family processes, gender, and caregiving. In addition to her background in sociology, Jennifer is also trained as a family therapist with clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families as they navigate personal trauma and interpersonal relationship dynamics.
KDADS HCBS Staff
KDADS Home Community Based Services (HCBS) leadership and staff provided valuable insight, problem solving, and close review of training. Visit KDADS website for a complete list of KDADS HCBS leadership and staff.
Kelsey Goddard
Kelsey S. Goddard, PhD, BCBA, LBA, is an assistant research professor at the Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL) and the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies (IHDPS). Dr. Goddard identifies as a person with a disability and strives to bring awareness to disability concerns.
Lacy Wright
Lacy Wright, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, is a clinical assistant professor in the KU Department of Occupational Therapy Education at KU Medical Center. She teaches courses in areas including pediatrics and intellectual disabilities. For more than ten years, Lacy Wright has worked with pediatric clients in schools and outpatient services settings. She is passionate about supporting meaningful employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Laurie Steen
Laurie Steen, OTD, OTR/L, CEAS I, CLT-LANA, DRS, is a clinical assistant professor in the KU Department of Occupational Therapy Education and serves as director of the post-professional doctoral program in occupational therapy. Steen has more than 20 years of clinical practice experience and holds specialty practice certifications in both Ergonomics and Lymphedema.
Linda Heitzman-Powell
Linda Heitzman-Powell, PhD, BCBA-D, is the Director of Community Research at Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART) and an Associate Clinical Scholars Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at KUMC. Dr. Heitzman-Powell is the Principal Investigator (PI) on a federally funded NIDILRR (define) dissemination grant on scaling up Online and Applied Systems of Intervention Skills (OASIS) parent and OASIS coach training. Dr. Heitzman-Powell has been an active member of the local, regional, national and international disability community for more than 20 years, testifying before the Kansas Legislature and advocating for evidence-based practices for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Michelle Niedens
Michelle Niedens, LSCSW, is Director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center’s Cognitive Care Network, a community-based program focused on early detection, provider partnerships, support services and education. Ms. Niedens received her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Kansas. She holds clinical social work licenses in Kansas and Missouri. Ms. Niedens career has been dedicated to working with elders and those with Alzheimer’s disease, including tenure in geriatric psychiatric inpatient settings, serving as Director of Education, Programs, and Policy at the Alzheimer’s Association, Heart of America Chapter and teaching social work practice at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. Ms. Niedens special interests include assessment and intervention for associated neuropsychiatric challenges and advancing programs and services for individuals living with early-stage dementia. She has participated in regional and state-wide efforts in both areas of interest.
Miranda Rickel
Miranda Rickel, LMSW, is a Research Project Coordinator for the Center for the Advancement of Health Equity in the KU School of Social Welfare. She has worked in multiple areas of the social work field, focusing on mental health and permanent supportive housing for vulnerable populations. She has also provided care for a family member, lending a personal understanding of the challenges and intricacies of support systems for loved ones. These experiences have instilled a compassionate approach and strong commitment to enhancing access and outcomes within community care services.
Sean Swindler
Sean Swindler, MS Ed, has joint appointment as Director of Community Program Development and Evaluation at The Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART) and Project Manager at Kansas University Center on Disabilities (KUCD). Mr. Swindler has worked in the field of developmental disability and Autism for over twenty five years.
Tobia Zanotto
Tobia Zanotto, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He conducts research focusing on improving mobility and preventing adverse clinical outcomes, such as falls, in people living with frailty and/or with chronic diseases. His long-term research goals are to maximize quality of life and to minimize the burden of frailty in older adults and in people living with chronic diseases.
Whitney Grube
Whitney Grube, LMSW, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor in the KU School of Social Welfare. Dr. Grube’s primary area of scholarship focuses on children and adolescents experiencing complex and severe mental health disorders, community mental health services, and Medicaid Waivers used as interventions for children experiencing a serious emotional disturbance (SED). She has extensive experience with the evaluation of early childhood systems and evidence-based practices. Additionally, Dr. Grube has numerous years of experience providing technical assistance, training, and consultation to local community mental health centers on implementing strengths-based case management for youth receiving outpatient mental health services.
Community partners advised on training needs and closely reviewed training content.
Alan Dsouza
Alan Dsouza, PhD, serves as the Grants Analyst Director for the Office of Special Programs (TRIO & GEAR UP) at Wichita State University. In addition to his administrative role, he is a dedicated educator, currently teaching at Friends University and previously at Cowley College. With deep expertise in adult education and support services for marginalized communities, Dr. Dsouza is a distinguished grant writer and peer reviewer. He has contributed to several national competitions as a professional peer reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education. Beyond his professional work, Dr. Dsouza is actively trained in suicide prevention, mental health first aid, and enabling technology, underscoring his commitment to holistic community support. His passion for community service extends to his involvement with the Cultural Association of India (CAI) and the Tallgrass Film Festival (TFF), where he volunteers his time and skills. Additionally, Dr. Dsouza is dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities as a direct support person, demonstrating his deep compassion and dedication to helping others.
Angie Reinking
Angie Reinking has a long history filled with a variety of experiences serving people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their families and she brings a passion for advocacy and inclusion for all. Angie became the Executive Director of The Arc of Douglas County in in January of 2019. She came to The Arc from United Healthcare, where she served as a liaison to the DD Community for their role in Medicaid Managed Care. Prior to that, Angie was the coordinator of the state’s Money Follows the Person program, which assisted people to transition from institutional settings to living in the community. In her role with MFP, she worked to address complex support, funding, and community inclusion needs. Angie was formerly the Coordinator for the Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK), which is housed at The Arc of Douglas County. She has also worked in direct care support and independent living counseling.
Anita Raghavan
Anita Raghavan, PhD, was introduced to the disability field at 8 years old. She was fortunate enough to have a fellow student and friend with IDD throughout all those formative years. She studied and worked as an Elementary Education teacher and then expanded into Communication Studies (briefly working for an international airline.) She had worked primarily in health communication within fragile populations. Her internships were at the UN and UNICEF. Over the course of her career Anita has formulated and implemented diverse multimedia Health Communication content on IDD, messaging about IDD, HIV, foster care, smoking cessation, abused children, incarcerated children, childhood food security, intercultural communication, cultural health issues, aging, arts and holistic therapy, childhood poverty, mental health issues, and environmental education. She is the mother of her 3 children, one with Down syndrome and 2 stepchildren, one with autism.
E.B. Boresow
Elizabeth Boresow has been a Direct Support Worker, for folks using self-directed care under the I/DD waiver since 2014. She completed a Traineeship with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at KU Medical Center. She speaks and writes on disability and also works as a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
Jaclyn Anderson
Jaclyn Anderson, M.S., is a Project Coordinator for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. She received her undergraduate degrees from the University of Kansas and her Masters in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Jaclyn has worked in many separate roles in the disability field, as a direct care provider, a case manager, an IL counselor, a program and waiver manager, and as a teacher in higher education advocating to accommodate her students with disabilities.
Karen Stone
Karen is a member of the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. Karen was born with cerebral palsy. She is a mother and has participated in events to raise awareness for kids with cerebral palsy. She is excited to continue to help people with disabilities.
Phillip McGruder
Phillip McGruder, a Kansas City, KS native, joined SACK in 2020. Phillip graduated from the University of Kansas in 2017 where he founded the campus group “Believe Autism Matters” (BAM) to raise awareness and education about autism. He was a member of the Kansas Disability Caucus from January 2021 to January 2023 including being an alumnus through the Kansas LEND program from August 2021 to May 2022. Before joining SACK, spent his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he worked during the NFL season as an Event Services member until July of 2023 to focus on self-advocacy full time. Driven by his personal experience on the autism spectrum, Phillip focuses on supporting families with individuals on the autism spectrum and collaborating with community partners to enhance understanding and support.
Rachel Neumann
Rachel Neumann has worked with individuals with Disabilities throughout her entire life. Rachel’s experience with individuals with I/DD began when her sister was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 3, and continued as she studied, volunteered, and worked in the field. Rachel graduated from Ottawa University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Biology. In 2014, Rachel began employment with COF Training Services, a Community Service Provider supporting individuals with I/DD in Coffey, Osage, and Franklin Counties in Kansas. Rachel has held many different positions ranging from direct care to case management, including multiple supervisory positions in her time at COF. Neumann currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer where she supervises the development and implementation of training for over 150 DSPs. In addition to her work at COF, Rachel has participated in advocacy through Kansas’s statewide trade Association Interhab, and the National Trade Association ANCOR, serving on multiple committees in both organization; drafting statewide legislation; and by participating in multiple national leadership programs including National Leadership Consortium on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and ANCOR’s Leadership Academy 2025 cohort.
Shane Lewis
Shane Lewis graduated from the University of Central Missouri Thrive Program in May 2023. Shane Lewis is a member of the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas and the Woolly Farms Foundation. Shane has been a longtime advocate for people with disabilities, winning an award for his development of Chieftain Friends in High School, which bridged the gap between students with disabilities and those without. Shane has also worked within the community to improve accessibility design for local businesses. He believes in teaching people that having a disability is not weird, it is wonderful! He plans to continue to make changes in the disability community that will improve access for all people.
Stephanie Sanford
Stephanie Sanford is the Advocacy and Support Staff for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. Before working at SACK, Steph advocated for people with disabilities for over 12 years at Kansas Independent Living Center agencies. She was raised by a single parent with a disability and has been a disability rights advocate for her entire life.
A multidisciplinary team of authors developed the training modules in close consultation with community partners.
Brad Linnenkamp
Brad Linnenkamp worked for the KU Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) as an Assistant Researcher and previously worked for the Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas for 20 years. Brad has led and contributed to nationally funded research on Supported Decision Making, self-determination, and community engagement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Brad sits on many state and national committees including the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, Employment First Commission, and the Self-Advocate Resource and Technical Assistance Center (SARTAC) National Advisory Board. In 1990 Brad received the “Achievement Against the Odds Award” from President Bush for overcoming obstacles in his life and assisting others to achieve independence. In his spare time, Brad enjoys anything sports-related, especially the Royals, Chiefs, and Jayhawks!
Carrie Wendel-Hummell
Carrie Wendel-Hummell, PhD, has extensive experience in researching, developing programs, and evaluating HCBS in Kansas, as a researcher in the KU School of Social Welfare. Her dedication to enhancing aging and disability service systems stems from her time as a Direct Support Worker (DSW). This firsthand experience fuels her commitment to creating high-quality trainings tailored to the diverse needs of DSWs.
Corinne Neal
Dr. Corinne Neal is the Associate Director of the Woolfolk Center for Language Disorders Research at the University of Texas at Austin. She received her M.A. & Ph.D. from The University of Kansas with an emphasis in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and child language. She has worked clinically and in her research with children and adults with complex communication needs who use AAC.
Daisy Jo Valeo
Daisy Jo Valeo, OTD Student at KUMC, supporting the project creation with first-hand experience of transfers and teaching fall prevention to patients, and staff in the KC area.
Dory Sabata
Dory Sabata, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA is the Department Chair of Occupational Therapy Education at KU Medical Center and a module developer for the DSW Training Project. For over 30 years, she has contributed to services, research, and teaching focused on maximizing participation and community engagement by persons who are aging and with various abilities. She shares her expertise in aging-in-place and has a history of developing online training for caregivers. Early in her career, she was a direct care worker with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She continues to value training and services that improve communities.
Evan Dean
Evan Dean, Ph.D., OTR, FAAIDD is Associate Director at the Kansas University Center on Disabilities. Evan has been supporting youth and adults with intellectual disabilities in community settings for over 10 years and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Evan’s research on enhancing community participation, employment, self-determination, and supported decision-making for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been funded in the United States through a combination of national, state, and foundation grants. Evan is a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and is also a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and World Federation of Occupational Therapy.
Jennifer Babitzke
Jennifer Babitzke, M.S., M.A. is a graduate student and research assistant at the University of Kansas. Jennifer’s research areas include family sociology, intergenerational family processes, gender, and caregiving. In addition to her background in sociology, Jennifer is also trained as a family therapist with clinical experience working with individuals, couples, and families as they navigate personal trauma and interpersonal relationship dynamics.
KDADS HCBS Staff
KDADS Home Community Based Services (HCBS) leadership and staff provided valuable insight, problem solving, and close review of training. Visit KDADS website for a complete list of KDADS HCBS leadership and staff.
Kelsey Goddard
Kelsey S. Goddard, PhD, BCBA, LBA, is an assistant research professor at the Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL) and the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies (IHDPS). Dr. Goddard identifies as a person with a disability and strives to bring awareness to disability concerns.
Lacy Wright
Lacy Wright, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, is a clinical assistant professor in the KU Department of Occupational Therapy Education at KU Medical Center. She teaches courses in areas including pediatrics and intellectual disabilities. For more than ten years, Lacy Wright has worked with pediatric clients in schools and outpatient services settings. She is passionate about supporting meaningful employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Laurie Steen
Laurie Steen, OTD, OTR/L, CEAS I, CLT-LANA, DRS, is a clinical assistant professor in the KU Department of Occupational Therapy Education and serves as director of the post-professional doctoral program in occupational therapy. Steen has more than 20 years of clinical practice experience and holds specialty practice certifications in both Ergonomics and Lymphedema.
Linda Heitzman-Powell
Linda Heitzman-Powell, PhD, BCBA-D, is the Director of Community Research at Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART) and an Associate Clinical Scholars Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at KUMC. Dr. Heitzman-Powell is the Principal Investigator (PI) on a federally funded NIDILRR (define) dissemination grant on scaling up Online and Applied Systems of Intervention Skills (OASIS) parent and OASIS coach training. Dr. Heitzman-Powell has been an active member of the local, regional, national and international disability community for more than 20 years, testifying before the Kansas Legislature and advocating for evidence-based practices for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Michelle Niedens
Michelle Niedens, LSCSW, is Director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center’s Cognitive Care Network, a community-based program focused on early detection, provider partnerships, support services and education. Ms. Niedens received her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Kansas. She holds clinical social work licenses in Kansas and Missouri. Ms. Niedens career has been dedicated to working with elders and those with Alzheimer’s disease, including tenure in geriatric psychiatric inpatient settings, serving as Director of Education, Programs, and Policy at the Alzheimer’s Association, Heart of America Chapter and teaching social work practice at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. Ms. Niedens special interests include assessment and intervention for associated neuropsychiatric challenges and advancing programs and services for individuals living with early-stage dementia. She has participated in regional and state-wide efforts in both areas of interest.
Miranda Rickel
Miranda Rickel, LMSW, is a Research Project Coordinator for the Center for the Advancement of Health Equity in the KU School of Social Welfare. She has worked in multiple areas of the social work field, focusing on mental health and permanent supportive housing for vulnerable populations. She has also provided care for a family member, lending a personal understanding of the challenges and intricacies of support systems for loved ones. These experiences have instilled a compassionate approach and strong commitment to enhancing access and outcomes within community care services.
Sean Swindler
Sean Swindler, MS Ed, has joint appointment as Director of Community Program Development and Evaluation at The Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART) and Project Manager at Kansas University Center on Disabilities (KUCD). Mr. Swindler has worked in the field of developmental disability and Autism for over twenty five years.
Tobia Zanotto
Tobia Zanotto, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He conducts research focusing on improving mobility and preventing adverse clinical outcomes, such as falls, in people living with frailty and/or with chronic diseases. His long-term research goals are to maximize quality of life and to minimize the burden of frailty in older adults and in people living with chronic diseases.
Whitney Grube
Whitney Grube, LMSW, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor in the KU School of Social Welfare. Dr. Grube’s primary area of scholarship focuses on children and adolescents experiencing complex and severe mental health disorders, community mental health services, and Medicaid Waivers used as interventions for children experiencing a serious emotional disturbance (SED). She has extensive experience with the evaluation of early childhood systems and evidence-based practices. Additionally, Dr. Grube has numerous years of experience providing technical assistance, training, and consultation to local community mental health centers on implementing strengths-based case management for youth receiving outpatient mental health services.
Community partners advised on training needs and closely reviewed training content.
Alan Dsouza
Alan Dsouza, PhD, serves as the Grants Analyst Director for the Office of Special Programs (TRIO & GEAR UP) at Wichita State University. In addition to his administrative role, he is a dedicated educator, currently teaching at Friends University and previously at Cowley College. With deep expertise in adult education and support services for marginalized communities, Dr. Dsouza is a distinguished grant writer and peer reviewer. He has contributed to several national competitions as a professional peer reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education. Beyond his professional work, Dr. Dsouza is actively trained in suicide prevention, mental health first aid, and enabling technology, underscoring his commitment to holistic community support. His passion for community service extends to his involvement with the Cultural Association of India (CAI) and the Tallgrass Film Festival (TFF), where he volunteers his time and skills. Additionally, Dr. Dsouza is dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities as a direct support person, demonstrating his deep compassion and dedication to helping others.
Angie Reinking
Angie Reinking has a long history filled with a variety of experiences serving people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their families and she brings a passion for advocacy and inclusion for all. Angie became the Executive Director of The Arc of Douglas County in in January of 2019. She came to The Arc from United Healthcare, where she served as a liaison to the DD Community for their role in Medicaid Managed Care. Prior to that, Angie was the coordinator of the state’s Money Follows the Person program, which assisted people to transition from institutional settings to living in the community. In her role with MFP, she worked to address complex support, funding, and community inclusion needs. Angie was formerly the Coordinator for the Self-Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK), which is housed at The Arc of Douglas County. She has also worked in direct care support and independent living counseling.
Anita Raghavan
Anita Raghavan, PhD, was introduced to the disability field at 8 years old. She was fortunate enough to have a fellow student and friend with IDD throughout all those formative years. She studied and worked as an Elementary Education teacher and then expanded into Communication Studies (briefly working for an international airline.) She had worked primarily in health communication within fragile populations. Her internships were at the UN and UNICEF. Over the course of her career Anita has formulated and implemented diverse multimedia Health Communication content on IDD, messaging about IDD, HIV, foster care, smoking cessation, abused children, incarcerated children, childhood food security, intercultural communication, cultural health issues, aging, arts and holistic therapy, childhood poverty, mental health issues, and environmental education. She is the mother of her 3 children, one with Down syndrome and 2 stepchildren, one with autism.
E.B. Boresow
Elizabeth Boresow has been a Direct Support Worker, for folks using self-directed care under the I/DD waiver since 2014. She completed a Traineeship with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program at KU Medical Center. She speaks and writes on disability and also works as a Board-Certified Music Therapist.
Jaclyn Anderson
Jaclyn Anderson, M.S., is a Project Coordinator for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. She received her undergraduate degrees from the University of Kansas and her Masters in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Jaclyn has worked in many separate roles in the disability field, as a direct care provider, a case manager, an IL counselor, a program and waiver manager, and as a teacher in higher education advocating to accommodate her students with disabilities.
Karen Stone
Karen is a member of the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. Karen was born with cerebral palsy. She is a mother and has participated in events to raise awareness for kids with cerebral palsy. She is excited to continue to help people with disabilities.
Phillip McGruder
Phillip McGruder, a Kansas City, KS native, joined SACK in 2020. Phillip graduated from the University of Kansas in 2017 where he founded the campus group “Believe Autism Matters” (BAM) to raise awareness and education about autism. He was a member of the Kansas Disability Caucus from January 2021 to January 2023 including being an alumnus through the Kansas LEND program from August 2021 to May 2022. Before joining SACK, spent his first two years with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he worked during the NFL season as an Event Services member until July of 2023 to focus on self-advocacy full time. Driven by his personal experience on the autism spectrum, Phillip focuses on supporting families with individuals on the autism spectrum and collaborating with community partners to enhance understanding and support.
Rachel Neumann
Rachel Neumann has worked with individuals with Disabilities throughout her entire life. Rachel’s experience with individuals with I/DD began when her sister was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 3, and continued as she studied, volunteered, and worked in the field. Rachel graduated from Ottawa University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Biology. In 2014, Rachel began employment with COF Training Services, a Community Service Provider supporting individuals with I/DD in Coffey, Osage, and Franklin Counties in Kansas. Rachel has held many different positions ranging from direct care to case management, including multiple supervisory positions in her time at COF. Neumann currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer where she supervises the development and implementation of training for over 150 DSPs. In addition to her work at COF, Rachel has participated in advocacy through Kansas’s statewide trade Association Interhab, and the National Trade Association ANCOR, serving on multiple committees in both organization; drafting statewide legislation; and by participating in multiple national leadership programs including National Leadership Consortium on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and ANCOR’s Leadership Academy 2025 cohort.
Shane Lewis
Shane Lewis graduated from the University of Central Missouri Thrive Program in May 2023. Shane Lewis is a member of the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas and the Woolly Farms Foundation. Shane has been a longtime advocate for people with disabilities, winning an award for his development of Chieftain Friends in High School, which bridged the gap between students with disabilities and those without. Shane has also worked within the community to improve accessibility design for local businesses. He believes in teaching people that having a disability is not weird, it is wonderful! He plans to continue to make changes in the disability community that will improve access for all people.
Stephanie Sanford
Stephanie Sanford is the Advocacy and Support Staff for the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas. Before working at SACK, Steph advocated for people with disabilities for over 12 years at Kansas Independent Living Center agencies. She was raised by a single parent with a disability and has been a disability rights advocate for her entire life.
