Meet the Staff

The staff of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition work daily to develop resources and increase access to content, assistive technology and leadership opportunities that advance the interests of people with disabilities across the state of Michigan.

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1. The Team 2. The Board

Meet the Team

White woman of size, smiling with long wavy dark brown hair. Dark rimmed glasses and black t-shirt in background of photo is brick background
Abby Squires
Demonstration Coordinator
An image of a white woman with dark brown and gray curly short hair. The image is a selfie. She is sitting in her home office with a poster behind her that says "Do Justice'' she is wearing a black plaid vneck shirt.
Aimee Sterk
Program Director
A woman with brown skin and long dark brown braids positioned with her hands crossed and smiling while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing black glasses and a black long sleeve blouse.
Ajaunè Thomas
LEAD Youth Initiatives Coordinator
A white woman with gray and white hair pulled back in a ponytail is standing while smiling in front of a brick wall. She is wearing glasses with black frames and a black shirt with white text “Feisty and Non-Compliant”. Over her shirt she is wearing a dark green cardigan sweater.
Bethany Styer
Administrative Assistant
Breannah Alexander Oppenhuizen
Director of LEAD Programs
Hispanic male with short brown hair in a blue and purple plaid collared shirt with glasses.
Frank Vaca
Fellow Support Coordinator
Hala Alazzawi
LEAD Gender & Religion Initiatives Coordinator
White woman smiling with hair in a messy bun, with a light blue shirt on, standing in front of a brick wall
Jileesa Irwin
Assistive Technology Outdoor Recreational Specialist
A caucasian woman with blonde chin length hair smiling while standing in front of a brick wall. She is wearing a black shirt.
Kathleen Johnston-Calati
Program Manager
Kellie is a white woman with Green/Hazel eyes, shoulder length brown and blonde hair. She is looking directly at the camera and is smiling. Kellie has on a dark brown sweater
Kellie Blackwell
Assistive Technology Specialist
A person with pale ivory skin and dark blonde hair smiling while sitting in a power wheelchair. They are wearing a black blouse with a pattern of red roses.
Laura Hall
Assistive Technology Program Manager
Norman DeLisle, elderly white male, with short gray hair, wearing a blue checkered shirt with suspenders; slight smile. He is sitting in his computer office at home, with part of his home kitchen in the background.
Norman G. DeLisle Jr.
Project Consultant
A person with tan skin, short black hair, and a black beard. They are wearing a gray suit jacket with a white and light blue collared button up shirt and a black tie. A brick wall is behind them.
Omer Niazi
Immigration & Refugee Programming Lead
white man with brown hair and a brown and white beard wearing glasses and smiling. He has on a beige sweater with the zipper open and a light green, black and tan turtleneck shirt underneath.
Paul Miller
Inclusion Specialist
person with tan skin and straight long black hair smiling. They are standing with their hands crossed in front of trees with green leaves. They are wearing a royal blue and white blouse.
Reyna Garcia
LEAD Latinx Initiatives Coordinator
A person with dark brown skin and curly black hair smiling in front of a white background. They are wearing a white turtleneck sweater and a light blue denim jacket
Tameka Citchen-Spruce
LEAD Black Initiatives Coordinator
Theresa Metzmaker
Executive Director
A person with pale ivory skin and gray and brown hair with a beard smiling while standing in front of a brick wall. They are wearing a green collared button up shirt.
Wade Handrich
Financial Director
Breannah Alexander Oppenhuizen
Director of LEAD Programs
Hispanic male with short brown hair in a blue and purple plaid collared shirt with glasses.
Frank Vaca
Fellow Support Coordinator
Hala Alazzawi
LEAD Gender & Religion Initiatives Coordinator
White woman smiling with hair in a messy bun, with a light blue shirt on, standing in front of a brick wall
Jileesa Irwin
Assistive Technology Outdoor Recreational Specialist
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Meet the Board

Alan Hejl Headshot picture of Alan Hejl. Headshot picture of a white skinned male with short auburn colored hair in his 30's, wearing a blue and rust colored flannel shirt in front of a wooden fence backdrop.
Alan Hejl
Member
Ferndale, Michigan
Christopher Wardell A person with pale ivory skin and a beard smiling. They are wearing a light blue collared shirt and standing in front of a brick wall
Christopher Wardell
Vice Chair
East Lansing, Michigan
A person with tan skin and curly black hair with curly gray hair strands smiling while wearing glasses and a dark purple shirt. A solid beige background is behind them.
Dalia Smith
Member
Saginaw, Michigan
Joel W. Cooper
Treasurer
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Lucia Rios
Member
Holland, Michigan
A person with pale ivory skin with chin length blonde hair smiling. They are wearing a dark brown top.
Sarah Slocum
Board Chair
Lansing, Michigan
Alan Hejl Headshot picture of Alan Hejl. Headshot picture of a white skinned male with short auburn colored hair in his 30's, wearing a blue and rust colored flannel shirt in front of a wooden fence backdrop.
Alan Hejl
Member
Ferndale, Michigan
Christopher Wardell A person with pale ivory skin and a beard smiling. They are wearing a light blue collared shirt and standing in front of a brick wall
Christopher Wardell
Vice Chair
East Lansing, Michigan
A person with tan skin and curly black hair with curly gray hair strands smiling while wearing glasses and a dark purple shirt. A solid beige background is behind them.
Dalia Smith
Member
Saginaw, Michigan
Joel W. Cooper
Treasurer
Kalamazoo, Michigan
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