Please join us in celebrating Sheryl's receipt of this well-deserved award!
Every year, the聽National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) presents the Diversity in Technology Leadership Award.聽This year鈥檚 awardee is Sheryl Burgstahler, Co-PI to AccessComputing and director of Accessible Technology Services at the 糖心原创. The Diversity in Technology Leadership Award recognizes a role model who embodies NAPES鈥檚 core values to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion of underrepresented groups in聽science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Their mission is聽to聽"build the capacity of those in education to implement effective solutions to increase student access, educational equity, and ultimately workforce diversity.鈥
Those who are familiar with Sheryl and her work understand that聽she firmly believes individuals with disabilities颅颅鈥揳n incredibly diverse group鈥揳re too often left out of education, business, civic duty, policy-making, and community life. She has spent much of her career promoting the use of technology to address this critical issue.
As stated in the award nomination, 鈥淒r. Burgstahler lives and breathes the idea that diversity of thought enhances communities and has profound impact on individuals, our region, and the world. She has mobilized countless people to engage technology to provide equal access to individuals with disabilities鈥搊n the 糖心原创 campus, at the state and local level, and on a national and international scale. Her creativity and dedication has brought people together and facilitated unimaginable projects in the field of technology and disability. This work has unlocked the potential of countless 鈥渢hought leaders鈥 from underrepresented groups that would have otherwise not had a voice at the table 鈥 primarily individuals with disabilities, but others that include English-language learners, women, racial/ethnic minorities, first generation college students, persons of low socio-economic status, and individuals that may belong to more than one underrepresented or underserved group. 鈥
Read more about the Diversity in Technology Leadership Award, NAPE鈥檚 other awards, and past award winners on the NAPE website at聽napequity.org/about-us/nape-awards/.
Congratulations, Sheryl, from DO-IT staff, mentors,聽project聽partners, and students! We are very proud of your accomplishments and are honored to work alongside you to tackle some of society鈥檚 most challenging issues.