Staff Mentors

Sheryl Burgstahler
Sheryl

My name is , and I am the founder and director of the DO-IT Center and Accessible Technology Services at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ (UW). I am also an affiliate professor in the College of Education. I have a master's degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in higher education. DO-IT allows me to apply my personal, academic, and professional interests and experiences. I have a husband, Dave, and a son, Travis, who are both dedicated DO-IT volunteers and UW Huskies. Dave is a professor of accounting and Travis is a student majoring in accounting and information management systems. The '93 Scholars remember Travis when he was three years old hanging around DO-IT Summer Study.

Scott Bellman
Scott

I'm Scott Bellman. I am the program manager at DO-IT. I completed a master's degree in 1996 in rehabilitation counseling and earned my undergraduate degree in psychology and business. I am currently a licensed mental health counselor in ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ State. I enjoy my work at DO-IT, which includes career counseling, writing, planning events, coordinating projects, supervising others, mentoring, and of course Summer Study! I serve on several boards and committees, including the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment. I learn a lot from my colleagues, and have co-authored several papers about work-based learning. Outside of work, my interests include performance art, camping and hiking, carpentry, and travel.
Brianna Blaser
Brianna

My name is Brianna Blaser, and I am a counselor/coordinator at the DO-IT Center. Originally from the East Coast, I moved to Seattle to attend graduate school at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´, where I earned my Ph.D. studying women in science. I like to spend my free time practicing yoga, riding my bike, and watching reality television.

Dan Comden
Dan

I'm Dan Comden. When not serving as a technical nerd for DO-IT, I manage the Access Technology Center (ATC) at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´. At the ATC we work directly with students, faculty, and staff with disabilities who need to access computing resources.
Lyla Crawford
Lyla

My name is Lyla Crawford. I am a counselor/coordinator for DO-IT. I work in the Spokane office. I have a master's degree in developmental psychology. I have a husband, Shawn, and a son, Joshua.
Profile of Marvin
Marvin

My name is Marvin Crippen. I help with technical support, work on DO-IT websites, and support the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´'s Access Technology Center.
Doug Hayman
Doug

My name is Doug Hayman. I'm the technology specialist for DO-IT. When not at work, I play guitar, hike, and hang out with friends.
Penny Hinke
Penny

My name is Penny Hinke. I am a counselor/coordinator for DO-IT. My primary role at DO-IT is as an acadmic coach. As a coach, I work one-on-one with college students who have disabilities to help them develop strategies that will enable them to achieve their academic goals. I recently moved to Seattle from Manchester, England, where I lived for sixteen years. I earned a master's degree in French from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (the other UW!). I enjoy running, writing, practicing yoga, and playing the piano.

Terry Thompson
Terry

My name is Terry Thompson. I am the technology accessibility specialist for DO-IT. In this position I help to educate K?12 and postsecondary educational institutions, technology vendors, government agencies, and others on how to ensure that technology is accessible to individuals with disabilities. I also teach accessible web design to students through our ongoing series of Web Accessibility Trainings. I live in Bellingham and work most of the time from an office at Western ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ University. When I am not working, you can usually find me hiking in the mountains, playing guitar, or spending quality time with my family.
Tami Tidwell
Tami

Hi! My name is Tami Tidwell. I work as a counselor/coordinator for DO-IT. My main role is to help students and employers create quality work-based learning experiences, including internships, informational interviews, and job shadows. I enjoy working closely with DO-IT Scholars during Summer Study and beyond. I was born and raised in Cowtown (a.k.a. Ft. Worth, TX). I have my degree in psychology from Texas Christian University.
Debra Zawada
Debra

My name is Debra Zawada. I have worked as program coordinator at DO-IT since 2004. I completed my undergraduate work in special education in Buffalo, NY and my graduate work at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´. My background is as a high school teacher and transition counselor with students with disabilities.