Staff Mentors

Sheryl

My name is Sheryl Burgstahler and I am the Director of DO-IT. I have a husband, Dave, and a son, Travis, who are both DO-IT volunteers. I have a Masters degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in higher education. I am an Assistant Director within Computing & Communications and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Washington. I am particularly interested in how computers can help people with disabilities achieve high levels of independence, productivity, and participation.
sherylb@cac.washington.edu

 

Kristin

My name is Kristin Otis and I am a Counselor/Coordinator for DO-IT. I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and am the youngest of five children. During my freshman year of college, it was discovered that I have Dyslexia. Through an excellent college mentoring program and experimenting with new learning strategies, I was able to discover how to work with my learning style. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Communicative Disorders. Before DO-IT, I worked as a speech and language specialist.
kristino@u.washington.edu

 

Kathy

My name is Kathy Cook. I am a Counselor/Coordinator for DO-IT. I served on the Advisory Board for DO-IT for many years, and have always been very impressed with DO-IT's accomplishments, and now I work full-time for the program! I was born in Seattle, but grew up in Bellingham, Washington. I have a B.A. degree in Human Services, and have spent the past fourteen years working with people who have disabilities.
kathyann@u.washington.edu

 

James

Hi. My name is James O'Connor. I have worked in DO-IT summer study programs for four years. I grew up in Ontario, California the youngest of four kids. Throughout my life I've struggled with Dyslexia. I recently received a B.A. of Education from Central Washington University. In the fall 1998 I will begin my teaching career at Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington.
oconnorj@u.washington.edu

 

Dan

I'm Dan Comden. When not serving as the head technical nerd for DO-IT, I manage the Adaptive Technology Lab at the University of Washington. I have a wife, Louise, who is a pediatric intensive care nurse, and a son, Zane. Apart from work and family, any spare time is spent working with my search and rescue dog.
danc@cac.washington.edu

 

Marvin

My name is Marvin Crippen. I help Dan out with technical support, work on the DO-IT World Wide Web home page, and work in the UW Adaptive Technology Lab.
mcrip@cac.washington.edu

 

Doug

My name is Doug Hayman. I'm the technology specialist working with DO-IT Scholars, Pals, and Campers in Washington state. When not at work, I play guitar, hike, and hang out with friends.
dhayman@u.washington.edu

 

Steve

My name is Steve Nourse. I am a Counselor/ Coordinator for DO-IT. Prior to holding this position I was a Transition Systems Specialist and worked on the Washington State Systems Change grant in transition. My background includes teaching as an adjunct professor at Seattle area colleges in the field of special education. I have a doctorate in special education. I have a spinal cord injury.
graduate@ptinet.net

 

Julie

My name is Julie Smallman. I coordinate the DO-IT CAREERS project. CAREERS helps students with disabilities get involved in work-based learning activities such as internships and cooperative education. I have a husband named John who is a graphic designer and a very spoiled cat named Mr. Roboto. I received my Bachelor's degree in 1994 from Western Washington University, Fairhaven College with a major called "Behavior and Independence: Service Strategies for People with Disabilities."
smallman@u.washington.edu

 

Lyla

My name is Lyla Crawford. I am a Counselor/Coordinator for DO-IT. I work on two DO-IT projects. I help students transition from 2-year to 4-year colleges with DO-IT 2-4. I also support DO-IT efforts on the east side of Washington state. I work in Spokane, I have a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology, and I am also trained to administer and interpret psycho-educational and psychological assessments. I have a husband, Shawn, and a son, Joshua.
lylac@u.washington.edu