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 dedicated DO-IT volunteers (especially Travis). I have a Masters degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in higher education. I am an Assistant Director within Computing & Communications and an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington. I am particularly interested in how computers can help people with disabilities achieve success. 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 and will begin studying in the Masters in Social Work program here at the University in the fall. Before DO-IT, I worked as a speech and language specialist. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, enjoying the outdoors, reading, and listening to live music. 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 16 years working with people who have disabilities. I enjoy gardening, communicating with sign language, and anything to do with beads! kathyann@u.washington.edu
James
Hi. My name is James O'Connor. I have worked in DO-IT summer study programs for six years. I grew up in Ontario, California the youngest of four kids. Throughout my life I've struggled with Dyslexia. I received a B.A. of Education from Central Washington University. In the fall of 1998, I began my teaching career at Juanita High School in Kirkland, WA. joconnor@lkwash.wednet.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 two sons, Fritz and Zane. Apart from work and family, any spare time is spent working with my search and rescue dogs. 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
Lyla
My name is Lyla Crawford. I am a Counselor/Coordinator for DO-IT. I help students transition from two-year to four-year colleges with DO-IT 2-4. I work in the Spokane iffice supporting DO-IT efforts in Eastern Washington. I have a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology. I have a husband, Shawn, and a son, Joshua. lylac@u.washington.edu
Sara
My name is Sara Lopez, and I joined the team as Project Coordinator for DO-IT CAREERS. My project focus is to increase work-based learning opportunities for high school and post-secondary students, so that they are better prepared for career success. Originally from southern California, I attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington and never went back! My academic background is in education. Most of my time outside of work revolves around family activities and rowing events. After rowing competitively in college, I have been very involved ever since coaching and managing rowing events, including the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. lopezsl@u.washington.edu