Boggs Center Staff Present at Annual AUCD Conference

Friday, November 15, 2024

Several Boggs Center staff presented at the annual Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Conference held in Washington, DC from November 3rd to November 6th, 2024. The AUCD Conference brings together more than 1,100 researchers, policymakers, practitioners, professionals, advocates, community leaders, and students. This year’s conference theme, “Stronger Together: Creating a More Inclusive World,” recognized the critical role of collaboration in advancing rights and opportunities for people with disabilities through research, training, education, and service.

Colleen McLaughlin, MEd, Deputy Director of The Boggs Center and UCEDD Director, co-presented “Leveraging the Charting the LifeCourse Framework to Drive Person-Centered Transformation that Focuses on All” alongside colleagues from the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration, The University of Cincinnati University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and the University of Missouri Kansas City Institute on Human Development. The presentation showcased how University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) have used the Charting the LifeCourse framework and tools to elevate the voices of people and families and drive systems change.

Valentina Arango-Correa, MEd, Training & Consultation Specialist and Rob Kimmel, EdD, BCBA, CESP, Training & Consultation Specialist, presented “Exposing Invisible Walls: Understanding Transition for Students with Disabilities and Undocumented Immigration Status.” Their presentation examined critical considerations around residency status and implications for current practices and future research.

Jaime Zahid, BA, Training & Consultation Specialist, presented “BoggsCast: Envisioning Possibilities for Innovation,” during a poster symposium focused on Arts, Media, and Culture. The poster focused on raising the voice of people with lived experience, who often serve as co-hosts, and reaching beyond the disability community to promote awareness and inclusion. Co-authors included Colleen McLaughlin, MEd, Carrie Coffield, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Director of Preservice Training at The Boggs Center and NJLEND Director, and Susan Ellien, MSW, Knowledge Translation & Grant Development Specialist.

Ziba Arjmand, BS, Program Coordinator, Data and Technology, served as a panelist for a NIRS Workshop for UCEDD Data Coordinators focused on best practices in data collection, review, and reporting.