Harper College is closed on Friday, April 18, for Reading Day.
Lori, a graduate of Catherine Scott Secretarial School, has been a member of the ADS team since 1996. Lori grew up with several family members and friends who have disabilities - which made this a natural and rewarding field for her to enter. She began learning ASL in the 1980s for a friend who was going deaf, and loved being able to communicate in a new way, with more people. Her husband is Deaf-Blind and attended Harper before starting his own business. Current outside interests include jewelry making, crocheting winter scarves and baby blankets and reading.
Samantha Almeida OrtegaSamy has gained her secretarial experience by working in K-12 institutions around the Palatine area. She moved from her country, Ecuador, in 2019 to pursue her higher education. Currently, Samy is a full-time student at the University of Illinois in Chicago where she focused on Political Science, but is now changing her major to Social Work. Outside of work, She enjoys spending time with her daughter and her grandmother, reading and exploring new restaurants.
Carla's journey into helping students with disabilities started when she got a job at Triton to work as a Project Achieve Specialist. There she taught students with disabilities how to create a successful resume, soft skills like dressing appropriately for interviews and so much more. She enjoyed working with the students and helping them reach their full potential.
"Having grown up in close contact with early computer technology, this individual has a long-standing interest in the empowering aspects of technology. With a focus on digital accessibility, this person has had the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of end-users, gaining insights into how technology can improve quality of life for people with disabilities. After a brief stint as a technology trainer specializing in assistive solutions, the importance of contributing to digital accessibility became even more apparent.”
Sara LucasWhen Sara first set foot on the campus of Western Maryland College in 1998 she didn't know she'd begin a life-long journey into the Deaf Community. An American Sign Language interpreter for twenty years, Sara has worked in a variety of settings before coming to Harper. Sara also holds a Master's degree in Organizational Management. As a member of the Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority, volunteerism has always been important to Sara and she continues to serve in various volunteer roles.
Stephanie Wootten Austin
Michele Jendreas-Papierniak Michele’s passion for working with Deaf people started with her first ASL class at
Harper College. Graduating with her Associate in Arts, she then went on to complete
her Sign Language Interpreting Certificate from Harper. After many years of being
a freelance interpreter, she is back home at Harper where she first started. In her
free time, she enjoys spending time on home improvement projects, making soap, and
hiking and kayaking with her husband, three kids and two big dogs.
Katie GarciaKatie discovered a passion for working in accessibility services as a graduate student at The Ohio State University, where she received her Master of Public Health. Prior to joining the team at Harper College, she worked as a Disability Services Specialist at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Katie loves working directly with students, focusing on academic skill-building, wellness, and mindfulness. Outside of the office, Katie enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and volunteering in the community.
April Maman April (pronouns she, her, hers) is currently an Access Advocate at Harper College since January 2019. April notes that the greatest joy is offering support, engaging, empowering, and encouraging students to succeed during their time at Harper College. Her professional area of interest includes disability culture, inclusion and equity, mental health, social justice, self-advocacy, and universal design. When not in the office, April enjoys yoga, meditation, reading, check out new restaurants, spending time with fur-kid, and travel.
Anita Rehberg Anita has a bachelor's degree in Child and Family Studies from Northern Illinois University and master's degree in Counseling/Higher Education from Emporia State University. Before working at Harper, she worked as a Hall Director in residence life, an Academic Counselor, and a Student Activities Director. Anita has been working at Harper since 2010. Before joining the ADS team, Anita worked in the Center for New Student as an Academic Advisor. In ADS, she enjoys working with ADS Students and encouraging each student's academic, personal, and professional success. In addition to serving as an Access Advocate, Anita coordinates the Transition Autism Program (TAP) and advises the ADS Success Club. When not working, Anita enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys. As a family, they love to camp, hike, and visit National Parks.
Elisa FloresElisa has a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with an Emphasis in Rehabilitation Services and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Northern Illinois University. She is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Before joining the ADS team at Harper College, Elisa worked in the disability services office at Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago as both an Assistant Director and Accessibility Specialist. Prior to working in disability services, Elisa also worked in K-12 and private sector vocational rehabilitation counseling. Elisa is passionate about empowering individuals with disabilities through education, skill-building, and advocacy and her professional interests include disability identity and culture, intersectionality, social justice, and universal design. Outside of the office, Elisa enjoys running, spending time with her family, playing with her dog, and dancing to salsa and bachata.
Rebecca Ramirez - MalagonRebecca has fourteen years of higher education experience spanning several different institutions and areas including disability services, admissions, and student involvement. She notes that her passion for serving students with disabilities began in her childhood, as her mother worked at a school that was specifically for children with Autism and Down Syndrome. Throughout her youth, Rebecca was able to volunteer at the school, even serving as an aide during their summer program. When she decided to go to college, Rebecca knew that her major had to focus on helping individuals with disabilities. She assumed that would lead her to becoming a special education teacher, but she landed on the higher education route instead. Fourteen years later, and in a position that allows her to review procedures and better serve students with disabilities, she is happy with her decision.