Harper College

Meet the Team

Front Desk Staff


Lori Eshoo

Lori Eshoo

Bilingual Secretary II
Voice Phone:
847-925-6266
Email:ads@harpercollege.edu

Lori, a graduate of Catherine Scott Secretarial School, has been a member of the ADS team for 24 years. Lori grew up with a 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. After serving as a department secretary for salespeople for twelve years, Lori started working for a psychosocial rehabilitation organization; her eyes opened to non-profit and she never looked back. 


Photo of Samantha Almeida OrtegaSamantha Almeida Ortega

Bilingual Secretary II
Voice Phone: 847-925-6266
Email:ads@harpercollege.edu

Samy 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.


 

Assistive Technology Lab

Photo of Nick EspositoNick Esposito

Assistive Technology Coordinator
Phone: 847-925-6505
Email:  en10353@harpercollege.edu 
General questions:  adsatlab@harpercollege.edu 

Nick graduated from Loras College in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice.  He then attended National-Louis University in 2010 and graduated with a Masters of Arts in Teaching - Special Education degree with a Learning Behavioral Specialist I certification.  Prior to Harper College, he worked in law enforcement and then began working in education in 2006 as a Special Education Teacher at private therapeutic day schools and the public school system.  Nick held the role of Special Education Teacher, working with a wide range of students ranging from 5th grade to 12th grade, and in both urban and suburban settings.  Nick is passionate about working and advocating for students with disabilities, with a focus that students are given proper resources, opportunities, and skills to fulfill their goals and potential. His role here at Harper as the Assistive Technology Coordinator is to provide assistive technology and document conversion for accessible materials to students.  Outside of work, Nick enjoys spending time with his kids and his hobbies.  He has been involved in the sport of wrestling for over 30 years and was a four-year varsity wrestler at Loras College.  He volunteers his time as a wrestling coach at the high school and youth levels.


Interpreting Staff

Sara LucasSara Lucas

Scheduling Coordinator
Phone: 847-925-6664

When 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.

Staff Interpreters:

Stephanie Wootten Austin


Access Advocates

Katie GarciaKatie Garcia

Access Advocate

Email:  gk29120@harpercollege.edu

Katie 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 MamanApril Maman 

Access Advocate

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 RehbergAnita Rehberg 

Access Advocate

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.


Robert Uhren

Access Advocate

"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.”


Leadership Staff

Jason Altmann

Director

 

Becky Ramirez-MalagonRebecca Ramirez - Malagon

Manager of Accommodations

Rebecca 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. 


Last Updated: 2/27/24