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='''Tools for Life Team'''=
==Carolyn P. Phillips==
==Carolyn P. Phillips==


[[File:CP_headshot.png|200px|thumb|left|Carolyn Phillips]]
[[File:Carolyn_Phillips_2_SQ.png|160px|thumb|left|Carolyn Phillips]]
'''Program Director and Principal Investigator'''<br />
Director at Tools for Life
Carolyn P. Phillips is a nationally recognized consultant in the field of assistive technology and disabilities. She has spoken to numerous groups on topics that include assistive technology, advocacy, self-determination and living with a learning disability. Carolyn serves as Director of Tools for Life, the Georgia Assistive Technology Act Program and Pass It On Center, the National Assistive Technology Reuse Technical Assistance and Coordination Center. She has published articles in numerous journals, a chapter in a book and poetry focused on understanding and appreciating people with disabilities. Carolyn has dedicated her time and energy to promoting independence for people with disabilities through advocacy, education, assistive technology and fundraising. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, and her Master's Degree from the University of Kentucky. Carolyn lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  
Carolyn P. Phillips is nationally recognized in the field of assistive technology and disabilities. Carolyn serves as Director and Principal Investigator of Tools for Life, Georgia’s Assistive Technology (AT) Act Program and the Interim Director of Services and Education at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. In this capacity, she oversees a wide range of AT projects and programs, including the National Pass It On Center. Carolyn teaches a graduate class at the University of Georgia in the College of Education. She is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and guest lecturer at other universities. She has published articles in journals, chapters in books in AT and poetry focused on living with disabilities. Carolyn has dedicated her time and energy to promoting independence of all people, including those with disabilities through advocacy, education, assistive technology and systems change. Among other awards and recognitions, she has received the National Rehabilitation Association’s Belle Greve Award for “outstanding contributions and major positive impacts” in the disability community. The Department of Labor in Georgia also gave her the Director’s Award for “extraordinary and diligent service on behalf of people with disabilities.” She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, and her Master's Degree from the University of Kentucky. Carolyn lives in Atlanta, Georgia. <br/>


Send an email to Carolyn: [mailto:carolyn.phillips@gatfl.gatech.edu carolyn.phillips@gatfl.gatech.edu]<br />
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==Martha Rust==


[[File:Martha.png|200px|thumb|left|Martha Rust]]
'''Interim Associate Director at CIDI and Principal Investigator at Tools for Life'''<br/>
Martha Rust completed her masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Tennessee and received her CRC. She also is a RESNA-certified ATP and earned a certificate in Assistive Technology Applications from California State University at Northridge. Ms. Rust began working at the assistive technology program for the state of Georgia, Tools for Life in 2006. She became the director in 2023. Later that same year she also became the Interim Associate Director at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. Ms. Rust has presented at numerous international, national, regional, and state conferences on assistive technology and serves on several disability-related committees <br/>


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==Tori Adamson==
[[File:Insert_Picture.png|160px|thumb|left|Tori Adamson]]
'''Outreach Specialist'''<br/>
Tori Adamson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Shorter University in 2012 and her Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2014. When the news business didn't live up to her expectations, Tori turned toward her passion of disability advocacy for a new career path. There she found Tools for Life and joined the team in January 2017. As Outreach Specialist for Tools for Life, Tori is part of the Training & Outreach Team. She assists with organizing statewide projects, conferences, trainings, exhibits, etc. to share information about the services offered by Tools for Life. Tori also manages all Tools for Life social media.


Tori has been involved in adaptive sports, particularly wheelchair racing, for most of her life. Tori is a committee member for the Cedartown Wheelchair Athlete Training Camp and 5K in Cedartown, Georgia and has also commentated at the finish line of the Peachtree Road Race for the wheelchair division in 2014, 2016, and 2018 sharing her knowledge of the sport and the athletes with Atlanta. Tori lives in Rockmart with her fiancé and she hopes to continue to share her knowledge of AT with smaller communities so people are aware of their options when it comes to living and working independently with a disability.<br/>


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==Dr. Ben Satterfield==
[[File:BenSatterfield-circle.png|160px|thumb|left|Dr. Ben Satterfield]]
'''Research Associate'''<br/>
Dr. Ben Satterfield is a Research Associate at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. His research is focused on measuring outcomes of AT use. Ben has a background as an instructional designer who participated in the design of several software titles for young children and children with disabilities. He is also a conference presenter and workshop  instructor. Ben served as the President of the Dunamis Educational Foundation and the President/CEO of Dunamis, Inc. He taught in a public high school near Richmond, Va. for seven years and served five years as a Head Soccer Coach and in sports administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. He also worked for two years as a software designer at ChalkBoard, Inc.


==Joy Kniskern==
Ben holds a BA in History from William & Mary, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Virginia. In 2007, Ben completed work on his doctoral program in Instructional Technology and Distance Education at NOVA Southeastern University. Today he is a Research Associate with GA Tools for Life at Georgia Tech and an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia College of Education teaching the graduate course in AAC in the Communication Science and Special Education Department.<br/>


[[File:Joy_headshoot.jpg‎|200px|thumb|left|Joy Kniskern]]
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'''AT Development Initiatives PI'''<br />
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Joy Kniskern obtained an M.Ed. in Community Counseling from Georgia State University, a BA from Vanderbilt University and is certified as a rehabilitation counselor and level one mediation specialist. Joy has spent over 34 years securing and leading innovative state, Federal and private grants to increase access to and acquisition of appropriate assistive technology. She pioneered development of a computer education program for individuals with severe disabilities in the 1980s, launched and directed Tools for Life in the 1990s and established Georgia's Alternative Finance Program, Credit-Able. She has co-authored publications on assistive technology service delivery, has presented widely, peer-reviewed many grants, and continues to serve in leadership roles on many state and national advisory groups to assist in strategic planning and resource development for assistive technology.  In 2006, she received the Touch the Future Visionary Award for her leadership in advancing assistive technology services, and has received many other awards for her work over the years.
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Send an email to Joy: [mailto:joy.kniskern@gatfl.gatech.edu joy.kniskern@gatfl.gatech.edu]<br />
==Kayla Malone==
[[File:KaylaMalone-circle.jpeg|160px|thumb|left|Kayla Malone]]
'''Graphic Designer'''<br/>
As the Graphic Designer for CIDI and Tools for Life program, Kayla designs and provides unique solutions to help create innovative and inclusive experiences for others. Her responsibilities include the development and production of a variety of assets across multiple platforms from print to web. Kayla earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Arts and Design and Master of Science degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. She has been able to utilize her unique skillset by working in a variety of environments from broadcast news to higher education. Her most recent experience was in the Marketing and Public Relations department at a technical college, where she was responsible for the development and dissemination of assets internally and externally across three campuses, multiple satellite centers, and a one-of-a-kind veteran's resource center.<br/>
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==Sarah Endicott==


'''Disability Services Provider'''<br/>
Sarah Endicott graduated from Colorado State University in 1979 with a degree in occupational therapy. She began work at Georgia Tech and CATEA in 1984. Sarah served as an information specialist on assistive technology, and helped to develop assistivetech.net, the national website on assistive technology.


She has served as researcher and principle investigator on projects involving accessibility on the Georgia Tech campus, for the state of Georgia, and for private and public businesses. Sarah also has provided technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, and has participated in many activities for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Workplace Accommodations.


She was part of the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource (CAESAR) team that collected anthropometric data on the civilian population of the United States and Europe. More recently, Sarah worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs on projects studying assistive technology use and sleep with aging veterans and their caregivers. Her specialty areas include assistive technology and environmental accessibility.
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==Sal Kibler==


==Liz Persaud==
'''Gerontologist'''<br/>
After a business career in marketing and advertising, Sal Kibler entered the Georgia State  62+ program and completed a Masters in Gerontology in December 2021. Ms. Kibler originally joined Tools for Life as an intern in the direct services department in 2019 and was then hired to continue working with TFL’s expanding outreach to older adults. Her interests are aging in place, planning for aging, and technology, products, and services for older adults. She hopes to provide solutions to companies, individuals and organizations who are interested in creating purpose-filled lives for older adults and their families.
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[[File:Liz_headshot.jpg‎|200px|thumb|left|Liz Persaud]]
==Jennifer Ro==
'''Training, Development and Outreach Coordinator'''<br />
Liz Persaud is a nationally recognized keynote and public speaker addressing the need to build bridges between individuals with and without disabilities. Liz currently serves as the Training and Development Coordinator for Tools for Life (Georgia’s Assistive Technology Act Program) and the Pass It On Center (National Assistive Technology Device Reutilization Coordination and Technical Assistance Center). Liz is an active advocate with the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Atlanta, speaking to numerous groups and organizations across the country. Additionally, Liz holds the title for the 1999 and 2005 Muscular Dystrophy Association Personal Achievement Award in the state of Georgia. She has dedicated her life to increasing independence for individuals with disabilities by educating on self determination and advocacy, successful transition practices, using assistive technology, encouraging others to focus on abilities and promoting equality amongst those of all abilities. Liz is a graduate of Georgia State University and lives in Alpharetta, Georgia with her family.


Send an email to Liz: [mailto:liz.persaud@gatfl.gatech.edu liz.persaud@gatfl.gatech.edu]<br />
'''Speech-Language Pathologist'''<br/>
As a speech-language pathologist of almost 30 years, Jennifer has developed extensive knowledge and experience in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and has presented at the state and national levels.


Her clinical experience in public schools, private clinics, early intervention programs, and community-based adult workshops and group homes, informs and drives Jennifer’s interests in developing the communication and language abilities of children and adults with complex communication needs. As a result, Jennifer recognizes the unique perspective of individuals, parents, school staff and private service providers, as those with limited verbal ability progress through life’s stages and settings


Prior to joining TFL, Jennifer’s work focused on collaborative and coaching models of AAC service delivery, with emphasis on social-emotional engagement. As the lead AAC-SLP on the Assistive Technology team for a large school district, she developed and provided district-wide trainings and AT/AAC classroom and implementation support programs, in addition to conducting individual AAC student consultations.  Jennifer has also provided Technical Assistance to school districts across Georgia through her work with the Educational Outreach Program of Marcus Autism Center, an NIH Autism Center of Excellence.


As a result of her experiences, Jennifer values the very unique needs of each individual, whether they be a user of AAC or a family member, educator, or professional who supports them. A life-long learner, Jennifer obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University
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==Rachel Scarboro==


'''AT Specialist'''<br/>
Rachel earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida in 2022. She was introduced to Tools for Life while completing her doctoral capstone project and is thrilled to be on the team as an AT Support Specialist. Rachel is compassionate, a problem-solver by nature, and dedicated to providing exceptional support to the communities she serves. She strives to increase awareness of AT’s potential through education and advocacy. Rachel believes everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live life to its fullest, and she hopes her work at Tools for Life will make this a reality for more people with disabilities.
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==Martha Rust==
==Hunter McFeron==


[[File:Martha_headshot.jpg‎‎|200px|thumb|left|Martha Rust]]
'''Services Acquisition Manager'''<br/>
'''AT Specialist and Services Coordinator'''<br />
Hunter assists in the management of Tools for Life lending library and provides guidance and resources related to the acquisition of assistive technology for individuals across the state. His background as a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) sparked a robust interest in augmentative and alternative communication, leading him down the path to assistive tech. He is proud to be working with a phenomenal team as they advocate for and support the needs of the community. Hunter earned his bachelor’s and master’s in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Georgia.
Martha Rust completed her masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Tennessee and received her CRC. She also is a RESNA certified ATP and earned a certificate in Assistive Technology Applications from California State University at Northridge. Ms. Rust is the Assistive Technology Specialist for Tools for Life/ AMAC at Ga Tech. She also works on the Tech Support Team for AMAC, working with college students who have disabilities and use AMAC services. Ms. Rust  has presented at numerous international, national, regional, and state conferences on assistive technology and serves on several disability related committees


Send an email to Martha: [mailto:martha.rust@gatfl.gatech.edu martha.rust@gatfl.gatech.edu]<br />
When not in the lab and keeping up to date with the newest assistive technology, Hunter can be found playing video games, seeking out the best places to eat in Atlanta, and occasionally dancing.
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Latest revision as of 10:47, 23 February 2024

Carolyn P. Phillips

Carolyn Phillips

Director at Tools for Life Carolyn P. Phillips is nationally recognized in the field of assistive technology and disabilities. Carolyn serves as Director and Principal Investigator of Tools for Life, Georgia’s Assistive Technology (AT) Act Program and the Interim Director of Services and Education at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. In this capacity, she oversees a wide range of AT projects and programs, including the National Pass It On Center. Carolyn teaches a graduate class at the University of Georgia in the College of Education. She is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences and guest lecturer at other universities. She has published articles in journals, chapters in books in AT and poetry focused on living with disabilities. Carolyn has dedicated her time and energy to promoting independence of all people, including those with disabilities through advocacy, education, assistive technology and systems change. Among other awards and recognitions, she has received the National Rehabilitation Association’s Belle Greve Award for “outstanding contributions and major positive impacts” in the disability community. The Department of Labor in Georgia also gave her the Director’s Award for “extraordinary and diligent service on behalf of people with disabilities.” She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, and her Master's Degree from the University of Kentucky. Carolyn lives in Atlanta, Georgia.




Martha Rust

Martha Rust

Interim Associate Director at CIDI and Principal Investigator at Tools for Life
Martha Rust completed her masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Tennessee and received her CRC. She also is a RESNA-certified ATP and earned a certificate in Assistive Technology Applications from California State University at Northridge. Ms. Rust began working at the assistive technology program for the state of Georgia, Tools for Life in 2006. She became the director in 2023. Later that same year she also became the Interim Associate Director at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. Ms. Rust has presented at numerous international, national, regional, and state conferences on assistive technology and serves on several disability-related committees






Tori Adamson

Tori Adamson

Outreach Specialist
Tori Adamson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Shorter University in 2012 and her Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2014. When the news business didn't live up to her expectations, Tori turned toward her passion of disability advocacy for a new career path. There she found Tools for Life and joined the team in January 2017. As Outreach Specialist for Tools for Life, Tori is part of the Training & Outreach Team. She assists with organizing statewide projects, conferences, trainings, exhibits, etc. to share information about the services offered by Tools for Life. Tori also manages all Tools for Life social media.

Tori has been involved in adaptive sports, particularly wheelchair racing, for most of her life. Tori is a committee member for the Cedartown Wheelchair Athlete Training Camp and 5K in Cedartown, Georgia and has also commentated at the finish line of the Peachtree Road Race for the wheelchair division in 2014, 2016, and 2018 sharing her knowledge of the sport and the athletes with Atlanta. Tori lives in Rockmart with her fiancé and she hopes to continue to share her knowledge of AT with smaller communities so people are aware of their options when it comes to living and working independently with a disability.




Dr. Ben Satterfield

Dr. Ben Satterfield

Research Associate
Dr. Ben Satterfield is a Research Associate at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. His research is focused on measuring outcomes of AT use. Ben has a background as an instructional designer who participated in the design of several software titles for young children and children with disabilities. He is also a conference presenter and workshop instructor. Ben served as the President of the Dunamis Educational Foundation and the President/CEO of Dunamis, Inc. He taught in a public high school near Richmond, Va. for seven years and served five years as a Head Soccer Coach and in sports administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. He also worked for two years as a software designer at ChalkBoard, Inc.

Ben holds a BA in History from William & Mary, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Virginia. In 2007, Ben completed work on his doctoral program in Instructional Technology and Distance Education at NOVA Southeastern University. Today he is a Research Associate with GA Tools for Life at Georgia Tech and an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia College of Education teaching the graduate course in AAC in the Communication Science and Special Education Department.




Kayla Malone

Kayla Malone

Graphic Designer
As the Graphic Designer for CIDI and Tools for Life program, Kayla designs and provides unique solutions to help create innovative and inclusive experiences for others. Her responsibilities include the development and production of a variety of assets across multiple platforms from print to web. Kayla earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Arts and Design and Master of Science degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. She has been able to utilize her unique skillset by working in a variety of environments from broadcast news to higher education. Her most recent experience was in the Marketing and Public Relations department at a technical college, where she was responsible for the development and dissemination of assets internally and externally across three campuses, multiple satellite centers, and a one-of-a-kind veteran's resource center.



Sarah Endicott

Disability Services Provider
Sarah Endicott graduated from Colorado State University in 1979 with a degree in occupational therapy. She began work at Georgia Tech and CATEA in 1984. Sarah served as an information specialist on assistive technology, and helped to develop assistivetech.net, the national website on assistive technology.

She has served as researcher and principle investigator on projects involving accessibility on the Georgia Tech campus, for the state of Georgia, and for private and public businesses. Sarah also has provided technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through the Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, and has participated in many activities for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Workplace Accommodations.

She was part of the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource (CAESAR) team that collected anthropometric data on the civilian population of the United States and Europe. More recently, Sarah worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs on projects studying assistive technology use and sleep with aging veterans and their caregivers. Her specialty areas include assistive technology and environmental accessibility.



Sal Kibler

Gerontologist
After a business career in marketing and advertising, Sal Kibler entered the Georgia State 62+ program and completed a Masters in Gerontology in December 2021. Ms. Kibler originally joined Tools for Life as an intern in the direct services department in 2019 and was then hired to continue working with TFL’s expanding outreach to older adults. Her interests are aging in place, planning for aging, and technology, products, and services for older adults. She hopes to provide solutions to companies, individuals and organizations who are interested in creating purpose-filled lives for older adults and their families.



Jennifer Ro

Speech-Language Pathologist
As a speech-language pathologist of almost 30 years, Jennifer has developed extensive knowledge and experience in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and has presented at the state and national levels.

Her clinical experience in public schools, private clinics, early intervention programs, and community-based adult workshops and group homes, informs and drives Jennifer’s interests in developing the communication and language abilities of children and adults with complex communication needs. As a result, Jennifer recognizes the unique perspective of individuals, parents, school staff and private service providers, as those with limited verbal ability progress through life’s stages and settings

Prior to joining TFL, Jennifer’s work focused on collaborative and coaching models of AAC service delivery, with emphasis on social-emotional engagement. As the lead AAC-SLP on the Assistive Technology team for a large school district, she developed and provided district-wide trainings and AT/AAC classroom and implementation support programs, in addition to conducting individual AAC student consultations. Jennifer has also provided Technical Assistance to school districts across Georgia through her work with the Educational Outreach Program of Marcus Autism Center, an NIH Autism Center of Excellence.

As a result of her experiences, Jennifer values the very unique needs of each individual, whether they be a user of AAC or a family member, educator, or professional who supports them. A life-long learner, Jennifer obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University



Rachel Scarboro

AT Specialist
Rachel earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Florida in 2022. She was introduced to Tools for Life while completing her doctoral capstone project and is thrilled to be on the team as an AT Support Specialist. Rachel is compassionate, a problem-solver by nature, and dedicated to providing exceptional support to the communities she serves. She strives to increase awareness of AT’s potential through education and advocacy. Rachel believes everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live life to its fullest, and she hopes her work at Tools for Life will make this a reality for more people with disabilities.



Hunter McFeron

Services Acquisition Manager
Hunter assists in the management of Tools for Life lending library and provides guidance and resources related to the acquisition of assistive technology for individuals across the state. His background as a certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP) sparked a robust interest in augmentative and alternative communication, leading him down the path to assistive tech. He is proud to be working with a phenomenal team as they advocate for and support the needs of the community. Hunter earned his bachelor’s and master’s in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Georgia.

When not in the lab and keeping up to date with the newest assistive technology, Hunter can be found playing video games, seeking out the best places to eat in Atlanta, and occasionally dancing.