2026 Leadership Projects
Grace Bailey: An SLP's Guide to ALS Clinic
My project is an SLP's guide to ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic; there are multiple pages within the guide that act as handouts and visuals for patients and caregivers for those with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). It’s a multipage project that consulted multiple members of the VCU multidisciplinary team at the Short Pump Pavilion. I was so amazed by the clinic and the LEND program, which resulted in the following synthesized project. I hope that this packet can help clinicians as well as family members who are struggling with ALS. Please note that there is a very common misconception that ALS only affects the elderly, and that is simply not the case. This project highlights that children are also susceptible to ALS with very little public—or even healthcare—awareness. This guide includes assistance for all ages of the population, including adolescence.
Phoebe Bilby: “AAC in the Classroom” and "AAC in the Home”
My presentation is titled “AAC in the Classroom” and "AAC in the Home”. I designed and developed two AAC flyers that include practical tips, strategies, and easy-to-follow checklists to help families and educators support effective communication for individuals using AAC. I chose to create these AAC flyers after working closely in a school setting, where I noticed a need for simple, practical tools to support communication. The ready-to-go checklists on the back of the flyers and tips are designed for both teachers and parents to implement communication quickly. I hope these resources facilitate further access to communication in a more stress-free and supportive way for individuals using AAC.
Ame Branam: Virginia Down Syndrome Association Plain Language Workplace Documentation
My leadership project does not have a catchy title, so I refer to it as Virginia Down Syndrome Association Plain Language Workplace Documentation. This particular project is meant to create a more inclusive workplace where individuals with ID/DD can work and volunteer in our space and understand the documentation we give to employees and interns. My hope is that similar organizations and workplaces will be motivated to incorporate more plain language into their social media posts and official internal documentation, so individuals with disabilities will feel part of their workplace community. The plain language version of our Employee Handbook is a draft and will require many further edits and reviews before I am willing to call it a final copy.
Katie Bushing: Disability Experiences
My project, Disability Experiences, is a website that highlights the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities. As someone with a disability, I have seen firsthand how limited awareness and understanding can be among those without similar experiences. I created this platform to amplify personal stories while also offering accessible resources for individuals who want to learn more about disability, including relevant policies and available support systems. It is hoped that children with disabilities and their families can use this resource for education and empowerment.
Nikida Cromartie-James: Disability Experiences
Hello my name is Nikida Cromartie-James, a family member in the VA LEND program and connected to the disability community through both personal experience with my child and nephew, and professional experience as a social worker and employee of the Virginia Down Syndrome Association. For my leadership project I will present "Ready, Set, Advocate! Classroom Guidance for Young Children with Disabilities." This 75-minute interactive virtual presentation aims to equip early educators, particularly those in private sectors, with advocacy skills to ensure the needs of young learners aged 0-5 with disabilities are met in educational settings.
Amira Eldridge: Protective Orders for Survivors with Disabilities
I am a Self-Advocate and professional working in developmental disability services. For my leadership project titled "Protective Orders for Survivors with Disabilities", I collaborated with the Linking Outreach, Trust, Understanding, and Safety for People with Disabilities (LOTUS) project to develop a series of one page infographics to share with the VCU student accessibility office (SAEO). The one pagers are based on the "Understanding Protective Orders in Richmond, VA" booklet developed by the LOTUS project. I hope to address gaps in services for survivors with disabilities and to assist SAEO staff with providing information about protective orders to survivors who might interact with their office.
Protective Orders for Survivors with Disabilities Presentation
Christina M. Escalante: Strong Families, Strong Supports: Uplifting Military Children with Disabilities.
Through the lenses of education and psychology, I created a presentation called “Strong Families, Strong Supports: Uplifting Military Children with Disabilities.” Using case studies, the project brings real stories to life and provides educators with concrete strategies to help military-connected children with disabilities thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
In my role as Military Outreach Specialist for Virginia’s Parent Training Center (PEATC), I partner daily with military families navigating frequent moves, deployments, and other transitions. These experiences can create unique challenges for children with disabilities, affecting their learning and social-emotional well-being.
This project highlights how schools can create inclusive, compassionate, and responsive environments that honor both the strengths and needs of military families, equipping educators with strategies to help provide stability, support, and connection so every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Makenzee Eversole: Interdisciplinary Access: A Portable, Inclusive Low-Tech AAC Walker
My VALEND Leadership Project, “Interdisciplinary Access: A Portable, Inclusive Low-Tech AAC Walker,” integrated principles from Speech-Language Pathology, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy to create a functional, portable AAC device for children with Autism at my externship clinic. I designed and hand-drew a low-tech AAC communication board attached to a walker that could be transported between treatment rooms and included diverse representation with symbols labeled in both English and Spanish. I chose this project to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and increase equitable communication access for children with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. I hope this project empowers children with disabilities ages 0–21 to communicate more independently while supporting families through increased inclusion, representation, and functional participation across therapy settings.
Caden Gabriel: Autistic Experiences During the Shift from Adolescence to Early Adulthood
For my leadership project, I interviewed four Autistic individuals about their experiences during the shift from high school to post-high school life. Based on data acquired from these interviews, I created the Autistic Experiences Infographic highlighting their experiences, challenges, and supports related to the Autistic experience during this big life shift into adulthood. I chose this project because changes can be very difficult for Autists, and the time period after high school can be especially so as many supports from family, the school system, and the state change once individuals turn 18. Through interviewing Autistic individuals, I could hear about their experiences during this time and how they managed to support themselves during a largely unsupported time for this group. This project aims to increase awareness among families and professionals so they can provide more flexible, affirming, and practical support. Ultimately, I hope it helps improve outcomes and well-being for children and young adults with disabilities, ages 0–21, and their families.
Lauren Gebhardt: Resources for Patients and Families Affected by Autism
For my VA-LEND Leadership Project, I was trying to fill a need in our pediatric clinics at VCU. I noticed that we do not currently have a set of resources that we give to families of our patients who are on the autism spectrum, though we have a large population of patients with autism spectrum disorder. I decided to compile a variety of resources together and make them easily accessible for our residents and other providers to share them with our patients. I created a Powerpoint, which I will be presented to the pediatric residency program later this month as well as a document handout with links to all of the resources I chose to include. I also input the contents of the document into an Epic SmartPhrase, for easy sharing in patient instructions at the end of a visit. Now, residents and other providers will be able to provide a list of a variety of resources available to these patients and families via MyChart instructions, pdf via email, or in paper copy at the visit. The presentation will give me the opportunity to educate the residents on the listed resources so they will know exactly what is being recommended to patients and families. Resources include informational, safety resources, VCU specific resources, college scholarship programs, grant programs, service dogs, extracurricular activities, camp opportunities, and more. I hope these resources and formats will make it easier for providers to show families what opportunities are available to them and their children moving forward. I also plan to update the document and SmartPhrase as needed during the rest of my time at VCU.
Victoria King: Caregiver Resilience in the NICU
I selected Caregiver Resilience in the NICU as my VA-LEND Leadership Project. This topic is important to me as I have an interest in the NICU, a passion to support caregivers, and the desire to strengthen the role of all providers (especially PT) in the NICU environment. I created 3 deliverables as part of my project including an annotated bibliography, a draft fact sheet for the American Physical Therapy Association, and a journal club presentation outline. My hope is that this serves as a practical resource for providers to support knowledge of caregiver resilience and evidence-based practice and improves the experiences of caregivers and families in the NICU environment.
Paxton O’Bryen: Proposal for a Treatment Group for Individuals Dually-Diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Autism (ASD)
I am both a clinical social work student and disabled person. My LEND leadership project is titled “Proposal for a Treatment Group for Individuals Dually-Diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Autism (ASD).” I chose this topic because of my passionate belief that people with neurodevelopmental disabilities deserve relief from treatable mental health conditions in settings that are neurodiversity-affirming, autonomy-driven, and centering of lived-experience. I hope that this proposed treatment group will bring awareness to the intersections in experiences of OCD and ASD. I also hope that it will empower Autistic transition-age adults (18-21) to have the opportunity to more fully define and embody their own Autistic identity while learning to cope with the distressing symptoms of OCD.
Proposal for a Treatment Group for Individuals Diagnosed with OCD and Autism
Yesenia Pineda Reyes: UNC Angelman & Dup15q Clinic
I collaborated with the NC-LEND genetic counseling student, Holland Whitaker, to create a resource for families visiting the UNC Angelman & Dup15q syndrome multispecialty clinic. Both of these syndromes are neurodevelopmental disorders with genetic causes. For Virginia and North Carolina families seeking specialized care with providers who are experts in these conditions, one of their closest options is the UNC clinic. Especially for Dup15q syndrome that has far less clinic options than Angelman syndrome. We created a brochure for families to help prepare them for their first visit and clarify what to expect from each specialist. We created this brochure both in English and Spanish. We also created videos in both languages touring the clinic to help families better prepare for the day of the visit. The visits are day-long visits, sometimes lasting up to 8hrs, depending on the families needs. Given that many of these families have mobility difficulties and special care needs, our goal was to help provide a visual of exactly what to expect the day of and help their preparation. I really enjoyed using the knowledge I learned from LEND on interdisciplinary care and the opportunity to collaborate with another LEND student in a different program for our common goal of advocating for families and children with neurodevelopmental disabilities!
Domenica Pusic: Community Engagement and Partnership Development at Hilltop Home, Raleigh, NC
I have been working with Hilltop Home, located in Raleigh, NC, to create a resource to increase social participation opportunities with the facility residents, so they can further grow in their resilience, communication skills, and be part of their local community alongside the complexities of their medical conditions. My presentation, “Community Engagement and Partnership Development at Hilltop Home, Raleigh, NC”, involved developing resources for various community organizations so they may have a better understanding of Hilltop Home’s purpose, the benefits community engagement with the facility’s residents, and how the community can volunteer, partner, or donate. After volunteering with Hilltop Home on multiple occasions outside of LEND, I wanted to grow in my professional development through this impactful organization that benefits many children living with developmental disabilities and their families through their strong, nurturing mission.
Annie Reiner: The MATCH-ADTC Protocol: Literature Review & Individually Tailored Case Application
I am currently a predoctoral intern in Clinical Child Psychology at VCU. My presentation title is “The MATCH-ADTC Protocol: Literature Review & Individually Tailored Case Application.” I chose this leadership project because I felt like conducting therapy with this patient was extremely rewarding in terms of the flexibility required to help my patient feel heard, understood, safe, and empowered to reach her therapy goals. I hope that my project will motivate children with disabilities 0-21 and their families to advocate for patient-centered care that considers their unique backgrounds.
Chelsea Rodi: Sensory Integration and Sensory-Based Strategies Guides
I created comprehensive guides to sensory integration and sensory- based strategies designed for caregivers and educators. My clinical experience in a sensory-integration based occupational therapy practice inspired me to center my leadership project around sensory integration. Many of the parents I worked with wanted to learn more about sensory integration, and this guide gives them an accessible place to start. I added the educator guide to ensure children’s sensory needs can be met across contexts.
Kaitlyn Spitler: Adaptive Storytime: A Community-Based Leadership Project
I am an occupational therapy doctoral student presenting “Adaptive Storytime: A Community-Based Leadership Project.” For this project, I led the development, implementation, and evaluation of an Adaptive Storytime program in partnership with the Virginia Down Syndrome Association to address a need for more inclusive early literacy opportunities in the community. I chose this project because I wanted to better understand occupational therapy’s role in early literacy while also creating something meaningful and accessible for families. Through this experience, I took on a leadership role in program development, collaboration, and caregiver education. I hope this work helps expand inclusive programming and gives families practical tools to support their child’s development at home.
Kaitlyn Spitler: Adaptive Storytime: A Community-Based Leadership Project
I am a masters in genetic counseling student, and my presentation is titled The Sound of Support. For my leadership project, I created a children’s book that follows the story of a young girl with hearing loss as she meets with a genetic counselor and learns about her hearing loss, family patterns, and the supports that help her succeed in school. I chose this project to address the lack of accessible, child-friendly resources that explain genetics, hearing loss, and inclusive learning environments. I developed this resource with input from Deaf community members, Teachers of the Deaf, the VDDHH Director, and local children’s book publishers. My goal is for this book to help children ages 4+ and their families better understand genetic counseling, feel empowered in their care, and see themselves represented in supportive, inclusive educational settings.
Alyssa Tsui: Fun with Food: Feeding Education Strategies for Families and Practitioners
The title of my final project is called Fun with Food: Feeding Education Strategies for Families and Practitioners. I collaborated with a local clinic to (1) create a brochure for families with resources and strategies on play- and sensory-based feeding, oral motor exercises, food consistency milestones by age, environmental and material considerations during feeding, infant feeding, and how to schedule a feeding evaluation; (2) a supplemental clinician and volunteer guide on the mentioned topics; and (3) an online family resource folder. I chose this project based on my past experiences and interests in feeding therapy as well as my desire to provide a resource that would directly benefit the community on this lesser-known topic. I hope these materials will increase awareness of strategies to address feeding challenges in the home and to trigger a feeding evaluation when needed so that children and their families can get connected to resources earlier.
Piumini Wanigasundera: Empowering Families Through a Virtual Community Inclusion Hub
My disciplines are family and special education. My presentation, “Empowering Families Through a Virtual Community Inclusion Hub,” focuses on developing the NeuroConnect Hub, a digital platform designed to support families of children and young adults with disabilities. For my leadership project, I created a publicly available prototype website and resource map that provides social stories, toolkits, curated resources, and sensory-friendly venue guides to help families confidently navigate everyday environments, with interactive mapping features currently in development. I chose this project after recognizing the lack of centralized, practical resources for families seeking inclusive community experiences. I hope this project will increase independence, reduce anxiety, and promote meaningful community participation for children and youth with disabilities ages 0–21 and their families.
Tristin Williamson: Voices At Home: Empowering Caregivers With AAC Tools
My presentation title is Voices At Home: Empowering Caregivers With AAC Tools. I created a website as a resource for parents/caregivers who have children using AAC devices in the home. The website highlights ways to use the AAC device in routines within the home setting. It also provides hightech and lowtech suggestions/options for families who may be in the process of getting a device through insurance. I chose this project to provide a one-stop shop of information for parents/caregivers who may be making the transition to using an AAC device with their child. I hope that this project will allow children and families to have more information and resources on how to implement their devices and current research on use of the devices in the home setting.
Katie Zetkulic: Care Referral List and Reference for Caregivers
I am a physical therapist completing a pediatric residency with VCU. The title of my presentation is "Care Referral List and Reference for Caregivers." I created a list of respite care providers for families taking care of children with disabilities for the CATS organization. I work frequently with CATS because I often refer children to them, and when I asked them what would be helpful to them, they reported that they needed a reference list to give to families. Families frequently ask them about respite care services in the area. I hope that this will make it easier for families to seek respite care and get the rest they need to be their best selves, and I hope that this gives people 0-21 with disabilities many opportunities to have new and exciting experiences with these organizations.
