Randy Collins, Vice Chair
Sherri Collins
Wendy Dewey
Fernando Cruz
Ken Edwards
Ted Garland
Gene Heppard, Treasurer
E. Mari Herrera-Daniels, Vice Treasurer
Katharine Levandowsky, Ex-Officio
Suzanne Malson
Georgia McLaughlin
Bob Michaels
Edward L. Myers III, Chair
Jami Snyder
Ashleigh Turner
Gail Wilt
Joe Lee Yazzie
Al Zulli
Executive Council
Edward L. Myers III, Chair
Edward L. Myers III is an attorney living in Tempe. Currently, Mr. Myers is the Deputy Executive Director for the Arizona Center for Disability Law. Prior to working in his current position, Mr. Myers had practiced in disability law for more than 16 years working for the Montana Advocacy Program, the Center and for Northern Arizona University. Independent living issues are important because they represent the core values of all Americans. By becoming a member of the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council, Mr. Myers can help advance integration and independent living for persons with disabilities who want to fully participate in their democratic society.
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Randy Collins, Vice Chair
Randy Collins, from Goodyear, is the Program Director for the Arizona Technology Access Program. He is hard of hearing, has a master's degree in deaf education, and has long been an advocate for people with hearing loss as well as for people with disabilities. Concerning SILC Randy believes "Independence and self-worth are inseparable. Everyone wants to be as independent as possible. SILC is a vehicle to make that happen in Arizona."
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Gene Heppard, Treasurer
My name is Gene Heppard. I live in Mesa, Arizona. I am the Coordinator of Disability Support Services at Phoenix College. I assist students, faculty and staff with regard to accessibility issues, ADA requirements and general disability awareness. I myself sustained an injury in 1993 that resulted in a broken neck; thus leaving me a C5 quadriplegic. I moved to Arizona in 1994 and have been an active participant in the disability community from day one. I began by volunteering with a local agency named ABIL. I transitioned into the academic world as a student at ASU and, while finishing my degree, I interned as the TRIO Mentor Coordinator in the DRS office. After graduating I continued to work with the disability community as a program advisor in the DRS office at Mesa Community College. Since May of 2003 I have held my current position at Phoenix College.
Independent living issues are important to me because it is something that is crucial to being a complete, whole person. Living independently is a right that each individual with a disability should be allowed. It provides for equal access, inclusion within the community and a sense of pride and self respect. I am excited to be a member of this council. By being a part of SILC, I am able to represent the part of society that works just as hard, pays as much taxes and contributes just as much to the community as any other group yet is constantly underrepresented in main-stream planning. I want to make a positive change in our society whereas individuals with disabilities are perceived, considered and included in all aspects of life.
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E. Mari Herrera-Daniels, Vice Treasurer
E. Mari Herrera-Daniels is the mother of Mia Grace Daniels. Mia was born prematurely at 25 weeks gestation. As a result of her prematurity, Mia developed cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and hydrocephalus. Mia Grace is now six years old and attends all day kindergarten. Independent living issues are important to E. Mari because she wants her daughter to live an integrated and independent life. Her goal as a SILC council member is to advocate for children with special needs, share information with other parents, and keep issues important to the disABLED community in the forefront of those who affect public policy.
E. Mari Herrera-Daniels is the Community Liaison for Congressman Ed Pastor, U.S. Representative from Arizona's Fourth Congressional District. She received her AA degree with Honors from Pima Community College in 1998, and a BA in Mexican American Studies, with a thematic minor in Political Science and Communications from the University of Arizona in 1999. E. Mari also serves on the board of Labor's Community Service Agency.
E. Mari lives in Buckeye, Arizona, with her family, two dogs, a lamb, a goat, and three horses that Mia Grace uses for therapeutic riding.
Photo is not available at this time
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Rudy Buchanan, Secretary
I am Rudy Buchanan from Phoenix. I am the Senior Youth Advocate for the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. I have friends and family members with disabilities and I am on SILC to fully support the mission of independent living for all people with disabilities. I would like to assist in moving the outreach program forward.
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Sherri Collins
Sherri Collins is the Executive Director for the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is nationally-recognized advocate for the deaf and hard of hearing, Sherri L. Collins took the ACDHH executive director post in 1998. Since then, she has worked toward improving communication access, support services and community empowerment. Collins is a graduate of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and holds a Masters in Education from North Carolina State University. Collins serves as chair of SILC's Public Policy committee. She is also on the Board of the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Collins is the current chair the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) ad-hoc committee on video relay service (VRS) interpreting issues and the National State Relay Administrators Association (NSARA) VRS interpreting issues.
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Fernando Cruz
I am Fernando Cruz. I am originally from Gila Bend, AZ. Currently I live in Glendale Arizona. I work at Arizona Bridge to Independent Living. I am one of two Reintegration Program Coordinators. My present area includes the City of Phoenix and West Valley area. I enjoy listening to a wide range of music as well going to movies, not the type that stay home all day, I leave after my work is done. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at 8 years of age. I have Diabetes and a Double Amputee (AKA). IL Issues are important to me because as a person with a disability, the advancement of persons with disabilities has always been an important issue to me and something I feel will always be, if it is in education, employment or living in a non-institutional environment IL is a Right.
My reason for joining SILC is that: I am always trying to improve my awareness on disabilities. I am a person with a disability and I want to contribute to the advancement of persons with disabilities and I feel this is a good second starting point.
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Wendy Dewey
Photo and bio are not available at this time.
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Ken Edwards
My name is Kenneth Edwards and I live in Prescott Valley, AZ. I am very skilled in interpersonal relations and the mechanical arts.
I have lived my life as a person with post-polio paraplegia and all my professional life has been in the area of disability services. I have a firm belief that as a person with a disability I have a responsibility to facilitate full access. This includes empowering people with disabilities and insisting on community change that embraces civil rights for all.
I am convinced that through Statewide Independent Living Councils, each state has the opportunity to take a leadership position addressing the needs for inclusion of persons with disabilities. I want to be part of that leadership.
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Ted Garland
My name is Ted Garland. I was born in 1974 and grew up in Oak Creek Canyon. My entire education was in Flagstaff Public Schools; P.L. 94-142, the Special Education Act, had just been passed. I was the first student to enter Coconino Community College Disability Resources Program. I went on some river trips with ETC (Environmental Traveling Companions) and met many extraordinary folks with disabilities. I was selected to attend two Youth Leadership Conferences in Washington, D.C., again meeting many inspirational leaders and peers. Locally I served on the City of Flagstaff Disability Awareness Commission. I am currently in a job training program at Hozhoni Foundation in Flagstaff. I am a member of a Toastmaster's Club.
I come to SILC with a strong passion for the Independent Living Movement, and I would like to educate SILC about the issues Rural Arizona faces, so that consumers can achieve greater independence without having to move to the Valley or Tucson. I look forward to building a Youth Leadership Program for the State of Arizona.
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Katharine Levandowsky, Ex-Officio
Photo and Bio not available at this time.
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Suzanne Malson
Suzanne Malson lives in Bullhead City. Malson is employed as the Fort Mojave Vocational Rehabilitation Project Director, a tri-state program, a position she has held since June of 2000. Malson has extensive research and readership experience from the University of California Davis on a variety of topics. She has received several scholarships and educational and community awards, including The Lynn Reyer Award for Tribal Community Development and the Jastro Shields Award of the University of California. Malson served in the Peace Corps, was nominated for an Associate Peace Corps fellowship and has volunteered for several entities during the past twenty years. Malson received her Associate Arts Degree in Sociology, her Bachelor's Degree in Cultural Anthropology with a Native American Studies Minor, and her Masters Degree in Community Development.
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Georgia McLaughlin
I am Georgia McLaughlin, and I live in Sierra Vista, Arizona. I have been volunteering at CochiseAbility, in Sierra Vista, where I have had the opportunity to provide advocacy and promote independent living in a number of programs. I was appointed Commission Member to the Commission on Disability Issues (CODI) by the City Council in 1992. I also was instrumental in organizing several programs for Cochise College and our community, including D.A.W.N . – Disability A – Wareness Network, which I instituted in 1993. In 2000 – 2003 D.A.W.N. became a disabled student club. Through Cochise College, D.A.W.N. reached out to students and community members who are disabled and wanted to discuss disability issues online. In 2005 I was a moderator for several chat rooms provided by CochiseAbility. I am active in the Cochise College Literary Guild and I was active in the Huachuca Art Association. I am also a volunteer and life auxiliary member of the Sierra Vista Regional Health Care.
As a member of SILC I find myself at the edge of a new and promising opportunity, where I can help the disabled move into the future with direction, unity, and dignity. We (the disabled) never overcome our disabilities, we learn to incorporate it into a life which we can be proud of.
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Bob Michaels
Photo and bio not available at this time.
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Sony Perduta-Fulginiti
photo and bio not available at this time
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Jami Snyder
Photo not available at this time.
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Alan Strauss
Photo not available at this time.
Alan Strauss was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He earned his Doctorate in Rehabilitation from the University of Arizona (UA) in 2006. Currently, he is an Assistant Director of the Disability Resource Center at UA, coordinating programs and services related to disability and employment. He also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the College of Education, and is a co-investigator with the Sonoran University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disability (Sonoran UCEDD) where he provides leadership in achieving goals related to developing an interdisciplinary degree in Disability Studies, and to increasing employment opportunities statewide for individuals with disabilities.
As a member of the SILC, Dr. Strauss is interested in how the disability community in Arizona can work to reframe the manner in which the nature and significance of disability are viewed and interpreted; particularly in the development of public policies and services.
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Jenn-Yun Tein
Jenn-Yun Tein is a research associate professor and Co-Principal Investigator of the Prevention Research Center at ASU. She has done preventive intervention research for more than 18 years, focusing on mental health of children in stressful situation (e.g., parental divorce, parental bereavement, and parental job-loss). She has also extensive research experience on children and family of minority population. She studies how cultural orientation, cultural contexts of family, community, and school account for Mexican American children's adaptation problems. She also studies risk and protective factors related to Chinese children's suicidal behaviors.
By becoming a council member of SILC, Dr. Tein would like to help in raising awareness of individual rights and addressing the needs for people with disabilities, especially those in the Asian communities.
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Ashleigh Turner
My name is Ashleigh Turner and I am a student at ASU studying psychology and sociology. I am a youth advocate for the Integrated Services Grant for the Office for Children with Special Health Care Need at DHS and am a commissioner for the City of Phoenix Mayor's Commission on Disability Issues. From time to time I also mentor new spinal cord injury patients and am fairly active within the spinal cord injury community. I spend much of my time studying, visiting with family, and going out with my boyfriend as well as attending meetings and keeping up with my obligations. I am excited to be involved with SILC and I hope my experiences and network can enhance the efforts of the council toward equal and independent living. I have a high respect for SILC and the many members and staff of this council and I feel privileged to be numbered among them.
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Gail Wilt
Gail Wilt lives in Phoenix. She is a psychologist working with adults who are adjusting to vision loss and preparing to start or resume employment. She has been legally blind since childhood. Having worked in community mental health clinics for many years, she now works for the Foundation for Blind Children, which has expanded its programs to include adults. She has been active in the disability community since 1990. She is happy to serve on the Council to represent the needs of Arizona's visually impaired/blind citizens.
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Joe Lee Yazzie
Bio not available at this time.
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Al Zulli
Al Zulli works for the Rehabilitation Services Administration for the State of Arizona (RSA) as the Independent Living Rehabilitation Services (ILRS) Counselor for metro Tucson and Pima County. Through ILRS, he provides case management and counseling services to persons with a wide range of disabilities so that they may achieve greater levels of mobility, home access, communication, and most other activities of daily living. He also advocates for more appropriate levels of service through their medical providers. Al is in his fourth year on the Board of Directors for Direct Center for Independent Living of Tucson, where he serves as the acting President of the Board. His goal as a member of SILC is to promote communication and cooperation throughout the different components of the IL community.
Born in New York, Al moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1976, and then to Tucson in 1988 to start work as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with RSA. He earned his MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Arizona in 1994 and is nationally certified as a counselor through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. In his spare time, he likes to read, do carpentry and photography, and has assisted in the rebuilding of an antique biplane as a volunteer at the Pima Air and Space Museum. Al Zulli lives in Tucson with his wife and their two dogs.
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