Staff Mentors

Sheryl

My name is Sheryl Burgstahler, and I am the founder and director of the DO-IT Center and the Access Technology Center at the University of Washington (UW). I am also an affiliate professor in the College of Education. I have a master's degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in policy, governance, and administration of higher education. DO-IT allows me to apply my personal, academic, and professional interests and experiences. I have a husband, Dave, and a son, Travis, who are both dedicated DO-IT volunteers and UW Huskies. Dave is a professor of accounting and Travis recently graduated from the UW with a double major in accounting and management information systems, and a minor in mathematics (to please his mom-grin) and is now employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Seattle. The '93 Scholars remember Travis hanging around DO-IT Summer Study when he was three years old.

Scott

I'm Scott Bellman. I am the program manager at DO-IT. I completed a master's degree in 1996 in rehabilitation counseling and earned my undergraduate degree in psychology and business. I am currently a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State. I enjoy my work at DO-IT, which includes career counseling, writing, planning events, coordinating projects, supervising others, mentoring, and of course Summer Study! I serve on several boards and committees, including the Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment. I learn a lot from my colleagues, and have co-authored several papers about work-based learning. Outside of work, my interests include performance art, camping, hiking, carpentry, and travel.

Brianna

My name is Brianna Blaser, and I am a counselor/coordinator at the DO-IT Center. Originally from the East Coast, I moved to Seattle to attend graduate school at the University of Washington, where I earned my Ph.D. studying women in science. I like to spend my free time practicing yoga, riding my bike, and watching reality television.

Dan

I'm Dan Comden. When not serving as a technical resource for DO-IT, I manage the Access Technology Center (ATC) at the University of Washington. At the ATC we work directly with students, faculty, and staff with disabilities who need to access computing resources, and we also help web and application developers make exciting and accessible online resources.

Lyla

My name is Lyla Crawford. I am a counselor/coordinator for DO-IT. I work in the Spokane office. I have a master's degree in developmental psychology. I have a husband, Shawn, and a son, Joshua.

Marvin

My name is Marvin Crippen. I help with technical support and web design for DO-IT. In my free time I enjoy biking, skiing, cooking, and TSD Road Rallying.

Doug

My name is Doug Hayman. I'm the technology specialist for DO-IT. When not at work, I play guitar, hike, and hang out with friends.

Terry

My name is Terrill Thompson. I am the technology accessibility specialist for DO-IT. In this position I help to educate K-12 and postsecondary educational institutions, technology vendors, government agencies, and others on how to ensure that technology is accessible to individuals with disabilities. I also teach accessible web design to students through our ongoing series of Web Accessibility Trainings. I live in Bellingham and work most of the time from an office at Western Washington University. When I am not working, you can usually find me hiking in the mountains, playing guitar, or spending quality time with my family.

Tami

Hi! My name is Tami Tidwell. I am a counselor/coordinator for DO-IT. I enjoy working closely with DO-IT Scholars during Summer Study and beyond. Throughout the year, it is fun to get to work with high school and college students on topics like college admissions, scholarships, internships, accommodations, and disclosure strategies. Being able to build long and lasting relationships is one of the best parts of working at DO-IT. Outside of work, I like to design and sew, knit, garden, support our local live music, and spend time with my family and friends. I have my degree in psychology from Texas Christian University. I was born and raised in Cowtown (a.k.a. Ft. Worth, TX).

Debra

My name is Debra Zawada. I have worked as program coordinator at DO-IT since 2004. I completed my undergraduate work in special education in Buffalo, NY and my graduate work at the University of Washington. My background is as a high school teacher and transition counselor with students with disabilities.