2022 Trailblazers

The DO‑IT Trailblazer award highlights DO‑IT community members who forge new pathways that will benefit others. Through their work and accomplishments, they have changed the way the world views people with disabilities and have increased the potential of people with disabilities to succeed in college, careers, and community life. Congratulations to this year’s five honorees!

Deepak Bokka, AccessComputing Team participant, is a University of Washington (UW) graduate in electrical engineering. Deepak was part of the leadership team for Ability, a student affinity group at the UW Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the UW which provides a community for students with disabilities to support one another and educate the community about the importance of accessibility. Deepak has a passion for developing accessible technology to ensure that all people have opportunities to succeed.

Lindsey Muszkiewicz, a 2014 Scholar, is passionate about accessibility and inclusion and continues to be an advocate for people with disabilities. While on the University of Washington (UW) campus, she ran a number of effective accessibility campaigns. Her efforts included organizing events, delivering presentations, and advocating through creative outlets such as comedy and video. A well-known advocate for equity and inclusion, Lindsey now works with Seattle-based Crip Riot on efforts to help campuses nationwide appreciate and adopt similar models and campaigns. Lindsey graduated from the UW with a bachelor’s degree and interned at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She has worked with DO-IT for over four years, bringing her talents to Summer Study, including impactful mentoring. Her future plans include working in animation, visual development, and writing for television and movies to create disabled characters and improve media portrayals of people with disabilities. We look forward to following her career!

Nayha Auradkar, an AccessComputing Team participant, is a master’s student in computer science at the University of Washington (UW). Nayha formed two clubs on the UW campus to support students with disabilities—Huskies Who Stutter, a discussion and support group for students at UW who stutter, and Ability, which serves to build a strong disability community in tech and spread awareness about accessibility. Nayha has given presentations and participated in panels at academic conferences to spread the word about the experiences of people with disabilities in computing.

Rochelle Bowyer, a 2016 Scholar, has made a difference at DO-IT, on the University of Washington (UW) campus, and beyond! She is an excellent role model and leader. She attended North Seattle College prior to attending the UW, where she is doubled majored in communications and international studies. Since 2019, Rochelle has been instrumental in supporting the DO-IT program. She has assisted in the transition from in-person summer study to online, helping pivot two new programs, Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners and AccessISL. Recently, she acted as a liaison with the Burke Museum to create social narratives and enhance accessibility maps, including mapping sensory spaces. In 2020, she was given Disability Rights Washington’s Breaking Barriers award as an “Emerging Advocate” for people with disabilities. Rochelle consistently works hard to balance school, family, and career, as well as being an active member of her community. 

Teresa Bucholz, a 2016 Scholar, recently earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Seattle University and plans on pursuing a master of social work at Columbia University. On campus, Teresa served in many leadership positions and was a proud member of the Seattle University Dance Team. Off campus she served the limb different community through mentorship, speaking, and coaching across America. Teresa plans to eventually work with underprivileged incarcerated youth and work up to a position in social work policy. She is also exploring opening a gym with adaptive workout gear. Holistically her goals are rooted in empowering others and continuing advocacy work for the disabled community. Teresa shares “The most important thing I took away from the DO-IT program is the strength I gained in embracing my identity as a disabled woman. DO-IT is a program that serves to empower each person to embrace the beauty within their own disabilities while also amplifying the need for voices like ours to create a more just and humane world.”