Beautiful Minds

Angela D. Dillard is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Interim Vice Provost for Access & Opportunity. Across Undergraduate Education and A&O she works with multiple teams of faculty and professional staff to center the goals of access, opportunity and student success and to ensure that we are doing all we can to lower the institutional barriers to achievement for all students. As Vice Provost and Interim Vice Provost she is specially charged with bringing aspects of the national student academic success movement to Michigan, and is responsible for advancing continual improvements in the educational experience for more than 34,000+ undergraduate students in partnership with undergraduate serving schools and colleges on the Ann Arbor campus.

Dr. Michell Ferrez serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Research & Student Success, and is the Senior Director of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program at the newly formed Center for Research, Scholarship and Creative Inquiry at the University of Michigan. Michelle has over twenty-five years of professional, research, and assessment experience at higher education institutions, including managing multi-institutional NSF grants and the implementation of pipeline, retention, and academic/professional programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Michelle’s primary research interest centers on postsecondary access and success for minoritized women and men in STEM fields, the intersectionality of personal and professional identities in STEM and its relationship to persistence, the culture and climate of the learning context in STEM, and the role of STEM diversity programs in creating educational equity in STEM. She has published in the Journal of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, Community College of Journal of Research and Practice, and the Journal of Engineering Education. Dr. Ferrez Chairs the Council of Undergraduate Research At-Large-Division and is Co-Chair of the Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research.

Laurie K. McCauley is Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan, where she oversees the university’s academic and budgetary affairs and helps lead major institutional initiatives including the Look to Michigan strategic vision. A member of the Michigan faculty since 1992, she previously served as Chair of Periodontics and Oral Medicine and as Dean of the School of Dentistry. An internationally recognized researcher and member of the National Academy of Medicine, her leadership has advanced student success, support for those with disabilities, sustainability, accessibility, and faculty mentorship.

Deborah S. Willis, PhD, serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for Access and Opportunity at the University of Michigan. A visionary leader, skilled facilitator, and ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Dr. Willis has dedicated her career to fostering inclusive environments where every community member can thrive. In her current role, she provides strategic leadership for institutional transformation, focusing on building the cross-functional partnerships necessary to move the university toward a culture of true belonging.
Dr. Willis is a recognized expert in faculty, staff, and student development with a track record of launching benchmark initiatives across the institution. Drawing on her background in sociology and transformational leadership coaching, she is deeply committed to addressing systemic barriers and is passionate about shifting the institutional burden toward proactive, universal inclusion. Dr. Willis earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Michigan and her Executive Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University.

Avery Ansbro is a graduate student in the College of Engineering, pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Avery supported the founding and is the running president of the Autism Spectrum Club at UM. She also volunteers to support the Delian Club as an advisory board member. She is currently working with DAC-HP to found a Disability Mentorship Program at UM.

Genna Ashymov is a Master of Social Work Candidate at the University of Michigan. Genna is currently working as a research assistant for Dr. Shanna Kattari and is interning with Community Conversations within the School of Social Work. Prior to pursuing the Master of Social Work degree, Genna worked in data and research roles for 12 years. Her previous experience includes working as a systems administrator for the federal AWARE grant at Littleton Public Schools, where she created interactive data visualizations for the district’s social emotional team around issues like disability accommodations, threat assessments, child abuse reports and restorative conferences. Upon graduation, Genna plans to combine her social work knowledge with her background in research and data analysis.

Genna’s research interests include neurodiversity, disability justice, homelessness, domestic violence, and restorative practices. As someone who has ADHD and experienced homelessness, Genna could see how ADHD and homelessness were connected in her own life and wanted to see if there was a connection more broadly. This led to her undertaking the study that led to the research presented at this conference.

Corrine Baker is a freshman undergraduate student in the College of Literature, Science, and Arts pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media with a focus in health and media. Corrine is an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) student on the Neurodiversity Project team conducting research for neuro-inclusive interviews.

Jeramy Donovan is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Michigan-Flint. With a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education, Dr. Donovan focuses on research in learning progressions, inclusive teaching practices, and culturally responsive pedagogy. He has presented his work internationally, including in Germany, India, and the Netherlands, and is actively involved in study abroad programs that enhance preservice teachers’ global competencies. Dr. Donovan’s teaching philosophy centers on bridging theoretical frameworks with practical applications, preparing educators to create equitable and effective mathematics learning environments for diverse classrooms.

Dr. Donovan brings a deeply personal and impactful perspective to his work, informed by his lived experiences as an individual with ADHD and Bipolar I disorder. Diagnosed at the age of 33, he has navigated significant mental health challenges while building a thriving academic career. His openness about his journey, including periods of relapse and recovery, has inspired students and colleagues alike, fostering greater awareness and destigmatization of neurodivergence in education. Dr. Donovan leverages these experiences to advocate for neuro-affirming practices and equitable accommodations for both students and educators.

Andréa Eiland is an undergraduate student in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. Andréa is an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Research Assistant on the Neurodiversity Project team and serves as a liaison for the Neurodiversity Project and the Neurodiversity Alliance chapter at the University of Michigan.

Erica Ervin is the Creative Spaces Specialist managing the Shapiro Design Lab in the Undergraduate Library at the University of Michigan. They lead initiatives focused on accessibility, belonging, and community engagement and are passionate about supporting student success and open access. Through traditional, craft, and emerging technologies, they encourage creative exploration and experiential learning for users of all levels.

Biella Games is an undergraduate student in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Health, and Society on the pre-dental track, with a minor in Science, Technology, and Society. She is a member of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and a research assistant on the Neurodiversity Project.

Nicolas Gonzalez is an undergraduate graduate student in the College of Literature, Science and Arts, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience. Nicholas is an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Research Assistant on the Neurodiversity Project team and the lead liaison for the Neurodiversity Project and Neurodiversity Alliance chapter at UM.

Dr. Adam Hazlett (“Dutch”) is a Humanities Professor at Henry Ford College. He previously served as Honors Program Director, Department Chair, and Principal Investigator for the Mellon-funded Transfer Bridges to Humanities Grant, a partnership between the University of Michigan and Henry Ford College. An autistic educator, speaker, and nonprofit founder, he advances evidence-informed, neuro-affirming approaches that support regulation, dignity, and belonging through inclusive design and practical, everyday micro-accommodations. His work emphasizes universal design, clear communication, and collaborative problem-solving in classrooms, organizations, and public programs.
He is the founder of the Humanities 101 Foundation, a Michigan nonprofit that strengthens neuroinclusion through public education, community partnerships, and professional learning for schools, workplaces, and civic organizations. He also serves on the board of Self-Advocates of Michigan and the Neurodiversity Coalition of America, helping connect self-advocacy, research, and implementation across sectors.
In Fall 2026, Dr. Hazlett will travel to Central Asia as a Fulbright Specialist, lecturing on American culture and collaborating on curriculum design and faculty development. His articles and media work address workplace accommodations and the convergence of masculinity and autism, translating scholarship into usable strategies that help neurodivergent people thrive without being pressured to mask or minimize their needs.

Hira Jamshed is currently a third-year PhD candidate at the School of Information (UMSI) in the University of Michigan, where she works with Dr. Mustafa Naseem and Prof. Robin Brewer in the Accessibility, Health, and Aging (AHA) Lab. Her research focuses on empirical, methodological, and artifact-based contributions toward understanding how people with disabilities or older adults collaborate with AI-based technologies in everyday practices (e.g., searching or learning) — including how these technologies often fail the users. She is inspired by frameworks like ability‑based design and fields like disability studies, which urge reflective and personalised approaches to accessible interactive technologies. Before starting his PhD, she completed his Masters in Human-Computer Interaction (with a focus in Accessibility) from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and her Bachelors in Computer Science from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Pakistan. She has prior experience in product design and research (see her portfolio), and her publications include work in ACM CHI and ASSETS.

Ezra Landon is a Circulation and Access Services Senior Assistant at the University of Michigan Library, as well as a student at Wayne State University working on a Master of Library and Information Science on the Inclusive Excellence pathway. They are passionate about accessibility, sensory inclusion, community engagement, and social justice in librarianship.

Denise Leyton is the Operations Project Manager in the LSA Dean’s Office. Previously she worked for the University of Michigan Library as a Projects Coordinator for the Strategic Planning Team. She started working in libraries in 2008 and worked in different roles in Operations and IT. She uses project management, UX research and service design methods to promote user-centered, values-driven change.

Michael Metzger is a Lecturer on the faculty of the Ross School of Business, where he has taught graduate-level courses in Marketing Management, International Marketing, and International Multidisciplinary Projects throughout Latin America for more than 26 years. Michael has served on the faculty of the top Latin American graduate program in business, INCAE Business School, for nearly 14 years. He has taught Marketing Strategy, Research, Digital Marketing, and Services Marketing at the graduate level in both Spanish and English.

Michael previously worked at a university-industry-government-funded manufacturing Center of Excellence. He also has served as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. After completing his PhD, Michael served in university research and technology transfer administration.

Professor Metzger’s dissertation focused on University Technology Transfer and Organized Research Units, resulting in the commercialization of university research via patent and licensing agreements and equity in research-based spin-off startups in which the university would take an equity stake.

Michael was diagnosed at the age of 58 as being on the autism spectrum and credits his autism for his creative and unconventional approaches to business education that have inspired his brilliant students at the University of Michigan.

Emma Orfield Johnston serves on the executive staff of Orfield Laboratories, Inc., the nation’s only independent, multi-sensory design research and consulting firm, internationally recognized as “The Quietest Place on Earth.” Building on the laboratory’s five-decade history of perceptual research and design consulting, she is leading the development of Orfield Therapeutics, a program centered on silence as a multi-sensory condition.

Her current work examines the application of acoustical silence and darkness within the Orfield Anechoic Chamber to cognitive and perceptual disabilities, including autism, dementia, anxiety, PTSD, and sensory-processing disorders, and their potential contributions to therapeutic efficacy, cognitive balance, and psychological well-being.

Alongside the experiential program, she is working on a federal study in partnership with the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis VA Hospital on the clinical applications of perceptual silence as related to PTSD in veterans. She believes this marks the beginning of silence being recognized as a legitimate medical resource.

Steve Orfield is founder and President of Orfield Labs, the only independent multi-sensory building performance and product development consulting lab in the World, as far as they are aware. Orfield Labs provides services in design, research and testing in the product development and architectural markets, as well as in the environmental field. They consult across the U.S. and in Canada, as well as Europe and Asia. Orfield Labs is known for perceptual and cognitive research, subjective measurement and advanced objective measurement in its fields of practice.

Their goal is to improve architecture and product development with better subjective and objective design research and testing, thus providing better user experience, user perceptual preference and user perceptual comfort.

Over the past 25 years, Orfield Labs has created a practice as the only design research lab to develop multi-sensory design standards for perceptual and cognitive disabilities, such as aging, dementia, autism, mental illness, PTSD, SPD, deafness, blindness, etc. About half of all building occupants have these disabilities, so it now necessary to design buildings that offer support for these disabilities. And these types of perceptually quiet buildings are preferred by neuro-typical (non-disabled) populations also.

Jesse began his involvement with Eye to Eye in 2010 as a student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he founded and led a chapter of the organization’s flagship mentoring program. His experiences supporting younger neurodivergent students, while navigating ADHD and learning differences himself, shaped his long-standing commitment to neurodiversity advocacy.

After graduation, Jesse served as a Program Coordinator and remained deeply engaged over the next decade through leadership roles including founding the Alumni Board and serving on the Board of Directors. In 2024, he returned full-time to lead The Neurodiversity Alliance and was appointed President in 2025. He brings personal insight, strategic leadership, and a steadfast belief in the brilliance of every neurodivergent individual to his work.

Elvis Veliu is a junior undergraduate student in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan, double majoring in English and Philosophy. An author and aspiring researcher, he is a fellow in the UROP Research Scholars program, where his work explores the intersections of language, narrative, and human experience.

Pete Wendel is a collaborator of and serves with Orfield Laboratories, Inc., the nation’s only independent, multi-sensory design research and consulting firm, internationally recognized as “The Quietest Place on Earth.” Building on the laboratory’s five-decade history of perceptual research and design consulting, he works with for and non-profit organizations for strategic Partnerships.

With 20+ years creating impact through human centered design and research, Pete has extensive experience with helping organizations and communities create new futures with people to live, work, and thrive. Pete serves as a catalyst for partners to realize their potential with perceptual research, organizational design, mixed methods research, prototyping (digital, physical, services), and leading synthesis across diverse stakeholders. His past leadership roles include Microsoft, Walgreens, and Whirlpool corporation along with research collaboration with Johns Hopikns, Purdue, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, and Rush Health System.

Jessica Wynne is the daughter of Jonathan Wynne and Valerie Tibbs-Wynne. Born in Detroit and educated in Ann Arbor, Jessica grew up a curious child alongside three stellar siblings. She graduated from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School before attending the University of Michigan.

While at Michigan, Jessica was a member of the Varsity Women’s Basketball team and performed in the iconic Michigan Marching Band. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Native American & Indigenous Studies.

Jessica later joined the New York City Teaching Fellows, earning a Master of Science in Education while teaching middle school in New York City.

She currently serves as the head coach of the University of Michigan Wheelchair Basketball team within the Adaptive Sports & Fitness program. Now in her fifth season, Jessica is committed to expanding opportunities for athletes to thrive, using basketball as a catalyst for personal growth and community cohesion.

Outside of the gym, Jessica lives her dream with her 10 year old twins, travelling the world, playing music, and seeking higher ground.

Qais Zalmout is a senior in the undergraduate mechanical engineering program in the College of Engineering. Through his life, Qais has navigated struggles related to a lack of resources surrounding and representation for Neurodiverse individuals. Qais’ motivations lie in creating more equitable spaces for members of every community to pursue their passions in productive and meaningful ways.