Carol Lipari

Dr. Carol Lipari joined Access Living in November 2023. As the Director of Culture & Strategy, Carol is responsible for ensuring the implementation of Access Living’s disability justice strategy across the organization with an overarching focus on culture. This includes a strong emphasis on Access Living’s anti-racism and culture work. Before joining Access Living, Carol served as the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC)’s first People Culture Equity Manager. Her work was instrumental in accomplishing key strategic goals outlined in AFC’s Race Equity Action Plan, such as the establishment of employee resource groups. Carol also worked at the Office of Minority Student Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

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Carol holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership & Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s degree in Diversity and Equity in Education, Policy, Organization & Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Carol is a Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) Fellow, Disability Lead Member, and serves on several national and local boards, including the UI Health Hospital and Clinics Community Advisory Board, the Red Cross Diversity Equity & Inclusion Board Committee, and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) International Subcommittee.

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Additionally, Carol leads all of her work in culture and inclusion with lived experience as a disabled, Asian-American woman. She was born with Infantile Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy. As a result, has facial paralysis and uses a power wheelchair full time. When not at work or school, Carol enjoys art, live music, and writing. In 2017, Carol was selected as a semi-finalist for screenwriting as Universal Studios Inc.’s competitive Global Talent, Development, and Inclusion program.