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It is our favorite time of year! We are thrilled to announce our new class of Fellows for our 2025 Institute – a milestone year for us, our 10th Institute. This cohort of disabled leaders represents an impressive cadre of people from the nonprofit, self-employed, corporate, government, and philanthropic sectors. Fifty Percent of the 2025 applicant pool works in spaces outside of nonprofits.
We would also like to welcome three new Members to our Network: Justin Houcek, Nicole White, and Zoie Sheets. With one Fellows class coming in, we must also acknowledge and celebrate the 21 individuals from the 2024 Institute who have completed their fellowship and are now Members!
Our goal is for our Network to reflect the diversity of our region. Here are some highlights from the 2025 Institute applicant pool: 85% of applicants identified with a disability other than physical, including a rise in applicants who are Autistic. There was an increase in applicants who identify as transgender, genderqueer, gender nonconforming/non-binary, and 60% identified their sexuality as other than heterosexual.
"With the addition of the 2025 Fellows and new Members, Disability Lead is now more than 250 positive disruptors strong," said Emily Blum, Executive Director of Disability Lead. "We have grown steadily since our founding, and as a result, there's a rich diversity of disabled leaders who are well positioned to sit on boards, commissions, and task forces; take on jobs at the city, state, and national level; and take on the intersectional challenges that face our communities."
Throughout the year, our Fellows will participate in an immersive learning experience that will prepare them to collaborate and lead with their disability identity, supported by the power of a large, effective network.
Introducing our 2025 Fellows:
Allaina Humphreys (She/Her) - Self - Employed Graphic Designer & Advocate, Free Wheelin Designs
Aly Easton (She/Her) - Artist/Activist
Brittney Symone Grant (She/Her) - Programs Coordinator, Disability Lead
Christena Gunther (She/Her) - President/ Founder & Accessibility Advocate, Cultural Access Collaborative
Elizabeth (She/They) - Program Associate, Start Early Consulting
Elon Sloan (They/Them) - Facilitator and Educator
Guadalupe Pinzon (She/Her ) - Emerging Leader
Ignacio Balcazar (He/Him) - Mathematic Researcher, DePaul University
Isabel M. Virgen (She/Her) - Master of Social Work Candidate & Graduate Assistant, UIC
Jasmine S. Deskins (She/Her) - Grant Writer and Advocate
Jessica Plummer (She/Her) - Guest Services Associate, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Jonathon Haven (He/Him) - Disability Rights Advocate & Personal Care Attendant, Brighter Care ABA
Liliana Schiller (She/Her) - Civil Rights Analyst, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Michael Solomon (He/Him) - Director of Media Relations, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Olivia Farrell (She/Her) - Program Analyst, Crown Family Philanthropies
Ryan McGraw (He/Him) - Healthcare Community Organizer, Access Living
Sydney Barta (She/They) - Licensing Supervisor for Foster Homes, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
Thomas Dreixler (He/They) - Infrastructure Engineer, MacArthur Foundation
Will Corcoran (He/Him) - Development Director, Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN)