Anja K. Herrman is a freshman undergraduate student at American University. She plans to major in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government. She is also pursuing a certificate in Political Thought as a part of the University’s Lincoln Scholars program.

A disabled disability researcher, her prior research experience has focused on the inclusivity of K-12 active shooter response protocols as it relates to disabled students. Additionally, she’s a research advisor on the Behavioral Stratified Treatment Program (BEST project) at the University of Illinois Chicago, which examines disabled teens’ access to mental health care.

She’s excited to bring her lived experiences and expertise to work on CRPD implementation work with the IDPP.

Mina Aydin is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia majoring in Economics and Global Development Studies. As a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, she is passionate about applying innovations in STEM to solving global problems and policy challenges. Mina has been working with the American University Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP) since May 2024. Her work with the IDPP thus far has consisted of examining state parties' implementation of the CRPD and researching the extent to which AI/LLM engines can serve as knowledge translation tools.

Kathryn Scavuzzo is a Research Assistant at the AU Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP). She is a senior undergraduate student at the College of Arts and Sciences and will graduate with a BA in Anthropology.

She is also a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Leadership and Ethical Development Program (CAS Lead) where she has learned to develop her leadership skills as well as learn ethics and philosophy.

Her research focus will be on collecting new data for the Convention on the Rights of Person’s with Disabilities (CRPD) state report study and then analyzing the state party and shadow report data on CRPD implementation. 

Adriana Hooks is a senior undergraduate at the College of Arts and Sciences and will graduate with a B.A. in Anthropology with a social-cultural focus. She is also a member of the Varsity Women’s Track and Cross Country team at American University.

Her research and interests are focused on accessible and inclusive education primarily within the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community. She will be transferring her interests into working with the DIAUD network on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda for inclusive and accessible cities. 

Jane Rothstein is a junior undergraduate in the College of Arts and Sciences, where she will graduate with a B.A. in Psychology. She will spend the second semester of her junior year studying in Wellington, New Zealand where she hopes to further her education on Indigenous Psychology.

During her time with the IDPP she will work closely with the D.C. chapter of the Special Olympics, acting as a liaison between the organization and the AU student population.