Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

270 MILLENNIUM-SECOND EDITION T o say that Katherine Leigh Myers’ work is a labor of love would be an understatement. As an assistive technology specialist in the Wright State University Office of Disabilities, Ms. Myers consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to enhance students’ academic and personal lives. In 1990, the year her quadriplegic son received his first computerized communication device, Ms. Myers fell in love with assistive technology. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation education in 1994 and completed several training programs, later deciding that she wanted to train people with disabilities to use the equipment efficiently. She then received a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling for severe disabilities fromWSU in 2005. Despite her formal education, one of her biggest professional challenges has been keeping abreast of the latest technology rollouts in a field that is consistently evolving with the times. In an effort to remain on the cutting edge, she maintains memberships with the Association on Higher Education and Disability and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of America, through which she receives news on the latest developments. Over the past 25 years, Ms. Myers has held a number of positions within the Office of Disabilities, gaining a breadth of experience and creating solid relationships along the way. She has served on committees aimed at increasing electronic accessibility for students with disabilities and built rapport with dozens of parents, who appreciate her ability to empathize and address their concerns with the highest level of care. She also recently established a scholarship to be presented to a WSU student in memory of her father, Robert Milling, who was an engineer. Outside of her work with the university, Ms. Myers volunteers at Patterson Park Church, where she participates in the adult choir and the Celebrate Recovery program and provides technical support for a number of issues. She was selected for inclusion in Women of Distinction magazine and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Oxford Who’s Who. KATHERINE LEIGH MYERS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST Wright State University Dayton, OH