Tech Ambassadors are selected based on their qualities of enthusiasm, leadership, communication and accessibility. Ambassadors represent five regions of the state, including central, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest Ohio. Some events include all Ambassadors, while regional events focus on Ambassadors from that specific area. There are no limits to which events people may attend. As representatives, Ambassadors are expected to follow the Tech Ambassador Code.
Tech Ambassador Code
I am a Tech Ambassador. I strive to do and to be each of these things every day!
- I am a leader. I lead by example, speak up as an advocate and promote the use of appropriate technologies in all aspects of life.
- I am a listener. I listen to my peers and try to understand them beyond their words.
- I am a communicator. I am comfortable with myself and this helps me be comfortable talking to others.
- I am knowledgeable. I constantly learn technologies and how they can best be used to improve independence.
- I am creative. I think on many levels for possible solutions for my peers and others.
- I am accessible. I am visible to my community and easy to reach.
- I am responsible. I follow up with my peers and others who reach out to me after and in between events.
- I am relatable. I talk with my peers as equals, including both my successes and struggles in my story.
Meet the Ambassadors!
Tech Ambassador Profiles
Brittany Joseph
Brittany Joseph is a lifelong resident of Ohio and is a mother to both Payton and Parker. Payton was diagnosed with Autism at age 5 and she found her tribe of support from other families raising children with Autism (and other disabilities) throughout Ohio. In her role as a tech ambassador, she hopes to bring her experience as a parent to provide a non-judgmental space for families to work with her to collaboratively identify technology strategies and tools to make their lives easier.
Professionally, Brittany spent over 10 years at Bowling Green State University as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the School of Counseling and Special Education within the College of Education and Human Development where she taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in special education, assistive technology, and autism spectrum disorders. Brittany has an undergraduate degree from The University of Toledo and a master’s degree in Education. Brittany loves to volunteer and support non-profit organizations such as iTaalk Autism Foundation, Autism Provider Network of Northwest Ohio, Autism Society of Northwest Ohio, and Northwest Ohio Apraxia Support. She enjoys spending free time with her boys in Port Clinton, Ohio along Lake Erie and visiting Chicago to watch their favorite NFL team, the Chicago Bears!
Chalance Williams
Coming soon!
Christopher Cooley
Christopher Cooley is a legally blind and deaf person from Portsmouth, Ohio, whose life is greatly enhanced by the use of his service dog, a three-year-old golden retriever named Larkin. A former student at the Helen Keller Institute, he appreciates life and believes in having fun, always enjoying meeting new people and making new friends. Chris is not only a positive person who dreams big, he is also big on standing up for the rights of disabled people and bringing awareness about disabilities and service dogs. As a result of his work with Ohio Representatives and Senators, in May 2016 Ohio Bill 121 passed in the 131st General Assembly, making Ohio the first state in the U.S. to have a “Service Dog Awareness Week,” which happens the last week of July each year.
Chris is also passionate about remote support technologies and the role they play in helping people with disabilities to live more independent lives. One of his favorites sayings is, “If you set your mind to do something you can do it, and I will be the first to show that as folks with disabilities, we can do it — maybe we have to do it differently, but we can do it.” This attitude shines through as Chris encourages his peers to use technology and advocates for businesses to accommodate people with disabilities.
Christina Pigg
Hello, my name is Christina. I am an Ohio Tech Ambassador for Marion, and surrounding counties. I have been employed at My Place Hotel for over two years, in Housekeeping. I am responsible for cleaning rooms, laundry, getting guests things they need, keeping the lobby clean, and other miscellaneous things. I live independently with my fiancé, Danny. I first moved out on my own four years ago, and am doing well. In my apartment, I have remote supports from Safe in Home, a tablet, a SOS button, my meds are pre-packed from Genoa Pharmacy, and have staff a few hours a week. I am involved in Project Stir, and am now a trainer, Synergy, Marion County Self Advocacy Group, and Rise, our Dayhab program in Marion County. In my spare time I enjoy arts, crafts, football, puzzles, board games, spending time with my dog Piggy Bear, sing, dance, spending time with my family, helping others, and cooking. I look forward to helping others learn how to be independent so they can live on their own in the community like me!
Jen Schlegel
Jen Schlegel wears a lot of hats. She is a recent Ohio State University Alumna and President’s Prize Fellow, a Biomedical Engineer with patents pending, a Camelback Ventures fellow, and a certified Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. She owns an accessibility technology startup company, Beenabled, that has two active projects under development: Handicom and 119. Handicom is a software/mobile application that facilitates the connection between ideas and written work. Its finger-tap interface helps individuals with limited manual dexterity to import homework, images, diagrams, equations and more. 119 is a subscription-based service for smartwatches or smartphones that helps the chronic illness community reduce the number of 911 calls made on their behalf.
Jen has also contributed to efforts being made by DriveOhio, an initiative within the Ohio Department of Transportation, that aims to organize and accelerate smart vehicle and connected vehicle projects in the State of Ohio.
In her spare time, Jen enjoys learning and creating new things – a peer has called her The Idea Fountain! On a typical day, you can find her surrounded by whiteboards and 3D printers. Her life is made more interesting everyday by disability and chronic illness starring cerebral palsy and dysautonomia with a dozen other guest stars that require tubes, wheels, and machines.
John Chatto
Coming Soon!
Phill Kirk
Coming Soon!
Lauren Huff
Lauren Huff is one of our new Ohio Tech Ambassadors. She lives with her husband, Tanner, in Lawrence county, Ohio. She was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 2 around the age of 13 months old. Lauren’s condition requires her to rely mostly on caregivers, family and friends to assist her with most of her everyday needs. Beginning at a young age, she learned to rely on caregivers for assistance with everything from picking up a pencil on the floor to transferring from her bed into her wheelchair.
Although her dependence on caregivers will most likely never cease completely, she uses more technologies these days and looks into a variety of options with her husband so they both can live as independently as possible.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a slow-progressing disease with a more positive outlook these days than long before with the help of advancements in technology. There are various challenges of living with a slow-progressing condition, however, Lauren views her work, her experiences and the people she has been introduced to, due to living with SMA, as the bright side to living with her disability.
Lauren is thankful to have a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Ohio University Southern. She knows that without the support from her family and friends, she wouldn’t be as likely to possess many of the means that are available. Her support system has actively educated themselves from the beginning of her diagnosis and continue to do so now. They have fought alongside and encouraged her to obtain the proper care throughout her public school years into adulthood. Lauren knows that not everyone is as fortunate, therefore, she hopes to use her experiences to educate other individuals with disabilities including their families to find the technology they need to thrive and live more independently within their communities.
She is excited to share more of her story and information about the technology and resources she uses in her everyday life.
Lauren believes in the brilliance and resilience of the disabled community, not only to use technology for independence, but to overcome the ridiculous barriers that society places on her and other individuals with disabilities.
One of Lauren’s favorite quotes is from Denise Jacobson, an educator on disabilities and author. The quote is from the documentary on Netflix called, “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution”. Mrs. Jacobson’s quote states, “The ADA was a wonderful achievement. But it was only a tiny tip of the iceberg. You can pass a law, but until you change society’s attitudes, that law won’t mean much.”
Larry Rodriguez
Coming Soon!
Marci Straughter
Marci Straughter lives in Franklin County but is originally from California, where she attended acting classes at the Performing Arts School West before moving to Ohio. She represents the Franklin County Board of DD’s Self Advocate Advisory Council with Superintendent Jed Morrison. A strong believer in advocacy, she is a Project STIR Statewide Trainer and has trained over 100 people in the state of Ohio to speak up for themselves and has helped them become Ohio leaders.
Marci was appointed by Governor Kasich to the Ohio DD Council in April 2014 and just completed her second term. She is the Chairwoman for the Advisory Committee for her provider, Ohio at Home, and is a member of the Board for The Council of Ohio Leaders (COOL). COOL serves as an advisory board for the Ohio Self Determination Association. Most recently, Marci was asked to be a part of the APSI and We Thrive Together boards. She has also been asked to serve on the I am Boundless board, a larger provider in Ohio. Marci is also excited to be a part of the ISP workgroup that is working to create a standard ISP for the state. Marci greatly enjoys cooking and has a Facebook page called Marci’s “Keep It Cookin” Cookbook!
Melissa Chesney-Booth
Coming Soon!
Renee Wood
Renee has been involved in the disability community all her adult life, beginning at age 18 with volunteering as a camp counselor with Camp Easter Seals and culminating in late 60’s serving as chair of Ohio Developmental Disability for three years, and currently chairs the Ohio Olmstead Task Force, a member of the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council, Ability Center Board of Trustees, and sits on the Ohio Advocacy Taskforce. Renee graduated from the University of Toledo with an Associate’s Degree in computer programming, and a combined Bachelor’s degree in Disabilities Studies and Creative Writing.
Throughout the years Renee has engaged in various advocacy efforts, which has earned her prestigious awards such as, the seldom given Synergy Award, after a final presentation (https://youtu.be/qQtgUVmFmEA) she earned the Soaring Phoenix Award. Renee has also received Northwest Ohio Trail Blazer Award, The National Council for Independent Living gave her the Region V Advocacy Award, and recently she has been inducted into The Ability Center’s Hall of Fame (https://www.abilitycenter.org/ability-center-centennial/). One of Renee’s hobbies is writing her blog Renee’s Ramblings (https://reneewood2.com/). She does digital art and really enjoys creating paintings of nature scenes.
Renee recalls assistive technology being part of her life from a very young age — usually just simple things like a key guard on her typewriter so she wouldn’t press multiple keys at a time, or a book holder in 5th grade to make it easier to read. Renee is a problem solver — in the 80’s, before microwave ovens, to get the flimsy aluminum foil TV dinners in/out of the hot oven, she accomplished this by putting the TV dinner in a cake pan, which she bent one side of, so she could slide it onto the table. She also developed silverware to help feed herself. Renee had her first computer in 1998 and taught herself Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, HTML, and web design. Renee now uses Amazon Alexa to control her environment and increase her independence (https://youtu.be/Z7VxEhwibtI). Renee believes technology is the future for people with disabilities living more independent and autonomous lives.
Robert Shuemak
Robert Shuemak was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, as a child with serious visual impairment due to optic nerve issues. His is a story of technology maturing as he personally matured. Robert recalls going to school in the pre-technology era as a legally blind person and having to read bulky, large print books. He obtained his GED at age 25 with portions of the test being delivered orally. He was first introduced to computers at age 30 and with the aid of technology started college at the University of Cincinnati two years later, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2005.
The accessibility of public transportation has been of particular significance in Robert’s life and he sees it as a key element of independent living. This had been a challenge to him in the past, but now he is able to use smartphone apps that allow him to travel alone. Screen readers such as JAWS and speech to text technologies help him remain connected to the online world and to be a valuable staff member of the Hamilton County Board of DD, where he works on their Advocacy Support Team providing support and advice to individuals on technology as well as other things. Robert is affiliated with many different organizations such as the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Center for Independent Living Options. He also serves on many committees, advisory boards and advocacy groups such as Neighbors in Action.
Tanner Huff
Tanner Huff is a passionate advocate for accessibility who has used technology to assist him for 22 of his 29 years. Tanner has proud memories of his earliest advocacy experience in Chesapeake, Ohio, where he gave a presentation to his district’s school board after meeting with the engineer who had designed the high school and identified where it needed accessibility improvements. Tanner’s efforts resulted in his school district receiving a $250,000 grant to make its buildings accessible. After this came other changes at Marshall University and at OU’s Proctorville and Ironton campuses where ramps, walkways and restrooms were made accessible at Tanner’s urging while he has worked on a degree in Human Service Technologies.
Tanner, who now lives in Ironton, Ohio, has volunteered at Mountain State Centers for Independent Living, where he worked with people who have either autism or mental health issues. He has also served as an advisor to RCBI, where he assisted in them with the accessibility of their Maker Vault product, which is hardware and software that enables people without engineering backgrounds to design high end professional equipment. Tanner is looking forward to continuing this effort once COVID-19 has passed as well as his hobbies of four wheeling and car shows. He is still pursuing his local school district about the accessibility of the football stadium!
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