Erica Edwards has cerebral palsy and 15 years of experience in disability working as: licensed counselor, policy analyst, educator, researcher, writer, and Executive Director. Her research dedicated to disability policy, inclusion and government administration has been published and presented at national/international conferences. She is currently obtaining her PhD in Public Administration.
Emily J. Kakoullis began her Ph.D. research in 2009 at the School of Law and the Norah Fry Research Centre at the University of Bristol, England. She is primarily driven by a want to see disability legislation achieving what it aims to achieve, equality and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Emily obtained an LL.B. in Law from the University of Kent, England, in 2005, and an LL.M. in European Law from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, in 2006. She has worked as a Legal Researcher; and has been involved in Disability non-governmental organisations (NGOs), in Cyprus and in Finland. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on the ratification process of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Cyprus. Emily’s research interests lie predominantly in the areas of Disability Human Rights Law and European Law.
Mary Keogh is undertaking a PhD in disability and development at the Center for Disability Law and policy in NUI Galway Ireland. Mary’s research is focused on a comparative analysis of mainstreaming disability across a number of bilateral donor agencies. Mary was part of the consultative group established by the Irish government to bring forward proposals on disability legislation. Currently she is a member of the Inclusive Development Task Force who are working to promote inclusive development cooperation through Irelands overseas aid budget.
Sofía Galván Puente has been the Director of Disability Rights International for Mexico & Central America since July, 2010. Previously she worked as a Legal Consultant and Interpreter for Disability Rights International, an international organization dedicated to promoting the human rights and full participation in society of people with mental disabilities worldwide. Sofía Galván is a Mexican lawyer who earned her law degree from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 2006 and LL.M in International Human Rights Law from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2009. Galván has worked at both organs of the Inter-American Human Rights System: the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). She has worked on issues of International Law, International Criminal Law, Immigration and International Human Rights Law.
Valerie Karr, Ph.D. is an expert in the field of child education and public awareness strategies and campaigning, with a strong clinical background in special education and a track record of effective advocacy both nationally and internationally in the area of disability rights. Dr. Karr currently works as an Assistant Professor at Adelphi University and serves as the Director for Research Programs for the Victor Pineda Foundation, currently the only youth-focused international disability rights organization. She is the author of two books on human rights education and advocacy under the UNCRPD.
Linda Lee is undertaking a Ph.D focusing on best practices to enhance participation (CRPD Article 4 and 33) for those with mental health conditions at the Centre for Disability Law & Policy, NUI Galway. Linda is the founder of Mental Health Worldwide (www.mentalhealthworldwide.com), a global network devoted to improve the lives of those impacted by mental health disability. She graduated with distinction in the International Diploma course on Mental Health Law and Human Rights. Linda holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Calgary in psychology, specializing in clinical psychology. She worked in the area of clinical psychology for 20 years in community based mental health clinics and in private practice. She is the co-author with her son of two children’s books in the area of self esteem and she is the co-creator with a colleague of the “Power of Self” a ten-session self-esteem group for adults.
Charles O’Mahony is undertaking a Ph.D in the area of mental health law and criminal justice at the Centre for Disability Law & Policy, NUI Galway. He lectures part-time in the School of Law at NUI Galway where he teaches on the LL.M in Public Law. His research interests centre primarily on disability law and policy, criminal justice and mental health law. He holds a BA and LL.M from NUI Galway and was awarded a LL.M from University College London and a LL.M in Public Law from NUI Galway. Charles is also a member of the Mental Health Worldwide Network (an organisation that seeks to improve the situation of persons with mental illness throughout the world).
Jana Offergeld graduated with distinction in the International Diploma Course on Mental Health Law and Human Rights and has a degree in Social Pedagogy. Following an internship with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse / Mental Health Services and Policy Development at the World Health Organisation, she is currently employed as a researcher at the WWU University of Münster, Germany. Her research is based on the evaluation of projects on the promotion of independent living for elderly persons with disabilities. Meanwhile she is undertaking a PhD, investigating participation opportunities of persons with mental disabilities and the role of civic engagement. Jana is also a member of the Mental Health Worldwide Network, a global group aiming to improve the situation of persons with mental health conditions worldwide by awareness rising and advocacy.
Meredith Raley received a B.A. in Political Science from the College of Charleston in 2007, and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 2010. She is a Ph.D candidate in the Centre for Disability Law & Policy at NUI Galway. Her thesis is on Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article 33 focuses on the domestic implementation of the rights enshrined in the Convention, and is an innovation not only in the field of disability law, but in human rights law in general. Article 33 makes the CRPD the first human rights convention to require states take a particular approach in implementation of a treaty. Meredith’s research focuses on how this article affects implementation and the best practices in establishing and making use of the framework required by Article 33.
Stephen Rosenbaum is Of Counsel, Law Offices of Michael Sorgen, San Francisco. He was previously a staff attorney with Disability Rights California and senior litigation attorney with Disability Rights, Education & Defense Fund. Rosenbaum has a Lecturer appointment at his alma mater, BerkeleyLaw, teaching courses in the social justice curriculum. He also teaches disability rights law at Stanford University. Rosenbaum has written several journal articles on disability, special education and lay advocacy. In 2008, he was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Auckland (NZ) School of Critical Studies in Education. He is currently serving as a Legal Education Advisor with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative in Cairo, Egypt.
