Utah Regional LEND - Urlend

04/10/2026

We have a great schedule for leadership projects from the trainees!

04/07/2026

Emmy Ruff and Marisa Smith presented their leadership team's research project at the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association.

This project investigates the gaps in epilepsy care for children and their families while developing a handbook of resources in URLEND states.

03/30/2026

A couple more photos from Disability Policy Seminar 2026 in Washington DC. This was a great opportunity for advocacy with legislators, networking with peers, and learning sessions.

03/30/2026

Trainees and faculty enjoyed attending the Disability Policy Seminar this month in Washington DC. Great educational sessions and Hill Day visits are offered at DPS annually. Great sessions, learning, cherry blossoms blooming - a perfect time to be there.

03/30/2026

Training

Leading the Way to Our Own Health: Developing a Healthcare Advocacy Training by People with IDD, for People with IDD

Apr 14, 2026 01:00 PM MST
https://georgetown.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lBzXbesYR7K3qDyZQec1eA #/registration

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face significant disparities in access to healthcare services, and many have experienced marginalization and discrimination within service systems. This presentation will explore how we convened an inclusive work group to develop an accessible healthcare advocacy training for people with IDD. We will discuss the importance of direct patient perspectives along with the values and strategies we used to create a true partnership in the development of a participatory training curriculum. A panel of self-advocate team members will discuss our collaborative process and how inclusive partnerships promote empowerment and positive outcomes.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face significant disparities in access to healthcare services, and many have experienced marginalization and discrimination within service systems. This presentation will explore how we convened an inclusive work group to develop an acces...

03/16/2026

A training opportunity from a partner.

02/25/2026

Applications are open with information on our website at www.urlend.org. Please spread the word if you know a person with a disability or a parent of a person with a disability who might be interested. Stipends are available to support this training.

02/25/2026

Meet an AE trainee at www.urlend.org

Mac Murphy, Psychology / Clinical

Mac Murphy is a fifth-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Washington State University. She is originally from Pennsylvania and completed her bachelors degree in engineering at Dartmouth College with a concentration in applied math. After graduation, she worked in macroeconomic research and talent and recruiting strategy at Bridgewater Associates and as a field instructor for New Vision Wilderness Therapy before deciding to return to graduate school in psychology. Her primary research interests include the impacts of childhood trauma, delinquency and externalizing traits in adolescents, advanced statistics and quantitative modeling, and using virtual reality to measure risk-taking. In her clinical work, Mac is interested primarily in assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents, especially in forensic contexts. She hopes to continue these interests as a faculty member at an Academic Medical Center.

Mac is excited to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders from an interdisciplinary perspective and connect with others in the child health field through URLEND. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and backpacking, singing in her local choir, and playing with her dog.

02/25/2026

Meet an AE trainee at www.urlend.org

Magen Lowe, Psychology / Clinical

Magen is a fifth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at Washington State University in Pullman, WA, under the mentorship of Dr. Masha Gartstein in the Infant Temperament Lab. Magen was born and raised in Florida and received her B.S. in Psychology and Family & Child Sciences from Florida State University in 2018. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Magen worked as a lab manager in the Risk for Anxiety and Depression Lab at Florida State University, managing research studies focused on neurophysiological risk factors and biomarkers for mood and anxiety disorders across the lifespan.

Her clinical interests include working with adults and families on psychological concerns while addressing the interconnectedness of behavior and physical health. Her research interests include examining the relation between psychological processes, human development, and physiological underpinnings (i.e., stress hormones and neural correlates). Magen’s career goal is to practice in an academic medical setting and specialize in the psychological and emotional aspects of human reproduction (e.g., fertility, menstrual cycle, perinatal period, reproductive transitions, etc.). In her free time, she enjoys being outside, cooking new recipes, and catching up on podcasts.

02/25/2026

Meet an AE trainee at www.urlend.org

Nisha Inthiraratnam, Education

Nisha is currently working as a lead teacher and interventionist in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout the 8 years that she has been in the field of special education, she has worked as therapist, instructor of program and teacher and have had the opportunity to use different modalities. She hopes to continue to push the field of education to ensure students with specific needs are able to access education and given an opportunity to engage with academic materials. She believes her goals can be achieved with collaboration with people of other specialties that can be found in URLEND. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her pup or trying out new recipes.

02/19/2026

Meet an AE trainee at www.urlend.org

Heather Hewitt, Special Education

Meet Heather Hewitt, an accomplished educator and specialist in autism, early childhood education and behavioral support. Holding a Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Heather is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Special Education with a specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Related Disabilities. With a wealth of two decades in the field, she possesses multiple Texas education certificates including Special Education, Generalist, and English as a Second Language. Furthermore, she is licensed as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Heather’s dedication lies in providing support, education and advocacy to individuals with exceptionalities, their families and caregivers. The opportunity to join URLEND will enable her to gain a broader knowledge and understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, and further her lifelong pursuit of higher education. Filled with a passion to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves, Heather continues to contribute significantly to the field of special education and advocacy.

02/19/2026

Meet an AE trainee at www.urlend.org

Kasey Hays, Special Education

Kasey Hays currently works for Easterseals of Southern California, as an Autism Services Program Manager. She has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for the last four years. She became interested in the field after taking a psychology course in which ABA was discussed.

Currently, Kasey lives in a small town in the desert, known as California city, California. Her husband in in the Air Force, so she moves locations every few years. She grew up in Northern California and goes back as often as she can. She enjoys reading, crocheting, walking her dogs, and going to music festivals/concerts.

Growing up, Kasey always knew she wanted to get a doctoral degree but was never sure what she was truly passionate about. While working in the field of ABA has been great, she wanted to expand her knowledge outside of the field. Applying for a PhD in special education was the best idea for her and her career. Kasey would like to eventually be on a research team and develop/research ways in which she can help individuals with special needs. She also hopes to be able to teach at a university and help spread knowledge with others who are interested. She became interested in the URLEND program, as it would help develop her skills as a professional. She is looking forward to what the future holds for her, and for the impact she will be able to have in her field of study.