FACULTY AND STAFF
Center Directors
Erin Vinoski Thomas, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and is also a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. Dr. Vinoski Thomas’s research focuses on disability health disparities, with an emphasis on identifying and promoting holistic health behaviors, particularly among women and girls with disabilities.
Prior to earning her Ph.D., Dr. Vinoski Thomas served as a Disability and Health Fellow with the National Association of County and City Health Officials; in this role, she supported a national program providing technical assistance to local health departments across the US to increase their inclusion of people with disabilities in their policies, programs, and services.
Mark Crenshaw, MTS, is the Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability. He also serves as the Director of Interdisciplinary Training and the Training Director for Georgia’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (GaLEND) program. Mr. Crenshaw’s work focuses on developing disability leaders, building and sustaining community partnerships, and increasing the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in their communities. Since 2019, Mr. Crenshaw has represented CLD on the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and played a significant role in the Georgia Developmental Disabilities Network’s response to COVID-19. He provides training and technical assistance to LEND programs about the purposeful inclusion of self-advocates in interdisciplinary training. Mark has served on the design team and core faculty of the AUCD Leadership Academy since its inception in 2017.
Molly Tucker joined the Center for Leadership in Disability within the School of Public Health in 2017 and is currently one of the center’s Assistant Directors. In this role, Molly oversees state and federally-funded training initiatives and research projects related to capacity building, positive behavioral interventions and supports, early intervention, self-advocacy, and leadership opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Through her work, Molly aims to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families by collaborating with state and strategic partners to create a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible Georgia. She is an alum of the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities leadership program and is a PEERS® Certified School-Based Provider. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Mercer University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia.
Raynell Washington, LMSW, IMH-E®, joined the Center for Leadership in Disability within the School of Public Health in 2019 and serves as one of the center’s Assistant Directors. She is also the Director of the Georgia Association for Infant Mental Health: Birth to Five (GA-AIMH), an organization dedicated to promoting early relational health and relationship-based and culturally responsive practices. Through education, professional development for Georgia’s child-serving workforce, and advocacy, GA-AIMH supports the well-being of infants, young children, and their families. The association is part of a statewide coalition focused on building a comprehensive early childhood system of care through cross-system and community collaboration.
Raynell holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master of Social Work from Tulane University. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and holds the Infant Mental Health Endorsement (IMH-E®) as an Infant Family Specialist. An alum of the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program and the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD) Leadership Academy, Raynell has emerged as a leader in the disability field. Her expertise spans working with individuals across the lifespan with intellectual and developmental disabilities and supporting children and families affected by trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Raynell’s work is centered on strengthening underserved communities through accessible, equitable, and high-quality services and supports.
Staff

UCEDD Operations Specialist
[email protected]
404.413.1275
ANDREW ABRAMS

IDEAL Project Manager
[email protected]
JOSHUA COHEN

Research Coordinator
[email protected]
ELLEN LOPEZ, MSW
Contact Us
Address
Center for Leadership in Disability
Urban Life Building
140 Decatur Street SE
Suite 140
Atlanta, GA 30303