Office of Educational Accessibility

Education:
Ph.D. in Education, Higher Education, Old Dominion University
M.A., Applied Linguistics, Old Dominion University
B.A., Individualized Integrative Studies in Dramaturgy, minor in Criminal Justice, Old Dominion University

Graduate Certificate, Administration, West Chester University
Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute, Stanford University
Graduate Certificate, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Old Dominion University
Studies in Opera Performance, Music Theory, and Diction, North Carolina School of the Arts

(in progress) Graduate Certificate, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), West Chester University

Dr. Thomas serves as President of Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (and faculty advisor for our local Mu chapter); a member of the Board of Directors of Disability Rights Pennsylvania, where he also served as a member and Chair of the Mental Health Advisory Council from 2015 - 2023; as a non-affiliated member of the Institutional Review Board at St. Joseph's University (previously University of the Sciences) since 2013; and as Secretary to the Board of Directors for CADES (Children and Adult Disability and Education Services) in Swarthmore, PA since 2024.

Education: 
M.S., Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs, West Chester University
B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies, West Chester University

Prior to joining us as an Accommodations Coordinator in 2022, Ms. Hartz served as a graduate assistant for 2 years in OEA working with students as an academic coach and managing the Proctoring Center.

Hobbies and Interests: playing with her cat Maeve, plants, and she loves the color purple

Education and Certifications:
B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies, minors in American Sign Language, Deaf Studies, and Psychology, West Chester University
A.A.S., Court Reporting, Court Reporting Institute of Philadelphia
Registered Professional  Reporter (RPR), National Court Reporters Association
Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC), National Court Reporters Association

CART stands for Communication Access Realtime Translation, which is a speech-to-text interpreting service for anyone who needs communication access. As an advocate for those who are d/Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Ms. Durkovic is passionate about making the spoken word accessible through providing and advocating for accurate, quality captions to those who rely on it.

Hobbies and Interests: spending time with her family, being outdoors, especially, at the beach, playing ice hockey

Education:
M.S. Student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, West Chester University (2025)
B.A., International Studies, Arcadia University

As an undergraduate, Caitlin studied abroad for two semesters and has traveled to more than 20 countries across five continents. While at Arcadia, she also helped establish the university’s first food pantry to support students experiencing food insecurity. She currently resides in Philadelphia with her cat, Diva. Caitlin is an avid Phillies fan, an adventure seeker, and a lifelong learner.

Education:
M.S.W. Student, West Chester University (2028)
B.A., Sociology, West Chester University

Vincent was born and raised in West Chester and graduated from Henderson High School in 2017. From 2018 to 2022, Vincent proudly served in the U.S. Army. After completing military service, Vincent returned to West Chester and began taking classes at West Chester University, where they earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. This fall, Vincent will begin the Master of Social Work program while serving as a graduate assistant for the Office of Educational Accessibility (OEA).

Passionate about helping others, Vincent chose to pursue social work with the goal of making a positive difference in the community. Outside of academics and work, [Vincent enjoys trail running, hiking, and listening to music or podcasts.

Mara is a current student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. They studied Psychology and Spanish at Temple University. In their free time, they enjoy yoga, hiking, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Education:
M.S. Student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, West Chester University (2025)
B.A., Psychology, Kutztown University

Kelly enjoys crafting, listening to music, and running. She values spending quality time with friends, family, and her two dogs, Macy and Coco. A dedicated Philadelphia sports fan, she also has a unique interest in learning about rollercoasters. Additionally, she has a special fondness for Rammy and Snoopy.

Education:
M.S. Student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, West Chester University (2026)
M.S. Neuroscience, University of Delaware (2023)
B.S. Neuroscience, University of Delaware (2022)
B.A. Psychology, University of Delaware (2022)

Natalie is on track to become a licensed professional counselor, and has a current interest in couples counseling. Outside of work, Natalie loves going on nature walks and spending time with her ever expanding big Italian family and kittens, Appa and Iroh.

Education:
M.Ed. Student in School Counseling, West Chester University (2025)
B.A., Psychology, Shippensburg University

Jessica is an active member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) club, working to raise awareness about mental health.

Before beginning college, Jessica cheered for 15 years and continues to bring that same energy and commitment to their academic and professional pursuits. They are also a proud twin sibling and value the importance of family and community.

Outside of academics, Jessica enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Education:
B.S., Communications Media in Production, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
M.A., Communication Studies, West Chester University (2027)

At Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Jada served as a Peer Mentor for the Crimson Scholar Circle and as the Social Media Manager for IUP Athletics. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with their dog, Bella.