Student Accessibility Support

Kim Johnson (she/her) joined the Brandeis community in June 2024 as Director of Student Accessibility Support.  Prior to Brandeis, she was the director of Lesley University’s program working directly with neurodiverse individuals, largely focused on learning disabilities, attention disorders, and autism.  In this role, Kim collaborated with the university community through trainings and workshops regarding accessibility and accommodation implementation, as well as one-on-one meetings for individualized brainstorming and problem-solving.

As a higher educational professional with over 15 years’ experience, Kim utilizes metacognition in supporting individuals to become independent, self-regulated learners by fostering the development of skills that transfer beyond classroom and university life.  She is a passionate advocate who partners with students to advance professional and personal goals. 

Kim holds a Master’s of Education and a Bachelor’s of Science with concentrations in global studies, history, and education.

When she is not at work, Kim enjoys cooking and tending to a large collection of indoor plants.

Kaitlyn joined the Academic Services Staff in October 2018. Before coming to Brandeis, she worked at other colleges and universities supporting students with documented disabilities, where she developed and presented faculty/staff/student trainings about championing individuals with disabilities, conducted student check in meetings, advised clubs and more. Using a holistic approach, Kaitlyn works with students to empower them through exploring their strengths, meeting their individual unique needs and teaching the importance of self-advocacy in order to assist in achieving their personal goals. Kaitlyn is a first-generation college student, who earned her BA in interdisciplinary Studies and humanities; and a Masters of Education in student affairs counseling.

Elizabeth Nako joined Brandeis University in October 2018. She serves as a senior accessibility specialist on the Student Accessibility Support (SAS) team. She also has experience teaching the Health, Wellness, and Life Skills (HWL) module, Navigating Health and Safety, to all new students at Brandeis. Elizabeth earned her BA in history from Providence College and her MA in higher education administration from Boston College. As a "lifelong learner,” Elizabeth loves working in the energetic and dynamic higher education environment, and creating a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere to engage with students on many levels. She enjoys meeting with students individually to support them through appropriate accommodations and resources to be successful in the classroom, as well as helping students with disabilities work towards achieving their academic and personal goals. Before her role at Brandeis, Elizabeth worked in a variety of functional areas in higher education, including disability/accessibility services, admissions and career services at other institutions in the Boston area. Elizabeth also has experience presenting at national and regional conferences including: the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD), the Postsecondary Disability Training Institute, and NASPA Region 1.

When she is not working, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her friends and family, reading fiction and non-fiction, cheering on Boston sports teams, traveling to new places, staying active (you may run into her at Gosman taking a group fitness class!) and fitting in as much beach time as possible during the summer.

Jaspreet joined Student Accessibility Support (SAS) in 2016 and has worked within SAS unit in various capacities. She is an alumna of the Heller School of Social Policy and Management and came to Brandeis as a Fulbright Scholar. Currently, she serves as a senior accessibility specialist for graduate students, working closely with faculty and other university partners to ensure classroom and exam accommodations for student success at Brandeis. She works with the SAS team on policies and processes to streamline the student experience, documentation review, and student support practices. In the past, Jaspreet has also been responsible for making coursework accessible for students with visual challenges, print and learning disabilities through a variety of software processes.

Jaspreet holds a joint master’s in sustainable international development and women, gender and sexuality studies. She is passionate about diversity and equity work and involved with various efforts on the campus for making it a more inclusive space. She is also the editorial assistant for J-CASTE, a global journal on social exclusion and was featured in an interview with WGBH series titled "Caste in America." She has also presented at various conferences on issues of caste, as well as gender and economic discrimination as systemic oppression in the society.

Jaspreet has participated in conferences, including New England-Association on Higher Education and Disability, Postsecondary Disability Training Institute, National Conference On Race and Ethnicity and the Zale Conference on Disability Inclusion for Intellectual Disabilities.

Outside work, Jaspreet enjoys writing, painting, bird photography, and spending time with her toddler!

Lenny Prado joined Academic Services and the Brandeis community in June 2016. He serves as program administrator for the Student Accessibility Support (SAS) team. Lenny earned a BBA in marketing from Baruch Community College, and a MA and a PhD in Bible and Ancient Near East at Brandeis University. Lenny is passionate about accessibility and learning about new ways that assistive technology can facilitate learning for students with disabilities.

When he is not working, Lenny enjoys spending time with his family, teaching the Bible and rooting for the Yankees, Giants and Knicks.

Emily (she/her) joined Student Accessibility Support (SAS) in the Fall of 2022 as an Accessibility Generalist where she worked closely with coordinating exams for students with exam accommodations. She is now an Accessibility Specialist for Incoming Undergraduate Students where she meets with students individually to support them through reasonable accommodations, check-ins, assignment accountability, and body-doubling. She has recently earned her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at Northeastern University. She has also earned her B.A. in Psychology with minors in Thanatology, Human Development, and Justice, Law & Society from the University of Rhode Island. In her office, you will find all of the things she loves, including Pokémon, Kirby, and Sanrio, as well as some board games and card games. Outside of work, Emily can be found reading fantasy books, watching shows, and playing video games.