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Leadership

Introducing Neurodiversity University's Board of Directors

Founder & Executive Director

Executive Director - Stephanie Tharp

Stephanie (she/her) recently served as an Education and Outreach Coordinator or "Family Navigator" for autism at UVA, where she supported autistic children/individuals and their families while implementing creative strategies statewide. Her diverse career experiences include roles in project management, teaching, customer service, website design, and entrepreneurship. She holds a master's degree in teaching from the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree from UNC at Chapel Hill. As the Founder and Executive Director of Neurodiversity University, Stephanie will lead the team in website design and grant writing.

Board of Directors

Board Member – Marian Toledo Candelaria

Marian (she/they) is the manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at UVA's School of Education and Human Development (EHD), where she manages the daily operations of the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI). Her role includes supporting and communicating the goals for access and success detailed in EHD’s Inclusive Excellence Plan, and collaborating and supporting students, faculty, and staff in their DEIA goals. She holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Guelph in Ontario, and has worked in Canadian and Puerto Rican higher education teaching and supporting international, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and differently-abled students for over ten years. She is passionate and committed to broadening access to education for diverse student populations, and wants to support others in building strong foundations in cultural competencies and DEIA. Currently, she serves in the American Library Association’s Rare Book and Manuscript Section (RBMS) Diversity, and Instruction & Outreach committees, and she is an American Library Association Spectrum Scholar for 2022-23. Marian is also completing her Master’s of Library and Information Science at Simmons University. 

 

Board Member – Kelly Garrett
Kelly (she/her) is the Program Coordinator for the Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) program at UVA's School of Education and Human Development. She began her career as a high school English teacher, earned an MEd from Penn State University, and continues to be passionate about K-12 education. Before joining UVA, Kelly spent 20 years as an instructional designer and technical writer. Her background in education and her editorial skills will greatly benefit the website.

 

Board Member – Gabriela Garcia Largen
Gabriela (she/her) is a Senior Director in the Service & Experience Department at the University of Virginia's Department of Human Resources. Her work focuses on improving response times to inquiries, reducing the time required to resolve complex issues, minimizing transaction errors, and enhancing self-service support frameworks. She also has extensive experience in complex, challenging international manufacturing and corporate environments. Gabriela is bilingual in English and Spanish. Her recent professional development in "design thinking" demonstrates her commitment to innovative trends that yield results in large-scale operations, making her well-suited for website development initiatives.

 

Board Member – Tim McDaniels
Tim (he/him) is the Managing Director and Founder of Convoy, a design and development agency based in Charlottesville (weareconvoy.com). With over 25 years of experience in web development, project management, and digital marketing, Tim specializes in creating e-commerce, content management, and database solutions for startups, educational institutions, and nonprofits. Throughout his career, he has developed innovative digital products that deliver impactful results.







 

White Background

neurodiverseU.org launch - January 2025

 

 COPYRIGHT 2024 - Neurodiversity University - Disclaimer
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White Background

neurodiverseU.org launch - November 2024

 

 COPYRIGHT 2024 - Neurodiversity University - Disclaimer
​
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