Stanford
Office of Accessible Education

Disability Advisers

Carleigh Kude, M.P.A.
Director of Disability Advising

Carleigh Kude smiles at the camera. They have shoulder length brown hair, and an olive colored long-sleeve top.

Hi; I’m Carleigh Kude (she/her), Director of Disability Advising in the Office of Accessible Education. My work is centered in access as dignity, equity as fairness, and candor as essential communication. I’ve been working in disability rights, services, and programming for two decades. My experience spans the public and private sectors, non-profit organizations, postsecondary education, and grassroots organizing. I live with my partner, our children, and too many books. We are a multilingual household, and would always rather be outside than in. I’m a news junkie, a writer, a bicyclist. I hold an M.P.A. with Honors from the California State University Long Beach’s Graduate School of Public Policy and Administration and a B.A. in Political Science from Humboldt State University.

Ake Saethia, M.B.A., M.S.W.
Senior Disability Adviser

Ake Saethia smiles at the camera. He has short black hair and is wearing a blue sweater.

Hello there!  I'm Ake Saethia (he/him), a Senior Disability Adviser at the Office of Accessible Education.  I studied Sociology, and Education at the University of California, Irvine, and obtained a Masters in both Business Administration and Social Work from the University of Southern California.  Since 2012, my focus has been working with students with disabilities in college settings.  In my free time, I like to get outdoors and camp while fishing, hiking, sitting by a campfire, enjoying a beverage surrounded by family and friends.  The warmth and peacefulness of nature reflects how I like to approach my work in determining accommodations for students.  My goal is to connect with your specific disability situation, and work together to figure out how we can meet your access needs.  Running is also one of my favorite hobbies so if you see me running around campus, feel free to stop me and say hi!

Lisa Sheftman, M.A., A.T.P.
Senior Disability Adviser

The Stanford Tree mascot

Hello, there!  I'm Lisa (she/her), a Senior Disability Adviser at the OAE. I earned a B.A. in English Literature and M.A. in Instructional Design and Technology with an emphasis in accessible media design and an Assistive Technology Practitioner (A.T.P.) credential from the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA).  I have over two decades’ experience working with students with disabilities in postsecondary education, as well as working with SF Bay Area community groups supporting people with disabilities in employment development and advocacy.  I was recognized by the President’s Commission on the Employment of People with Disabilities and received a Disability Champion of the Year award presented jointly by the Santa Clara County Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities and the Bay Area Coalition for the Employment of People with Disabilities in 1998 for my work and advocacy in transition issues and employment development for people with disabilities.

Tiffany Browning, M.Ed., M.P.P.A.
Disability Adviser

Tiffany Browning smiles at the camera. She is wearing a light blue shirt. She has dark teal glasses and long brown hair.

Hello! I'm Tiffany (she/her, they/them), one of the Disability Advisers in the OAE. I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Washington State University, and two master's degrees - one in Higher Education Administration and one in Public Policy and Administration - from UMass Amherst. As someone with invisible disabilities who utilized accommodations in my education, I know firsthand how important it can be to pursue and utilize accommodations. I have a background in multiple aspects of student housing, from managing residence halls, to residential academic coaching, to operations, and housing accommodations. In these various roles and departments, I often found myself helping others reframe disability assumptions, or identifying the systemic access concerns, and I've joined the OAE to be able to help students navigate the accommodations process at Stanford so they can have equitable access. I have a particular interest in disability social justice and how it intersects with fat politics and fat liberation. I love problem-solving and puzzles, but my true love is baking up a storm in the kitchen. I look forward to working with you!

Sara Clark, M.Ed.
Disability Adviser

Sara Clark smiles at the camera, a white cat on her shoulder. She has long red hair and a black shirt that says "Access is Solidarity is Disability Justice is Love"

Hello! I’m Sara (she/her, they/them), one of the Disability Advisers in the Office of Accessible Education. My educational background is in psychology and Deaf studies from UNH Manchester, followed by a Master’s in Higher Education Administration at UMass Amherst. I am passionate about fostering educational equity through disability awareness and access-centered practices. I seek to challenge the current narrative of disability within society, our campus community, and my own lived experiences through questioning current policies and attitudes. My hope is to see disability justice emerge within the broader consciousness of our campus and a rich celebration of all the wonderful, dynamic, intersectional, and diverse disability identities our campus holds.

Originally from southern Maine, I sometimes find myself missing fresh lobster or snowy winters, but those feelings quickly disappear when I get to enjoy the Santa Cruz Mountains. I was raised by an eccentric artist and so I can usually be found in my free time playing with clay or learning some new random craft. Reach out and say hi! I am always ready for a conversation about creativity, my backpack loving cat Luka, or deeper dive into disability justice and disability studies.

John Cu, M.A.
Disability Adviser

John Cu smiles at the camera. He has short black hair and is wearing a black polo shirt.

Hi! I’m John Cu (he/him), Disability Adviser at the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). My role at the OAE is to engage in interactive processes with students, faculty and staff to determine reasonable accommodations. If you’ve encountered barriers in the pursuit of your goals at Stanford, let’s work together to see if we can remove those barriers or find another way. I enjoy working with students from all backgrounds. I earned a B.S. in Psychology from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in Special Education from Notre Dame de Namur University. In my free time, I enjoy being active, indulging in good eats, spending time with loved ones and challenging myself to learn something new—big or small—every day. What can we learn today?

Heather Harris, M.A.
Disability Adviser

Heather Hoover, a Black and white biracial woman, smiles at the camera. They have dark brown singles, black glasses, and a light blue shirt.

Hello there! I'm Heather Harris (they/them, she/her), and I am one of the Disability Advisers with the Office of Accessible Education. As a biracial, bisexual woman with a myriad of disabilities, I believe in the importance of recognizing the multiplicity of all of our identities, rest as a form of resistance, and the deeply intertwined history of disability and racial justice. My educational background includes a Masters in Disability Studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies, a Bachelors in Deaf Studies from Gallaudet University, as well as an Associates and Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies from Ohlone College.

During my own college education, I worked extensively with my own respective colleges' disability services offices for a range of disabilities, and I am thrilled to be sitting on the other side of the table today to help today's disabled students find success at Stanford. When I am not working, you can usually find me binging one of many science fiction TV shows and movies. Whether you want to talk about how accommodations can help to improve your Stanford experience, or what the best Star Trek TNG episode is (It's Darmok), let's chat.

Ryleigh Murray, M.P.A.
Disability Adviser

Ryleigh is facing the camera and smiling. She is wearing a white Stanford University T-shirt. There is a bag over her shoulder and sunglasses rest on shoulder-length blonde hair. Behind her are various plants and trees on Stanford's campus.

Hello! I’m Ryleigh (she/they), Disability Adviser in the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). I hold a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Missouri and a B.S in Educational Disability and Family Advocacy from Missouri State University. In our meeting(s), I wish to understand and respect your needs, experience(s), and your identities as it relates to disability accommodations in your education career.

As a Midwest native, originally from the Kansas City, Missouri area, I fostered my love for potatoes, saying “ope,” and a good thunderstorm on a hot summer day. In my free time, I can be found building LEGO with my partner, reading the latest YA book with my cat Mateo, or embroidering up a storm. Feel free to reach out; I’m always willing to start a conversation about my love for cats, creative outlets, the best form of potato, or discussing accessibility, equality, and disability studies.

Roselyn Thomas '08, M.A.
Disability Adviser

Roselyn Thomas is smiling at the camera. They have short black hair, blue glasses, multicolored earrings, and a yellow button up shirt.

Greetings! I’m Roselyn (they/them, she/her), and I’m a Disability Adviser with OAE. I’ve been associated with Stanford for about 15 years now. First as an undergrad studying Sociology and African and African American Studies; and then for the past several years working as a staff member in a variety of departments in Student Affairs. My journey to working in disability services and the OAE stems from a long-term commitment to mental health and well-being as a racial and gender justice issue. As such I try to approach my work with students in a way that acknowledges the interplay between our individual lived experiences and positionality within systems of oppression. I’m always open to discussing how students’ experience of disability is contextualized by other identities they hold and/or marginalizations they experience.

I’m originally from a small suburb of Houston, Texas but, outside of a stint in Atlanta for grad school (M.A. in Sociology w/ focus on Sociology of Mental Health and Racial/Ethnic Relations), I’ve made the Bay Area home for quite awhile now. I’m an introvert so much of my down time is spent on more solitary pursuits. You might find me catching up on the latest happenings of Kpop sensation, BTS, reading fiction of dubious literary merit, or streaming one show or another. I’m a big advocate for rest and self-compassion as primary tools for self-care in systems that base our worth on our productivity. So, I also like to enjoy (and encourage) naps as a form of resistance. Since my brain likes to cycle through periods of intense concentration on stuff, you can also find me learning new stuff or dabbling in my hobbies of yore, every now and again. If you want to connect about any of these things, or just finding your way at Stanford, feel free to hit me up.