Michele Dominique Schilling holds a master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado Denver, where her academic research explored the impact of Orthodox religious institutions’ policies on women and LGBTQ+ persons, focusing on their rights, mental health, stigma management, and minority stress. For these studies, she used qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews […]
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Elaina Peterkin obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Vassar College in 2019. During her time there she focused on implications of incarceration for Black queer women in the United States. Elaina has joined the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University as a Research Associate to support BBI’s evaluation of new web-based technology
Samantha Deane is a PhD candidate in Human Resources at the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University. She started her PhD program in 2022. Her research interests focus on management practices related to, and the workplace experiences of, diverse employees. She is particularly interested in people with disabilities and sexual minorities. She
Joseph Battisto is the Director of the Appellate Brief Legal Training Project and Director of the Institute’s partnership with the Disability Rights Bar Association. He also provides support for the finance, administration, research, and other departments. He earned his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 2018.
Ingrid Stefano As Director of Research Administration, Ingrid oversees BBI’s budget, including the financial management of sponsored programs, projects as well as gifts and endowments. She collaborates extensively with management, researchers, and staff regarding grant proposals, financial reports, and to ensure administrative compliance and efficiency in BBI’s operations. She is the liaison to SU central
Dr. Schuyler Lawson obtained a Ph.D. in Community Health and Health Behavior from the University at Buffalo in 2024. From November 2023 to June 2024, he served as a New York State Public Health Corps Fellow in a county health department. Before his doctoral studies, he received a Master’s in Psychology from the University at
Kate Battoe started working at the BBI in March 2012 as a Research Assistant. She is an extremely talented young woman with a gift for writing. As a Research Assistant, she assists with many projects. Kate started by working on BBI’s Demand Side Employment project, which studies the employment patterns of people with disabilities and
Giuseppe Franco “Joey” Pagano is a research assistant at the Burton Blatt Institute, contributing in a variety of ways. A writer by nature, he works across projects, assisting with knowledge translation efforts, managing social media accounts, developing research and policy briefs, contributing to academic papers, and more. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a
Angela Winfield is vice president and chief diversity officer for the Law School Admission Council. In this role, she provides leadership, vision, energy, and a unified philosophy to LSAC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on behalf of member law schools and the students who seek a career in law. Prior to her current position, Winfield
Joshua R. Tumen, Esq., is a Litigation Associate at White and Williams LLP in New York, New York. He represents corporations, commercial entities, and insurance agencies in matters including complex litigation, contractual disputes and tort claims. Mr. Tumen received his B.A. from the University of Delaware and J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law.
