Staff

Tammy Themel
Chief Executive Officer
tthemel@abilityindiana.org

As the CEO of accessABILITY, Tammy carries out the strategic plans and vision established by the Board of Directors. She drives the team at accessABILITY towards “more is more” – more services, for more people with disabilities, leading to more independence and ultimately a better community for everyone. She is passionate about pressing for a change in the domestic violence and sexual assault that impacts persons with disabilities, which happens at a much higher rate than the population as a whole. Tammy has an MBA from Purdue. Tammy enjoys weaving, quilting, sewing, crocheting, as well as growing tomatoes, reading, and historical re-enacting. She has never met an alpaca or fainting goat that she didn’t like.

“I love working at accessABILITY because it lets me stretch to achieve the truth of ‘we must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history,’ said by Sonia Johnson. I get to see the change we are making in our communities on a daily basis – this is energizing and humbling.”

Susan Ferguson
Chief Program Officer
sferguson@abilityindiana.org

Susan’s passion lies in social justice and empowerment. For 15 years, she implemented that passion in the field of victim services and is now bringing that passion to accessABILITY to provide support, coaching, training, and resources to our staff. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to podcasts, and reading non-fiction.

“Working at accessABILITY helps me to live out my values of social justice, empowerment, dignity, and curiosity. I believe that working towards these values will change the world for the better, even if for the small group of people with which I get to interact.”

Jessica Minor
Director of Community Engagement
jminor@abilityindiana.org

Jessica joined the team at accessABILITY to develop and oversee our outreach and community engagement activities, inform the greater-Indianapolis community of the great work and services that accessABILITY provides, and assist with program implementation. An Indiana-native, she is excited to work with the broader Indianapolis community and establish long-lasting relationships with the disability community; informing others as to why inclusion matters. With a Master’s in Public Policy, Jessica is passionate about the intersectionality of disability and other marginalized communities. She is a self-proclaimed foodie, still loves the Backstreet Boys, and can tell you about the best places to get a bagel.

“Working at accessABILITY allows me to work in the community that I care deeply about. I am excited to make an impact in the Indianapolis disability community and help bridge the gap for people with disabilities in being able to live independently and access the resources they need.”

Barb Dosch
Independent Living Advocate
bdosch@abilityindiana.org

As an Independent Living Advocate at accessABILITY, Barb focuses on listening to consumers, asking questions, giving suggestions, and assisting people to empower themselves. She offers support to her consumers to let them be heard. Her passion is visual impairment and she is on the board of the Indiana State Board for National Federation of the Blind. Barb has organized a blind camp for kids to learn braille, O&M, cooking, and crafts. In her free time, she loves to play video games with people all over the world.

“I love working at accessABILITY because I am allowed to be kind. I have a conscience personality to see the best in anyone all you need is one person to believe and then the sky is the limit for anyone. If I make one person feel this way, I’m good.”

Linda Gosnell
Administrative Office Manager
lgosnell@abilityindiana.org

Linda is a compassionate listener, whether you are in a crisis or simply need peer support. At accessABILITY, she provides information and referral services, orders assistive technology for consumers, audits new consumer files, surveys past consumers, and provides assistance and support for the accessABILITY staff.  Linda returned to school later in life and graduated Kaplan College with honors in 2012. She has a passion for putting people at ease, knowing that no two people are alike. Linda is a musician, award winning songwriter, artist, and published poet, who enjoys being a movie binge-watching couch potato as much as taking long walks in nature and working in her flower garden in warmer months. As an animal-lover she can fall in love instantly with anything with paws, hooves, wings, or fins.

“I, myself, have been in need of the same services in the past in order to transition to independent living and love that accessABILITY is focused so strongly on independence, inclusion, and advocating for persons with disabilities.”

Glenda Mark
Independent Living Advocate
gmark@abilityindiana.org

Glenda is a strong voice for disability rights, assisting consumers to maintain their lives independently and out loud within their community. As an Independent Living Advocate, she assists persons with disabilities to identify and address needs, develop and follow through with their goals in independent living, and secure supportive services to help them achieve those goals. Her area of specialty includes working with seniors. She holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Counseling. Outside of work, Glenda enjoys spending time with her family and exploring traveling opportunities.

“I enjoy building meaningful lives. My position allows me to assist individuals with disabilities to conquer the daily challenges that life can present. I am able to celebrate their successes, build on their weaknesses, and emphasize their strengths.”

Kelly Samson
Database Coordinator
ksamson@abilityindiana.org

Before coming to accessABILITY, Kelly spent 10 years working at Connect2Help 2-1-1. She is an AIRS Certified Community Resource Specialist (CRS) and CRS-Database Curator. She wanted to use her experience in Information & Referral to find new and better ways to store, share, and maintain the resources we offer our consumers. Her focus at accessABILITY is on quality assurance; she helps our advocates provide consistent and accurate information in the database. She is an alumni volunteer for Alpha Phi Omega (a gender-inclusive service fraternity), serves on the Indianapolis Mayor’s Advisory Council on Disability, and enjoys crocheting.

“I was diagnosed with MS at 26 years-old and used a wheelchair by 30. Working at Connect2Help allowed me to build relationships with many organizations in Indiana that serve people with all disabilities. Getting involved with those organizations, building a stronger community for people with disabilities, has been very fulfilling.”

Carolina Mora-Sánchez
Bilingual Independent Living Advocate
cmora@abilityindiana.org

As our Bilingual Independent Living Advocate, Carolina assists persons with disabilities by addressing and overcoming barriers to independent living through needs identification, goal setting, and supportive services in both English and Spanish. She loves to promote and educate about the independent living philosophy as a worldwide movement of disabled people working for equal opportunities, self-determination, and self-respect. She has her Associate Degree in Computer Science and earned the Child Development Associate Credential in her home country of Venezuela.

“I love working at accessABILITY because every day it am given the opportunity to assist and educate my peers with disabilities to understand that a disability is a natural part of life, and there are many opportunities and resources for them to continue growing as an individual and live their lives as independents.”

Gavin Selch
Information & Referral Advocate
gselch@abilityindiana.org

Gavin helps assist accessABILITY’s consumers to get them the information they need in order to live more independent lives. In addition to working at accessABILITY, Gavin is a Living Historical Reenactor and has participated in three different timelines throughout her life. She loves to read, learn, and is an avid pet-lover, taking care of a cat colony in her community.

“I am disabled myself, so I feel like I’m giving back to my community and helping those like myself. I am here to service those who need a helping hand to help themselves.”

Jan Kantz
Operations Manager
jkantz@abilityindiana.org

Jan has the opportunity to be the first point of contact with consumers on their initial call to accessABILITY. She is a great listener, helping our consumers feel supported and at ease. Jan has her Certified Aging in Place Certification and an MS in Counseling. Outside of work, you can find her at quilt shows, art fairs, or antique stores, or reading and gardening.

“I love working at accessABILITY because the team is genuine and driven to support individuals with disabilities. In the rapid pace of society today, it’s a pleasure to be able to serve people, listen to them, and take the time necessary to help them grow.”

Sonja Isenhart
Independent Living Advocate
sisenhart@abilityindiana.org

Sonja helps our consumers set goals and live their best lives independently. She practices active listening while walking beside them as they achieve their goals. She has a background in healing arts and brings that insight to women who have experienced domestic violence and sexual abuse. Outside of work, Sonja and her family have a life-long love for Halloween and enjoy collecting new pieces to add to their decor!

“I love working at accessABILITY because it’s a way of giving back to a community of my peers. My late husband and myself had/have invisible disabilies and I want to help make awareness and educate the community I live in, that just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t real.”