Disability Advocacy
Disability advocacy has been the driving force behind my career for more than fifteen years. As a disabled scholar, educator, and consultant, I am passionate about creating environments where accessibility, inclusion, and belonging are not afterthoughts, but foundational values.
Throughout my career, I have partnered with colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and professional associations to remove barriers and improve access for people with disabilities. My work has included advancing disability policy, leading institutional accessibility initiatives, consulting on ADA and Section 504 compliance, improving conference and event accessibility, and helping organizations move beyond compliance toward meaningful inclusion.
My advocacy has extended beyond my professional roles through leadership in state and national organizations. I proudly served on the Governor-appointed Washington State Independent Living Council (WASILC), helping advance statewide disability policy and independent living initiatives. I also served in multiple leadership roles within the Disability Issues Caucus of the National Communication Association, including Chair, where I worked alongside colleagues to improve accessibility and representation within one of the nation’s largest communication organizations.
Today, I continue this work through consulting, public speaking, professional development, and board service. Whether I am training faculty, advising executive leaders, speaking at conferences, or mentoring emerging professionals, my goal remains the same: creating communities where disabled people are valued, empowered, and able to thrive.
Leadership & Service
Washington State Independent Living Council (WASILC)
- Governor-appointed Council Member (2017–2021)
- Vice Chair until 2021
- Advocated for disability rights and independent living across Washington State.
- Met with state legislators to influence disability policy and improve services statewide.
- You can learn more about WASILC through their website
Disability Issues Caucus, National Communication Association
- Access Chair
- Vice Chair-Elect
- Vice Chair
- Chair
- Past Chair
- Led initiatives to improve conference accessibility and promote disability scholarship and representation within the communication discipline.
- Learn more about the DIC through their website and more information about the National Communication Association through the NCA website.
Higher Education Leadership
- District ADA/504 Coordinator
- District Dean of Student Engagement
- Director of Disability Services
- Consultant and trainer on accessibility, disability inclusion, ADA/504 compliance, and Universal Design.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018 Olympia Washington
WASILC member meetings with District Representatives and Senators
Meetings with: Representative Schmick, Representative Mary Dye, and Senator Schoeslet (pictured above)
Women in Academia
Supporting women in higher education has always been an important part of my professional journey.
During my time at Washington State University, I served on the International Women’s Day Committee, collaborating with faculty, staff, and students to develop campus-wide programming celebrating the achievements of women around the world. As part of the annual celebration, I organized and moderated the panel discussion Practicing Allyship in Academia: Research, Service, and Teaching, bringing together scholars from across the university to explore how allyship can be intentionally practiced in our classrooms, research, leadership, and service.
Throughout my career, I have continued advocating for women through mentorship, leadership development, and creating opportunities for historically marginalized voices to be heard. As a higher education leader, consultant, and speaker, I believe that inclusive leadership requires intentional action, authentic allyship, and a commitment to removing barriers that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.
Leadership & Service
Washington State University
- International Women’s Day Committee Member
- Planned annual campus programming celebrating women’s achievements.
- Organized and moderated the panel Practicing Allyship in Academia: Research, Service, and Teaching.
Higher Education
- Mentor to emerging professionals and women leaders.
- Speaker on inclusive leadership, equity, accessibility, and organizational change.
- Advocate for equitable hiring, leadership development, and institutional transformation.
Photo of Davi with with colleagues on the Allyship panel for the International Women’s Day panel. Three women are sitting at a table and four women are standing directly behind them smiling at the camera.
(from left to right: Davi Kallman, Leigh Gaskin, Cassondra Yarlott, Rochelle Dach, Whitney Stefani, and Kakali Chakrabarti)
Environmental Communication Campaigns
My passion for communication extends beyond higher education and disability advocacy. During my graduate studies at the University of Texas at El Paso, I participated in an intensive international environmental communication program in Indonesia, where our cohort spent six weeks studying community-based conservation efforts and social marketing campaigns.
Working alongside local conservation leaders, we visited multiple national parks and examined how strategic communication could encourage sustainable environmental practices while empowering local communities. Our work combined communication research, leadership, conservation biology, and social marketing to better understand how meaningful change occurs when communities are engaged as partners rather than audiences.
This experience reinforced a lesson that continues to influence my work today: lasting change happens through relationships, collaboration, and effective communication. Whether addressing environmental sustainability, disability inclusion, organizational culture, or higher education leadership, successful change begins by listening to communities, understanding their needs, and building solutions together.
Field Experience
University of Texas at El Paso
- Graduate field study in Environmental Communication (2010).
Indonesia
- Six-week international communication and conservation program.
- Studied community-based conservation campaigns in Ujung Kulon National Park, Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park, and West Bali National Park.
- Worked alongside campaign leaders to examine social marketing, environmental communication, conservation biology, and community engagement strategies.
- Explored how communication can inspire sustainable behavior change and community empowerment.