Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that Kiara N. Drake has been chosen to serve as the university's first full-time ADA Coordinator, pending Board of Trustees approval.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ADA Coordinator is responsible for providing expertise, guidance and oversight to campuswide efforts to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities. This role is free-standing and is intended to be a visible resource for the campus community, a partner to offices and units providing disability-related services, and a conduit for assessment and advocacy.
The ADA Coordinator reports to the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Kiara began her role October 9.
Prior to Illinois, Kiara served as assistant director for civil rights compliance and ADA Coordinator at Washington State University. In that role, Kiara provided consultations, educational resources, policy updates, and conflict resolution support, related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, other nondiscrimination laws, and WSU’s discrimination and harassment, equal employment opportunity, and service and support animal policies.
Kiara is a graduate of Claflin University, a small HBCU in South Carolina, where she earned BAs in American Studies and Politics and Justice Studies. She holds a JD from Michigan State University and practiced civil rights law in St. Louis for several years.
Over the next few months, our plan is to review and enhance the current ADA Coordinator processes and procedures, along with our efforts to coordinate and collaborate across campus units, to best align with this new full-time position.
Please continue to submit accommodation requests and accessibility-related concerns through the current forms and channels.
Request an accommodation
Report a barrier to access
Report discrimination, harassment, or retaliation
More information will follow during the spring semester.
I hope you will join me in welcoming Kiara Drake in this important role as we further our university’s vision of accessibility as a core component of our values of equity, access, and belonging.
Sincerely,
Sean C. Garrick
Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion