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The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is excited to announce the selection of Bernie Wiemers to the position of Associate Director for the center.

Please see below for a message from DRC Director Sohail Akhavein:

Wiemers brings a decade of experience in higher education and has served the DRC with compassion and clarity as an access coordinator for the past three years. A proud first-generation graduate and èßätv alum from a rural CO community, Bernie holds a lived understanding of access as both a professional imperative and a personal truth. Her leadership is rooted in empathy, equity and the belief that students deserve not only opportunities, but belonging.

This comes at an important and exciting time. As we enter a new chapter of leadership, the DRC is expanding its vision and evolving its role — from a reactive accommodations office to a proactive leader in institutional access, equity, and systems change. Our work is not just about compliance. It’s about creating a èßätv where access is designed from inception, where students are not only accommodated but affirmed, and where disability is recognized as a vital part of our diverse community. This intentional shift means our work is expanding. From Housing to Conduct, from academic accommodations to trauma-informed redesign, the DRC is becoming a proactive hub for institutional access where we will be equipping our partners, uplifting disabled student leadership, and shaping systems that reflect the complexities of identity and experience.

Bernie’s leadership is instrumental to this vision. Her insight, empathy, and collaborative spirit make her an ideal partner as we align our work more closely with campus partners, build infrastructure for Inclusive Design, and respond to increasingly complex needs with creativity and care. Together, our team will build a culture rooted in reflection and action, and ensure the DRC remains student-centered while also advancing strategic consultation, cross-campus partnerships, and policy innovation. Please join me in welcoming Bernie. 

In community,

Sohail Akhavein
Director, DRC