Kathleen Downes

Bio:

Kathleen Downes is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Community Health and a concentration in disability studies. She is a passionate disability activist and has presented on various panels about disability issues. Past speaking enagements include a guest lecture for the New York University Department of Physical Therapy about growing up with a disability and a presentation for the University of Illinois Campus Acquaintance Rape Education (CARE) course about ableism and violence. She blogs about her life with cerebral palsy at The Squeaky Wheelchair and loves to engage readers in thoughtful discussion. She lives in New York with her family and elaborately decorated power wheelchair.

Image description: Image shows Kathleen Downes seated in a wheelchair. She has blonde curly hair and rectangular glasses. She is smiling with one arm set on the armrest and the other flexed with her fist on her shoulder, a posture typical of people with muscle tightness. She is wearing a maroon dress. Background is greenery.