Pac Rim 2026
Strand Information
Five strands will be featured this year, each uniquely addressing relevant topics impacting our communities. Each strand will focus on best practices, advocacy, research, and capacity building. Presentations will reflect the conference values of enhancing our understanding of intersectionality and centering disability as a part of the universal human experience. In addition, we are seeking presentations that focus on the conference theme — Unbreakable Threads: Communities of Resilience and Continuity.
Table of Contents
Disability Studies in Education
Disability Studies in Education
Disability Studies in Education (DSE) centers understanding of disability in a social model and draws on a wide range of disciplinary perspectives to critique and unsettle medical, colonial, and psychological models that historically and currently guide educational practices in schools and communities. This strand creates a space for teachers, scholars, and community members to share about DSE approaches to teaching and learning in K-12 schools and higher education, present research and scholarship on disabled experiences related to DSE, and tell stories that demonstrate how DSE approaches in classrooms and in the community lead to equity/justice, allyship, and growth.
We seek topics in the following broad areas of teaching & scholarship:
- Interdisciplinary stories of teaching & scholarship in DSE
- Inclusive K-12 school-based practices that center DSE approaches to supports and services for students with disabilities and their families
- Incorporating DSE perspectives into professional preparation programs such as teacher education, school leadership preparation, school social work, school counseling, special education, school nursing, and early childhood education
- Intersectional cultural perspectives on DSE that give voice to historical and present injustice and imagine educational futures of equity/justice and thriveance.
Guiding Questions:
- How can DSE teaching and scholarship promote an expansive intersectional understanding of human growth and learning in K-12 schools, higher education, and beyond?
- What are DSE centered effective teaching & learning practices across a range of cultural contexts?
Strand Chairs
Jason M. Naranjo, Ph.D.
School of Educational Studies, University of Washington Botthell
jnaranjo@uw.edu
Facebook: @uwbses Instagram: @uwbsesofficial Twitter: @UWBSES YouTube: @uwbses
Dr. Naranjo (Tewa descendant) is an interdisciplinary scholar who partners with people with disabilities, public schools, and community organizations. His work is focused on a) teacher education for inclusive schooling, and b) disability and the outdoors. Through the study of disability as a social and political issue, Dr. Naranjo’s scholarly contributions squarely address issues of access and equity. Dr. Naranjo’s teaching is organized into two areas and that correspond to his primary areas of scholarship. The courses that he teaches place central emphasis on the inclusion of students with disabilities and those labeled with disability in the full life of K-12 public schools and community.
Tyson E.J. Marsh, Ph.D.
School of Educational Studies, University of Washington Botthell
tysonm@uw.edu
Facebook: @uwbses @tyson.marsh.18 Instagram: @uwbsesofficial @halim.tyson Twitter: @UWBSES LinkedIn: @tyson-e-j-marsh YouTube: @uwbses
Dr. Tyson E.J. Marsh (Black and Indigenous) is faculty in the School of Educational Studies at the University of Washington Bothell. His work as an educator/scholar/community advocate is informed by the political, historical, social, cultural and economic contexts of education in relation to democracy, equity, and justice. Focusing on race and racialization, his research converges at the intersection of place, space, voice and (in)opportunity for Black and Indigenous communities.
Inclusive Health and Movement: Innovations in Adapted Physical Activity and Community Well-Being
Innovations in Adapted Physical Activity and Community Well-Being
Adapted Physical Activity (APA) continues to evolve as a dynamic field intersecting health, community development, and disability rights. As we advance into an era that emphasizes equity, inclusion, and co-designed practices, it is critical to explore how APA can move beyond accessibility to truly reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of disabled individuals.
This strand will explore the next frontier of APA through research, program design, and lived experience, with a focus on equitable access, culturally responsive practices, trauma-informed approaches, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Presentations will highlight innovative APA models that promote holistic health, examine systemic barriers and enablers, and uplift the voices and leadership of disabled individuals in shaping community-based programs.
Key areas of focus include:
- Co-creation of APA programs with disabled individuals and community members
- Integration of mental, emotional, and social well-being within physical activity
- The role of culture, identity, and intersectionality in participation and program design
- Use of digital and hybrid models to increase reach and sustainability.
- Policy and systems-level change to support inclusive movement spaces.
Guiding Questions:
- How are APA programs evolving to center the leadership, voice, and lived experience of disabled individuals?
- In what ways are APA initiatives addressing intersectional identities, including race, gender, age, and neurodivergence?
- What models exist for culturally responsive, trauma-informed, or decolonized approaches to adapted physical activity?
- How can technology and virtual platforms enhance accessibility and participation in APA?
- What policies or systems level changes have been or should be made to support access to physical activity for disabled individuals?
Strand Chairs
A. Josephine Blagrave, Ph.D., (she/her)
Dept of Kinesiology, California State University, Chico
ablagrave@csuchico.edu
Facebook: @Theyellowdoorchico @ChicoStateKine Instagram: @chicostatekine Twitter: @blagraveaj LinkedIn: Josephine Blagrave
Josephine Blagrave is the Director of the Autism Clinic at Chico State. Dr. Blagrave’s research focuses on health and activity experiences of autistic individuals and their families as well as improving support for neurodiverse individuals in higher education. Dr. Blagrave is also the mother of two adopted autistic twins.
Kelle L. Murphy, D.P.E.
Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
kellem@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @CenterOnDisabilityStudies Instagram: @cdshawaiiedu Twitter: @CDShawaiiedu LinkedIn: Center-on-Disability-Studies
Dr. Kelle Murphy’s expertise is in adapted physical education and physical education. She has been running Swim Safe: ASD, a swim program for individuals with ASD, for the last 4 years on Oʻahu. Her research interests are in the areas of autism and swimming and risk management.
Inclusive Higher Education at a Crossroads: 15 Years of Growth, Innovation, and the Challenges Ahead
Inclusive Higher Education at a Crossroads: 15 Years of Growth, Innovation, and the Challenges Ahead
Over the past 15 years, the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) initiative—alongside a growing network of inclusive higher education programs—has helped reshape what’s possible for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in college. Through TPSID grants and broader institutional efforts, hundreds of programs have emerged across the country, offering access to academic coursework, campus life, and employment pathways once considered out of reach. Yet today, this momentum faces serious challenges. Shifting federal priorities, policy uncertainty, and limited long-term funding options are raising critical questions about sustainability and equity. This strand will bring together TPSID and non-TPSID programs, researchers, advocates, and students to reflect on the field’s growth, share effective models, and plan for the future. We’ll explore how to protect gains made, deepen inclusion, and ensure that inclusive higher education remains a growing and viable option for all.
Objectives:
- Reflect on the evolution and impact of inclusive higher education over the last 15 years, with a focus on TPSID-supported and non-TPSID programs.
- Share how initiatives are responding to shifts in policy, funding, and institutional priorities.
- Highlight inclusive models that support academic access, social belonging, and successful transition to employment.
- Elevate student perspectives and leadership in shaping inclusive postsecondary practices.
- Strengthen collaboration across sectors and regions to ensure long-term sustainability and innovation in inclusive higher education.
Strand Chairs
Eric Folk, M.Ed.
Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
efolk@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @CenterOnDisabilityStudies Instagram: @cdshawaiiedu Twitter: @CDShawaiiedu LinkedIn: Center-on-Disability-Studies
Eric Folk is a leading practitioner and advocate for inclusive postsecondary education and self-determined transition planning for youth with disabilities. He is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Postsecondary Support Project (PSP)—a thrice-funded TPSID (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities) initiative from the U.S. Department of Education. PSP operates across all University of Hawaiʻi Community College campuses and is further supported by partnerships with the Hawai‘i Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Hawai‘i Developmental Disabilities Division.
Eric also serves as Director of the Pacific Technical Assistance Center on Transition (PTACT), where he leads regional support efforts to strengthen interagency coordination and secondary transition systems across the Pacific. His work centers on improving outcomes in competitive, integrated employment and postsecondary access for youth with disabilities, including disconnected and justice-involved populations.
In addition to these roles, Eric is the PI of three U.S. Department of Education Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) grants. These projects address:
- Academic disengagement among Native Hawaiian college students,
- The educational impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and
- Increasing Native Hawaiian participation in STEAM fields through culturally grounded approaches.
Eric is the originator of the SELF-AREA framework of self-determination, which includes Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Advocacy. This model informs his leadership of Hawaiʻi’s Statewide Self-Determination Training Initiative and serves as the foundation for the Keys to Self-Determination curriculum—used widely across inclusive secondary programs, youth leadership workshops, and experiential learning events like Camp Mānoa.
With over a decade of experience, Eric has developed evidence-informed training curricula, conceptual models, and community engagement strategies that promote inclusive practices, cultural identity development, and educational access. He is committed to translating research into meaningful tools that help individuals with disabilities lead more self-determined lives.
Beth A. Myers, Ed.D
Center on Disability and Inclusion, Lawrence B. Taishoff, Syracuse University
bemyers@syr.edu
Facebook: @TaishoffCtr Instagram: @TaishoffCtr LinkedIn: @beth-a-myers YouTube: @TaishoffCenter
Beth Myers is the Executive Director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education at Syracuse University. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Education, teaching in the inclusive education program where she started in 2013. Dr. Myers is the founding editor of the Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education and the Chair of the Annual State of the Art Conference in Inclusive Higher Education. Beth was awarded the 2018 CNY Business Journal’s Business Woman of the Year in Higher Education, the 2021 Meredith Early Career Teaching Award, and the 2022 George Jesien National Leadership Award in Higher Education. She lives in Syracuse, NY with her four children.
Innovative Workforce: Disability and the Future of Work
Innovative Workforce: Disability and the Future of Work
The conversation around building a strong and dynamic workforce is evolving, and it’s essential that disability is at its core. This strand, Innovative Workforce: Disability and the Future of Work, is designed to bring together a dynamic community of educators, researchers, service providers, and employers to collaboratively strengthen the unbreakable threads that connect us in the professional world. By moving beyond traditional compliance models, we will explore how a focused effort on including people with disabilities can lead to a more resilient, innovative, and successful workforce for everyone. Research shows that organizations with a commitment to including people with disabilities experience a range of business benefits, including increased innovation, higher employee retention, a broader customer base, and stronger financial performance.
We’ll create a space for meaningful engagement, where employers can share their real-world challenges and successes, researchers can present groundbreaking data, and service providers can offer tangible solutions. By fostering this collaborative ecosystem, we aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, transforming workplaces from being merely accessible to being truly welcoming. Our goal is to highlight the immense talent of people with disabilities and to equip all stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to create fair and sustainable professional environments.
Key Areas of Focus
- The Transition Pipeline & Employer Perspectives: Examining the journey from education to employment and the strategies that help employers attract and keep a neurodiverse and disability-conscious talent pool, strengthening the continuity of professional life.
- The Business Case for an Open Workforce: Demonstrating the tangible economic and social benefits of building a workforce that includes people with disabilities, and how this contributes to organizational resilience.
- Co-Designed Solutions: Exploring how employers and employees can collaboratively develop effective, respectful, and innovative workplace accommodations and technologies, reinforcing the unbreakable threads of connection.
- Workplace Challenges & Success: Discussing practical strategies for navigating common professional hurdles, such as career progression, skill-building, and managing evolving health conditions, highlighting individual and organizational resilience.
- Neurodiversity and Visible/Non-Visible Disabilities: Expanding the conversation beyond physical impairments to encompass the full spectrum of disabilities, recognizing the unique contributions of each individual, and building stronger communities of resilience.
Guiding Questions
- How are leading employers successfully integrating disability into their core business strategies, and what challenges did they overcome to build resilient work communities?
- What collaborative models are most effective in bridging the gap between educational institutions, service providers, and employers to create a robust talent pipeline and ensure professional continuity?
- In what ways are companies leveraging technology and co-design principles to create more welcoming work environments and career pathways?
- What are the most effective methods for measuring the success of initiatives focused on hiring and supporting people with disabilities, beyond simple hiring numbers?
- How can organizations foster a culture that supports both visible and non-visible disabilities, ensuring all employees feel valued and empowered to contribute?
Strand Chairs
Philip Davy, Ph.D.
Director of Employer Training, Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
pdavy@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @CenterOnDisabilityStudies Instagram: @cdshawaiiedu Twitter: @CDShawaiiedu LinkedIn: Center-on-Disability-Studies
Philip Davy currently serves as a Director of Employer Training at the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on Project CLD-TEAMS building relationships that support greater participation for individuals with disabilities in the workforce. Dr Davy is leveraging his background in biomedical research and business development in the biotechnology industry in Japan and the US to support students interested in STEM fields to progress in their career goals. This work reflects his strong interest in supporting those who will build a future of more resilient human and planetary health.
Jared Galea’i
Principal Investigator, Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
galeaij@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @CenterOnDisabilityStudies Instagram: @cdshawaiiedu Twitter: @CDShawaiiedu LinkedIn: Center-on-Disability-Studies
Jared Galea’i is a specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Center on Disability Studies and a graduate of the University of Hawaii. He serves as Principal Investigator on projects focused on employment, transition services, and benefits planning for individuals with disabilities. Jared brings extensive experience as a former Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, having worked with high schools, colleges, correctional facilities, and Native American Rehabilitation Programs. He is actively involved with Disability:IN and is a committed advocate for persons with disabilities. His work reflects a strong interest in expanding access to education, employment, and support services.
Through the Lens of the Media Arts: Disability, Creativity, and Culture
Through the Lens of the Media Arts: Disability, Creativity, and Culture
This strand explores how disabled creators are transforming media landscapes and building online communities through the media arts, including filmmaking, video production, blogging, podcasting, live streaming, and illustration. We’ll examine how authentic representation in popular culture is evolving, thanks to platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as how disabled artists in film and media are disrupting stereotypes and reclaiming narrative power from mainstream outlets. Together, we’ll reflect on what makes online spaces truly inclusive, how creative expression fosters belonging, and how visibility can (or doesn’t always) translate to structural change. We’ll also explore the tension between monetization and ethics, and how film and visual storytelling can advance not just awareness and acceptance, but true disability justice. Guiding questions will center representation, resistance, identity, and the power of culture to reimagine what’s possible.
Representation in Pop Culture
- How has the work of creators with disabilities influenced representations of disability in popular culture?
- What stereotypes have disabled creators disrupted or redefined?
- How have platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram shifted the public narrative around disability?
- What’s the difference between “representation” and “authentic representation”?
- How do disabled creators reclaim storytelling power from mainstream media?
- In what ways does visibility translate (or not) to structural change?
Creative Expression & Inclusive Online Communities
- How can creative expression be used to build inclusive online communities?
- What makes an online community truly accessible, welcoming, and sustainable?
- How do storytelling and art help us feel seen—and invite others to show up authentically?
- What role do vulnerability and identity play in shaping digital connection?
- How do we handle call-outs, disagreements, or harm in disability-centered online spaces?
- What are the ethics of community care and content boundaries for disabled creators?
Film, Disability Justice, and Cultural Shift
- How are film and visual storytelling advancing disability justice, awareness, and acceptance?
- What makes a film or documentary truly disability-affirming?
- How can film go beyond awareness into activism or policy change?
- What are the risks of trauma/inspiration-porn or similar narratives, and how do creators push back?
- Who is controlling the lens—and how does authorship affect impact?
- How can film festivals, schools, and distribution systems center disabled voices authentically?
Strand Chairs
Meriah Nichols
Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
meriah@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @meriahnichols Instagram: @meriahnichols LinkedIn: @meriahnichols
Meriah Nichols is a deaf, neurodivergent writer, therapist, and unapologetic disability media nerd based in Hawai‘i. She’s the voice behind Unpacking Disability, a widely-read blog where storytelling, disability justice, and community connection come together through posts, interviews, and digital media. With backgrounds in counseling, career development, and cross-cultural education—and professional roots stretching from rural Taiwan to UC Berkeley—Meriah brings a trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and identity-celebrating lens to everything she does. Whether she’s writing about grief, running a workshop, or building disability pride content, Meriah’s work is shaped by lived experience, love of language, and a deep commitment to collective liberation.
Ronald Deese
Center on Disability Studies, College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
rdeese@hawaii.edu
Facebook: @ronald.deese YouTube: @DisabilityBenefitsDecoded
Ronald Deese has been part of the team at UH Mānoa’s Center on Disability Studies since 2012, working to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. By day, he’s a Project Director and Community Work Incentives Coordinator for the Hawaiʻi WIPA project. By night? He’s probably deep in a YouTube rabbit hole. Ronald’s late-night video binges eventually sparked his interest in using online video as an educational tool—so much so, he made it part of his Learning Design and Technology (LTEC) degree. Some of his favorite disabled YouTube creators include accessibility-focused game reviewer Laura Kate Dale and savage satirist Stanzi Potenza.