Bio – Fellow – Past Fellows

National Leadership Program, Spring/Summer 2015

Charles DeLeo

Charles V. DeLeo was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility in the Summer 2015 Cohort. DeLeo is a graduate from Marshall University with Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Languages and Literature. As a fellow, DeLeo was responsible for developing a database of contacts and contributed to RespectAbility’s Twitter account.

Prior to joining RespectAbility, DeLeo worked at St. Coletta of Greater Washington as a human resources assistant as well as facilities assistant. DeLeo is also fluent in Japanese and Spanish.

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National Leadership Program, Spring/Summer 2014

Jennifer Cookson

Jennifer Cookson was a Communications Fellow with RespectAbility in the Spring 2014 Cohort. Today, Cookson works as a Presidential Management Fellow Acquisition Specialist for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As a Fellow, Cookson increased her knowledge around fundraising, research and strategic communication, and gained the essential networking skills necessary to start a nonprofit organization. Prior to joining RespectAbility, Cookson worked for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and for the United States Census.

Cookson earned a Master of Public Policy from American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations with honors from George Mason University.

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National Leadership Program, Spring/Summer 2014 Cohort

Omar Chung

Omar Chung was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility in the Spring 2014 Cohort. Today, he works for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as an Information Intake Representative in American Sign Language.

Chung is hard of hearing, fluent in English and American Sign Language, and is the first of his family to graduate from high school and college. Chung has fifteen siblings and is very close to his family, who is his support system. He wants to continue setting a good example as a role model for his nephews, nieces, younger siblings, and friends. In the future, Chung hopes to continue advocating for people with disabilities.

Chung earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice from Rochester Institute of Technology and an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Applied Computer Technology from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

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National Leadership Program, Fall/Winter 2016 Cohort

Jennifer Bohlman

Jennifer Bohlman was a Social Media and Communications Fellow with RespectAbility in the Fall 2016 Cohort. Bohlman is currently a Professional Development Program Participant for Northrop Grumman.

While at RespectAbility, Brohlamn was responsible for updating the website and managing the day-to-day aspects of RespectAbility’s Twitter account, particularly tweeting and promoting Born This Way. Before joining RespectAbility, Bohlman served as an Administrative Intern, a Social Media Coordinator, and as an Enterprise Shared Services Intern.

Bohlman is a graduate from American University with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Foreign Language Communication Media. Bohlman is interested in mental health advocacy, but her passion for disability rights sparked in college after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatological problems. Bohlman hopes to continue working in disability advocacy and ultimately would like to get her Ph.D. in Disability Studies.

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National Leadership Program, Spring/Summer 2016 Cohort

Margaret Breihan

Margaret Breihan was a Communications Fellow with RespectAbility in the 2016 Spring and Summer Cohorts. Today, Breihan is a Communications Associate for the National Disability Institute.

As a Fellow, Breihan was excited to be part of an organization dedicated to strengthening the political voice, promoting employment opportunities, and increasing religious inclusion for people with disabilities. Throughout the program, Breihan learned how to be a better advocate for herself and others. Breihan was born with cerebral palsy and a learning disability. While she attended American University, she discovered the joys of living independently and learning about how to be a professional communicator and participated in several federal internships.

Prior to joining RespectAbility, Breihan interned with the Office of Disability Employment Policy within the Department of Labor and volunteered for various nonprofit organizations. Breihan graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and a Minor in Communications.

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National Leadership Program, Fall/Winter 2013 Cohort

Deepna Anand

Deepna Anand was a Fellow with RespectAbility during the 2013-2014 Cohort. Anand is currently working for Montgomery County Public Schools in their central office as a program assistant.

As a Fellow at RespectAbility, Anand worked on strategic communications, served as program support and played a vital role in organizing successful fundraisers. Prior to joining RespectAbility, Anand interned at Non Profit Village and Infinite Computer Solutions. In 2014, Anand graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology.

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National Leadership Program, Summer 2015 – Summer 2017

James Trout

James Trout was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility from the summer of 2015 through the summer of 2017. Diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 15, Trout joined RespectAbility because he wants to work in an environment that helps people with disabilities successfully achieve employment. As a Policy Fellow, Trout spent months on the trail engaging presidential candidates in the early primary states. In addition, he conducted research on the campaign’s policies and creates contact databases. His reporting from the trail can be found on The RespectAbility Report.

Prior to joining RespectAbility, he held several internships including with Senator Charles E. Schumer and the Office of Emergency Management at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Trout has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from American University. He has a Master’s degree from George Mason University in Transportation Policy Operations and Logistics.

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National Leadership Program, Summer 2017

Ana Song

Ana (Hee Jae) Song was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility, where she helped to create an innovative Community of Practice in Long Beach, California, with the ultimate goal of creating a national model of success while advancing opportunities for the people and community of Long Beach.

Song is a rising senior at Villanova University where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, with a concentration in Peace & Justice Studies. She also has minors in Spanish and Global Health. On campus, Song is deeply involved in the intersection of community service and social justice education.

Song’s interest in the disability community was initially fostered through the relationships she built with her campers as a counselor at Camp Promise—a no-cost, weeklong overnight camp for kids, teens and adults with Muscular Dystrophy or select neuromuscular diseases. Song’s experience sparked her commitment to promote education about mental health to eliminate stigmas and to inform people about psychological disorders. The combination of her experiences encouraged Song to dedicate her time toward policy work at RespectAbility.

In the future, Song hopes to work in the public health field, advocating for health equity and accessibility for all.

Song profiled Donna Walton, Curt Decker, Michael Murray and Ollie Cantos, four guest speakers for the 2017 Summer Fellowship. Read them on our website:

• Understanding Intersectionality and Self-Advocacy – Learning from Disability Diva Donna Walton
• Translating Good Policy into Good Practice – A Conversation with National Disabilities Rights Network’s Curt Decker
• No Pity: Employment Advice for People with Disabilities – Learning from the Office of Personnel Management’s Michael Murray
• Building Leadership and Adding Value – Advice from Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Ollie Cantos

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National Leadership Program, Summer 2017

Rachael Schindler

Rachael Schindler was a Jewish Inclusion Fellow at RespectAbility, where she worked to increase inclusion for people with disabilities in the Jewish community. She also managed the organization’s Jewish inclusion Facebook page.

A rising junior at Brandeis University, Schindler is majoring in Health: Science, Society and Policy as well as Legal Studies. She was thrilled to join the RespectAbility team to help enrich the lives of people with disabilities.

Schindler took an interest in this field at an early age. She was surrounded by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through personal connections and her mother’s occupation. Schindler is active in the Brandeis Buddies program, taking active role in the College Park Best Buddies Walk that her siblings chaired.

Schindler profiled Steve Rakitt, Praw Ranaweera and Linda Burger, three guest speakers for the 2017 Summer Fellowship. Read them on our website:

• Choosing to Laugh – A Conversation with Jewish Disability Inclusion Champion Steve Rakitt
• The Value of Listening – Learning from The Gates Foundation’s Pras Ranaweera
• Leaving Life in a Better Place Than We Found It – Advice from Jewish Family Service’s Linda Burger

She also wrote a press release: Famous TV Host who Once Wanted to be a Rabbi to Discuss Succeeding with a Mental Health Disability – RespectAbility Summit Features Marc Summers.

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