Bio – Staff – Operations

Graciano Petersen, Senior Director for Talent, Culture, and Leadership Development

Graciano Petersen, Senior Director for Talent, Culture, and Leadership Development

Graciano Petersen is the Senior Director for Talent, Culture, and Leadership Development at RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. Graciano is dedicated to advancing equity across all sectors and providing accessible opportunities for upskilling and advancement. Graciano holds an MA in Second Language Acquisition from Tulane University, is fluent in Spanish, and is working towards fluency in Brazilian Portuguese.

Prior to joining RespectAbility, Graciano worked in adult education and school leadership. He has over 13 years of Adult Education experience and is passionate about making education accessible to all types and levels of learners. Graciano is currently on the Board at the Adult Numeracy Network as the Equity Officer where he focuses on working with board to make sure there is equity across the inner workings of the board and its committees.

Outside of work, Graciano is a carnivalist (a carnival enthusiast) and can be found engaging in carnival culture and leads the Vavá United School of Samba in DC.

Meet our Staff

Tonya Koslo, Vice President of Finance and Operations

Tonya Koslo, Vice President of Finance and Operations

Tonya Koslo is the Vice President of Finance and Operations of RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. Koslo is an experienced administrator whose skills include database management, state charitable registrations, computers, billing, legal requirements of human resource administration, websites and support services.

Prior to joining RespectAbility, Koslo worked for Laszlo and Associates as the Executive Assistant and Office Manager and for eleven years in various capacities for the Mayor, Town Board and Town Administrator Biltmore Forest, North Carolina. In her free time, she volunteers at her church, is the president of her homeowner’s association and is active in local adoption groups.

Contact Tonya Koslo

Reach Koslo at TonyaK@RespectAbility.org.

Meet our Staff

Phillip Saldana, Operations Manager

Phillip Saldana, Operations Manager

Phillip Saldana (He/They/Them) is the Operations Manger at RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. [continue reading…]

Donjeta Sahiti, Special Assistant to the President

Donjeta Sahiti, Special Assistant to the President

Donjeta Sahiti is the Special Assistant to the President at RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.

Sahiti earned her Master’s in Public Administration from Seton Hall University. She previously interned at Senator Cory Booker’s Office and for the nonprofit organization JESPY House. Her experiences have inspired her to enter the nonprofit field because it is where she feels she can make the greatest change in society moving forward. [continue reading…]