Staff

Erik Carter is the Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities at Baylor University. His research and writing focus on fostering inclusion and belonging in schools, workplaces, and faith communities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Kristen Padilla is a clinical associate professor in educational psychology. She is a board-certified behavior analyst and school psychologist. Her research focuses on the validity and reliability of assessments based in applied behavior analysis and graduate training in conducting assessments within the field.

Dr. Ragan teaches courses related to practicum and clinical experiences in school psychology as well as multicultural issues with children and families. She supervises school psychology students, conducting psychology assessments and counseling at the Center. Dr. Ragan’s primary research interests include best practices in clinical supervision, family-school collaboration, and a focus on systematic reviews and meta-analytic methods.

Jason Le Shana is Program Director of the Baylor Collaborative on Faith & Disability. His professional and ministry experience include appointments as a university campus minister, adjunct professor, worship pastor, and denominational consultant. He oversees the day-to-day operations and strategic partnerships central to Baylor’s Faith and Disability work.

Ivette Wilhelm is Media & Communications Manager for the Center. She is responsible for media relations, internal communications, marketing, and public relations outreach on behalf of the Center. Wilhelm has expertise working in the leisure travel/tourism and entertainment industries and has extensive experience in media and community relations, public relations strategy, corporate communications and marketing.

Evette Alexander is Senior Director for Research Grants where she helps catalyze and advance interdisciplinary scholarship that contributes to greater flourishing for individuals with disabilities, their families and communities.  

Grace Casper is the Program Coordinator for the Center. She plans all events and trainings, assists with the faith and disability initiative, designs promotional materials, and coordinates community partnerships.

Melody Escobar, Ph. D., is a research associate at Baylor University, Collaborative on Faith and Disability. Her research and publications in Christian spirituality and practical theology focus on families who experience disability, innovative models of ministry, and curricula advancing inclusion and belonging in academic and spiritual life. She lectures in religion and disability, eco-justice, and mysticism. She is the author of Revelations of Divine Care (Baylor University Press, Studies in Religion, Theology, and Disability Series, 2024), which explores the lived experiences of caregivers of disabled children and the writings of Christian mystic Julian of Norwich.

Emily Frake, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research associate at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. Her research focuses on understanding and creating inclusive spaces and places of belonging for people with disabilities in all areas of life. As a former special education teacher, Dr. Frake is particularly passionate about inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Callan Glascock is the Program Coordinator at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. In her role, she manages administrative tasks, coordinates events and meetings, and supports the Center’s daily operations and communications.

Katie Laubender is the Program Manager for the Youth Transitions Program with the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. Through this program, Katie focuses on equipping youth and young adults with disabilities with the knowledge and skills necessary to flourish in adulthood.  Her experience includes teaching Special Education at the high school level and teaching 18+ Transitions to Adulthood.

Kari is a graduate of the School of Education’s Educational Psychology program and is dedicated to championing the rights of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is committed to fostering environments where they experience belonging and their contributions are recognized and valued.

Adrianna Martinez is the administrative assistant for the clinical services and programs for the BCDD clinic site located at the Hillcrest-MacArthur Center. She supports faculty and students by screening clients for needed services, scheduling appointments, and tending to the needs of parents who have children recently diagnosed with autism or other developmental disability. She makes sure each client and family are is connected to appropriate resources and services.

Elyse McMullen, LMSW, MDiv, is the Program Manager for the Bridges to Belonging project, a collaboration of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD), the Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I), and George W. Truett Seminary. Through this project, Elyse focuses on creating spaces of belonging in congregations for youth and young adults, specifically those with disabilities, mental health challenges, and chronic illnesses. Her experience includes teaching at the secondary and elementary level, congregational social work, school-based social work, and youth ministry.

Dalila Ochoa is the Family Outreach Program Manager at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities. Her focus is on developing trainings, resources, and toolkits for educators who serve culturally and linguistically diverse students with and without disabilities, as well as their families for Project LEER. 

Madi Snow-Gould is a graduate of Baylor’s Social Work program and a Research Assistant with the BCDD. Her professional interests are community organizing and policy reform around disability justice issues, as well as the inclusion of people with disabilities in spiritual communities.

MacKenzie Wicker is a postdoctoral research associate in the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities at Baylor University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) in the state of Texas. Her research interests center on equipping adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for competitive and integrated employment; supporting educators and families through the transition to adulthood for students with IDD; and fostering inclusion and belonging for transition-aged youth with IDD across multiple settings.