Mark Crenshaw, MTS, has been elected by the members to serve as a member-at-large on the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Board. AUCD is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs.
Crenshaw is the Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability, one of the 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) in the Georgia State University School of Public Health. He also serves as the Director of Interdisciplinary Training and the Training Director for Georgia's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (GaLEND) program.
His work focuses on developing disability leaders, building and sustaining community partnerships, and increasing the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in their communities. Since 2019, Mr. Crenshaw has represented CLD on the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and played a significant role in the Georgia Developmental Disabilities Network's response to COVID-19. He provides training and technical assistance to LEND programs about the purposeful inclusion of self-advocates in interdisciplinary training. Crenshaw has served on the design team and core faculty of the AUCD Leadership Academy since its inception in 2017.
"I am honored to have been elected. The Association of University Centers on Disabilities has supported my growth as a leader, and it is a gift to be invited to give back to the organization. I hope to continue to lead the organization to work for a more equitable and just future", said Crenshaw. "I also hope to pave the way for more disabled leaders of color to find spaces to lead within their centers and AUCD."
The AUCD programs serve and are in every U.S. state and territory and are all part of universities or medical centers. They are a bridge between the university and the community, bringing together resources of both to achieve meaningful change.
The AUCD is governed by an elected Board of Directors that includes professionals, individuals with disabilities, and family members. The Board of Directors has established several committees and councils made up of experts in the field to help the Board address emerging trends and issues and to facilitate communication across and beyond the AUCD network.
Crenshaw is passionate about training emerging leaders with and without disabilities to work collaboratively to build more responsive systems and inclusive communities. In his work as GaLEND training director, Crenshaw has had the great fortune to help form more than 170 students and fellows as leaders in health and healthcare, education, public policy, advocacy, and many other areas. His former students serve in critical roles as leaders in state and national systems that positively impact the flourishing of children, youth, adults, and families affected by disabilities.
Crenshaw joined Georgia State University in June 2011 as the Director of Interdisciplinary Training. He graduated with a B.A. in Religion from Oklahoma City University and a Master's in Theological Studies from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Before coming to Georgia State, Mr. Crenshaw was the Executive Director of the Interfaith Disability Network. This program worked to identify and share the gifts of individuals with disability labels in congregational and community settings.
To learn more about AUCD, visit http://aucd.org.
Center for Leadership in Disability
The Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD) is a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, that moved to Georgia State in August 2008. CLD is housed within Georgia State University School of Public Health. The CLD is one of 67 programs in the country funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more at cld.gsu.edu.
Media Contact
Gail Rodriguez
Communications Manager
School of Public Health
Center for Leadership in Disability