The Joy Zabala Fellowship
The Joy Zabala Fellowship in Assistive Technology and Accessible Educational Materials celebrates the life and work of Joy Smiley Zabala, EdD, (1946-2021) who was a pioneer in Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM).
Joy Zabala was an inspiring leader, a gifted communicator, a passionate advocate, and a beloved friend. With over 40 years dedicated to supporting equity, creating more inclusive educational environments, and access for individuals with disabilities, Joy’s SETT Framework revolutionized AT services, and her leadership fostered a stronger, more connected community of AT professionals.
The Fellowship was established in 2021 to actively honor Joy’s legacy by supporting emerging leaders who continue her work of expanding access to AT and AEM in schools and workplaces. Mentorship partners and individuals are able to apply for the fellowship each spring for the following academic year.
Donate and Support Joy’s Legacy
Joy was a remarkable and much-loved professional, advocate, mentor, and colleague. To celebrate and ensure her legacy, please make your tax-deductible gift to support the Joy Zabala Fellowship Fund today.
Organizations and companies are also invited to sponsor the Joy Zabala Fellowship mentorship program and help foster innovation and accessibility in educational settings. Contact us to learn more about sponsorship opportunities to help the Joy Zabala Fund support the next generation of leaders.
The Fellowship
This fellowship supports emerging, early career professionals working with students with disabilities from birth through transition, who, in collaboration with a seasoned mentor, will strengthen their expertise and skills in services supporting assistive technology and/or accessible educational materials, and share what they learn with the larger community of stakeholders.
These dynamic mentorship teams will work together to build capacity in AT and AEM, with a focus on improving accessibility and educational equity for students with disabilities. The collaborative efforts of the mentors and mentees will be supported by “connectors” in the field who help guide the Fellows in spreading their innovations and solutions across educational settings.
The 2024-2025 Fellowship Teams
- Judith Nomura (Mentee), Assistive Technology Specialist, Hawaii Department of Education.
Mentor: Dr. Brian Wojcik, Assistive Technology Partnership Supervisor, Nebraska Department of Education. - Amy Comford (Mentee), Supervisor, OT and PT Department, Columbus City Schools.
Mentor: Sayard Bass, Southwest Cook County Cooperative Association for Special Education. - Amy Thompson (Mentee), Occupational Therapist, Rapid City Schools.
Mentor: Judie Schoonover, AT Consultant, National Expert. - Lindsey Fountain (Mentee), Speech-Language Pathologist & AT Consultant, Intermediate District.
Mentor: Stacy Alvare, Instructional Support & Inclusion Specialist, Florida School System.
2025-2026 Fellowship Applications
There are two ways to apply for the Joy Zabala Fellowship:
- Apply as mentorship partners, with one mentor and one mentee. Each applicant will need to complete the appropriate application
- Apply as an individual, either seeking or willing to provide mentoring. These individual applications will be included in a mentee/mentor pool, and a match may be considered from this mentor pool.
The expected time commitment of the fellowship supported partnership is the duration of the academic year.
The application window for the 2025-2026 academic year will be open from January 29, 2025 until March 14, 2025 at 4 PM CT.
Past Fellows
Read more about fellowship teams from previous years and their goals.
- The 2024-2025 Fellowship Teams
- The 2023-2024 Fellowship Teams
- The 2022-2023 Inaugural Fellowship Teams
Learn more about the Joy Zabala Fund
Questions about the Fellowship can be directed to joyzabalafellowshipforms@gmail.com.