Kate Broderick Appointed by Governor to Virginia State Rehabilitation Council

Kate Broderick, the Office of Educational Accessibility's former director and now liaison for external and faculty relations at Old Dominion, has been appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to the Virginia State Rehabilitation Council (SRC).

Broderick will serve a three-year term on the SRC, which is a group of individuals appointed by the governor to work on behalf of people with disabilities by serving as a source of advice, information and support for the commonwealth's Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) vocational rehabilitation and supported employment programs. The council partners and collaborates with DARS, advocacy groups, consumers and their families to ensure quality services for Virginians with disabilities to achieve meaningful employment, self-sufficiency and independence.

Broderick has been an administrator at ODU since 2005, serving as learning coordinator, assistant director and director of the Office of Educational Accessibility, before moving into her current role. She serves on multiple committees, both on campus and in the wider community, working to improve access to higher education for students with disabilities and promoting understanding of and compliance with the legal mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Broderick has been a strong advocate for students with disabilities, not only at ODU, but also nationwide. She has published and presented on educational accessibility issues.

In 2012, she was honored with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities' Humanitarian Award for her more than 30 years of working with people who have medical, psychological or learning disabilities. She is a past member of the board of directors of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, and a former executive board member for the Association for Higher Education.