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Home - Disability Rights Iowa

Legal protection and advocacy.

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The Disability Rights Iowa team is experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate about fighting for the rights of Iowans with disabilities. We work together to promote safety, opportunity, access, and self-determination for all Iowans with disabilities. As attorneys, paralegals, and advocates, it is our duty to defend the rights of Iowans with disabilities through legal and non-legal advocacy.

Meet our team

Management Team

Catherine Johnson stands smiling outside on a sunny day in front of a shaded rock building. She is a white woman with red curly hair and a big smile. She is wearing a light grey suit jacket with a pin on the lapel of a blue circle and a diamond made of red and yellow. She is wearing a white blouse and blue stone necklace.

Catherine Johnson

Executive Director

Learn more about Catherine by following this link
a middle aged white woman with blonde curly shoulder length hair sits in front of a water fountain. She has a soft smile on her face and is wearing a black and white curly patterned dress and black blazer.

Christine Newton

Financial Director

Learn more about Christine by following this link
A blonde white woman stands with hair cut below her ears. She is wearing a black blazer and blouse. She is smiling widely for the camera

Cyndy Miller

Legal Director

Learn more about Cyndy by following this link
Katie is a middle aged white woman with dark curly hair. She has a kind smile and is wearing a pink cardigan and grey shirt in front of a soft green background.

Katie Vande Vorde

Operations Director

Learn more about Katie by following this link

Attorneys

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Emily Murphy

Staff Attorney

Learn more about Emily by following this link
Gloria is in front of a gray background with an American flag hung behind her. She has long black hair that is curled all the way to the bottom of the photo. She is smiling at the kindly at the camera.

Gloria Soto

Staff Attorney

Learn more about Gloria by following this link
Greg is standing outside wearing a blue striped button up shirt and blue metal framed glasses. He has tanned skin and cropped greying hair and beard.

Greg Bal

Staff Attorney

Learn more about Greg by following this link
Steph is a white woman in her late 20s with long brown curled hair. She has on round plastic glasses and a blazer. She is smiling in front of a blurred background.

Stephanie Petrillo

Litigation Attorney

Learn more about Stephanie by following this link
a white woman sits on a green chair in front of a brick wall. She is resting her arm on her knee wearing a white blouse. Her dark brown hair is curled and very long. She is smiling kindly at the camera

Whitney Driscoll

Managing Attorney for Investigations and Intake

Learn more about Whitney by following this link

Advocates

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Abby Jewett

Lead Intake Specialist

Learn more about Abby by following this link
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Allie Tubbs

Policy and Development Specialist

Learn more about Allie by following this link
Amy is a white woman with very short dark hair that is graying in the front. She is wearing a blue cardigan and is smiling kindly at the camera.

Amy Berger

Legal Operations Specialist

Learn more about Amy by following this link
Danielle is a white woman in her thirties with long straight dark hair that is parted in the middle. She is wearing a dark shirt and is smiling at the camera in front of a blurred green background.

Danielle Workman

Advocate and Statewide Outreach Coordinator

Learn more about Danielle by following this link
white woman with long curly brown hair stands at an angle to the camera with her face facing the lens straight on. She is grinning with a closed mouth smile in front of lots of plants.

Fran Conner

Intake and Voting Rights Specialist

Learn more about Fran by following this link
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Katelynn Schultz

Communications Coordinator

Learn more about Katelynn by following this link
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Skylar Hoffman

Monitoring and Investigations Specialist

Learn more about Skylar by following this link

Representative Payee

A white presenting woman stands in front of a greenish brown wall. She has bright red hair slightly curled and down past her shoulders. She is wearing a light purple shirt and a pleasant smile.

Jami Johns

Representative Payee Lead Reviewer

Learn more about Jami by following this link
Jen is a white woman with brown shoulder length straight hair that has blonde highlights in her bangs. She is wearing a pink v neck blouse and is standing in front of a white wall.

Jen Winchell

Representative Payee Program Director

Learn more about Jen by following this link

Work Incentive Planning and Assistance

Jenny is a white woman in her late twenties with bright red hair that is cut right above her shoulders. It is curled slightly. She has bright eyes and a bright smile. She is pictured in front of a light white wall and is wearing a light white shirt.

Jenny Lynes

Community Work Incentives Coordinator

Learn more about Jenny by following this link
White woman with greyish blonde hair and glasses wears a bright green shirt and smiles at the camera.

Mistie Johnson

Community Work Incentives Coordinator

Learn more about Mistie by following this link
Tammy is a middle aged white woman with curly light brown hair that is cut to the middle of her neck. It is parted in the middle. She wears rectangular glasses that are dark and plastic. She is smiling kindly and wearing a bright red polo shirt while standing in front of a solid gray wall.

Tammy Crouch

Community Work Incentives Coordinator

Learn more about Tammy by following this link

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Copyright © 2026 · DISABILITY RIGHTS IOWA · All rights reserved.
Information contained on the website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Neither the information contained on the website nor the use thereof by a site visitor creates a contract or an attorney-client relationship. There is no promise or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, adequacy, timeliness, or relevance of the information contained on the website. Disability Rights Iowa is not responsible for the content of any third party comments posted on Disability Rights Iowa’s site or any site accessible through a hyperlink on the Disability Rights Iowa’s website.

DISABILITY RIGHTS IOWA is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability.

We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website and in doing so adhere to many of the available standards and guidelines. If you require any of DRI's resources on this website translated into another language including a foreign language or ASL, please email contact@driowa.org with your request.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The following federal authorities share in the partial cost of funding this website: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA); and the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). Although SSA reviewed certain publication for accuracy, it does not constitute an official SSA document. The contents do not necessarily represent the official views of ACL, SAMHSA, RSA, SSA, or any other funder. We developed this website partially at U.S. taxpayer expense.