Your disability and mental health advocates

Katie VandeVorde

Operations Manager

A graduate of Iowa State University, Katie has been working at Disability Rights Iowa for over ten years. During this time, she has learned the ins and outs of her position as well as how to anticipate the agency’s daily needs. Katie hopes that by doing her job well and keeping the agency running smoothly she will allow DRI’s Advocates and Attorneys to better serve Iowans with disabilities. Katie is also an Advocate with the Protection and Advocacy for Voter Access (PAVA) program, and is passionate about ensuring that voting is accessible for all Iowans.

Jean Herrity

Paralegal

After obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree from Southern Illinois University in Administration of Justice, and a Paralegal Certificate from Harper College in Illinois, Jean worked many years as a paralegal in a large law firm specializing in plaintiff’s litigation in the areas of medical malpractice and personal injury. Jean also worked several years at an insurance company in the subrogation litigation department. In her duties as a paralegal at DRI, she assists attorneys and advocates with legal work. Jean works at DRI because she enjoys her coworkers, the challenges of her job and the positive, tangible impact DRI’s services have on people.

Charlene Joens

Senior Advocate

Char Joens studied Human Services at Kirkwood Community College. Char previously worked for Goodwill Industries as a counselor, for Westminster Residential Care as a program manager and for Adults Incorporated, Center for Community Integration of Black Hawk County as case manager and behavioral specialist. When not working she enjoys biking, yoga and spending time with her family and pets. Char is grateful that her current position provides the opportunity to empower beneficiaries to report abuse, financial exploitation or suspected misuse of their benefits.

Nathan Kirstein

Staff Attorney

Nathan Kirstein graduated from Drake University Law School in May 2011 and was hired as a staff attorney in October 2012. He primarily represents clients in the areas of legal rights violations in juvenile justice and child welfare facilities and students and families in special education cases. Previously he was a sole practitioner primarily representing clients in juvenile justice/child welfare cases, landlord/tenant cases, and wills/trusts. He also was the program coordinator for a gender specific after school program on the near North side of Des Moines for four years.  He enjoys creating art, fishing, and music.

Scott Lyon

Staff Attorney

Emily Ehlers

Staff Attorney

Emily joined DRI in December 2015. She is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa, where she earned both her bachelor’s degree in political science, as well as her law degree. Prior to DRI Emily was a public defender in western Colorado. While her work at DRI spans everything from employment to housing,  her practice primarily focuses on representing individuals with disabilities in Medicaid appeals. Emily has a passion for healthcare advocacy and prides herself on providing zealous representation for her clients who depend upon medically necessary Medicaid services. She is an active member in numerous Medicaid advocacy and policy groups.  Emily is licensed to practice law in Colorado and Iowa. Outside of the office Emily enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time with their collection of rescue pets. You can often find her curled up with a cup of coffee and a library book.

Whitney Driscoll

Staff Attorney

Whitney joined DRI in 2013 to expand DRI’s work protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities in institutional settings. She graduated with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2012, after completing a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Nevada and is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts of Iowa. During her legal education, Whitney earned the William S. Boyd Award for Public Service with the Highest Honors, volunteered for the Skylark Project, and worked as a prosecuting intern for the Johnson County Attorney’s Office. Whitney specializes in facility monitoring, and investigations concerning abuse, neglect or suspicious deaths. She enjoys discovering local favorite restaurants and coffee shops when she travels statewide for her work at DRI. Outside of work Whitney loves exploring the Des Moines metro with her golden retriever, and never misses a blockbuster on opening weekend. Whitney is dedicated to upholding the rights of Iowan’s with disabilities and working to end abuse and neglect.

Vanessa Santos-Nila

Bilingual Intake Specialist and Outreach Coordinator

Vanessa (she/her) joined our staff late 2019. Before then she worked for the United States Peace Corps as a Children Youth and Families advocate in the Philippines. She has worked at other organizations oriented at serving people of color with disabilities. She likes learning about ways to empower the community she works with.  An interesting fact about Vanessa is that she is the oldest of eleven siblings. Outside of work Vanessa enjoys reading manga, cooking, fishing, sleeping, and practicing Muay Thai.

Charissa Flege

Staff Attorney

Charissa graduated from Drake University Law School with Highest Honors is 2014. During law school she began volunteering which has earned her a Public Service Certificate. She holds a degree in both English and Spanish from Iowa State University, where she received her undergraduate degree. After law school, Charissa served as the Co-Director of Legal Services at the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, where she represented survivors of violent crime in immigration and civil law proceedings and oversaw the Community Lawyers Project partnership at the University of Iowa Law School. It was from there that Charissa joined Disability Rights Iowa in 2019 as a staff attorney. Disability Rights Iowa provides an opportunity for Charissa to combine her passion for disability advocacy, which has always been prevalent in her personal life, with her legal work. Outside of working, advocacy, and volunteering, Charissa enjoys a good cup of coffee and even has her favorite coffee shipped to her home all the way from Costa Rica. She also has a love for second-hand bookstores, social justice work, learning about new cultures and languages, traveling around the world, gardening, spending time with her family, and of course – reading the books from the second-hand bookstores.

Emmanuel Smith

PABSS Advocate

Emmanuel attended Drake University where they completed their Bachelors in Political Science. Born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, they have held a lifelong interest in disability culture and political action to improve the rights of disabled people everywhere. In their free time, they balance a passion for creative writing with watching classic Star Trek on a near loop. Emmanuel is excited to continue to advocate for making Iowa an accessible and equitable place for future generations of disabled Iowans.

Mistie Johnson

WIPA Project Director

Mistie graduated from Walden University with an MBA, and follows her passion for serving people with disabilities both personally and professionally. Having several family members who live life to the fullest everyday with disabilities, she works tirelessly to ensure that they have a voice through a strong connection with disability advocacy. Previously, Mistie worked to reduce employment barriers for transition age youth and young adults with disabilities by collaborating with local employers while working as an Employment Training Specialist within the WIA Youth Program. Mistie also facilitated an Employment Network, providing support for Ticket to Work Program participants, and is a former Disability Navigator under the Navigator Grant for Iowa.

Tammy Crouch

WIPA Coordinator

Tammy received a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Bellevue University. Previous experience includes working as a Disability Navigator, Employment Specialist, and Disability Resource Coordinator with an emphasis on Benefits Planning for Beneficiaries receiving Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance. She received her CWIC certification from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014. Tammy has also had the opportunity to be involved with many projects related to Ticket to Work, Iowa Medicaid Waivers, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. She is very active in her community and serves on several committees that work to address barriers to housing, transportation, education, and employment related situations. She enjoys science-fiction, astronomy and spending time with her family.

Jenny Lynes

WIPA Coordinator

Jenny’s passion for social justice is influenced by her parents who were employed in the fields of higher education and social work. Prior to joining the DRI team in 2021, Jenny worked in a number of roles at colleges and universities, including accessibility/disability services, admissions, orientation, financial aid, and academic advising. Her most recent role was the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Coordinator at the University of Northern Iowa, where she oversaw the day-to-day management of the department while supporting students connected with SAS. Throughout her time in that position, Jenny advocated for greater accessibility and inclusion for individuals with disabilities across campus. Highlights of her time with SAS include organizing the 2018 Iowa Regents Disability Summit: Self, Expressions of Individuality, and the Groups to which People Belong, transitioning the department to a social justice-focused philosophy, and implementing an online case management system to better support students, faculty, and staff. As a CWIC, Jenny counsels beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) based on disability on the various work incentives and other supports available to them. Jenny enjoys breaking down complex and often confusing regulations for individuals to ensure they access and take full advantage of their rights. Jenny enjoys staying active through kayaking and cycling, being the go-to foodie for the Cedar Valley, and going on adventures with Remy, her yellow Labrador.

Jen Winchell

Advocate

Jen Winchell graduated cum laude from Iowa State University with a BS in Apparel, Merchandising and Design. She also has an AS in Human Services from Iowa Central Community College. Jen previously worked for Optimae LifeServices as their Representative Payee. She loves vacationing with her family and creating inspiration boards on Pinterest. Jen is excited to continue protecting social security beneficiaries against financial exploitation and work for the disability community with Disability Rights Iowa.

Katelynn Schultz

Communications Coordinator

Katelynn joined our staff in 2021. As Communications Coordinator Katelynn is responsible for working with outside media to spread the mission and core values of Disability Rights Iowa throughout the state, staff trainings both internally and externally, website design, community outreach, and educational events. One of Katelynn’s passions is presenting on the representation – or misrepresentation – of disability in the media as well as speaking out about mental health advocacy. She first found passion for disability rights when witnessing a childhood friend go through the justice system as a teenager with disabilities and realized that more could be done to protect individuals. Some career highlights would be serving on a panel discussion with Judith Heumann, presenting on Social Media Accessibility which led to policy changes at the institution where presenting, and the creation of a mental health community support webpage to push the conversation of mental health supports past what each individual can do for themselves but what we all can do to help our friends, family members, or even co-workers live a more supported life. Outside of work Katelynn enjoys playing in the yard, taking naps, and going to the drive-thru for snacks with her two full-size goldendoodles.

Jami Johns

Advocate

Jami Johns received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Since 2004, Jami has worked various jobs in the social services field, dedicating her career to advocacy for the elderly, persons with disabilities and mental illness as well as the economically disadvantaged in several states. These jobs prepared her for her role as an Advocate and Rep Payee Reviewer for DRI. Jami is passionate about serving people with disabilities and protecting their rights. Outside of work, Jami enjoys spending time with her family, road trips and spending time at the lake.