The AUCD Board of Directors is excited to announce that it has appointed Sandy Root-Elledge, MA, as the Interim Executive Director of AUCD effective Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
Sandy Root-Elledge, MA, holds the title of Emeritus Senior Lecturer and was the former Executive Director of the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) at the University of Wyoming. She served in the position of Executive Director from 2016-2023, receiving regional, national, and international recognition for her leadership in the field of developmental disabilities. Prior to that, she served at WIND from 2004-2016 in roles that included Coordinator of Community Education, Associate Director, and Interim Director of WIND.
Ms. Root-Elledge also founded and directed Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources, the state’s Assistive Technology Act program, UW ECHO, the Wyoming Family to Family Health Information Center, and the Wyoming Accessibility Center–which provides services designed to increase access for individuals with disabilities to information and community living.
As the parent of two adult-age children with disabilities, her lived experience is woven into all her work and partnerships.
During the AUCD 2024 Conference in Washington, D.C., Ms. Root-Elledge received the AUCD Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions at WIND. Her colleagues state that Sandy’s legacy is one of profound dedication and strategic vision, with an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities. Her contributions have made a lasting impact on the disability community in Wyoming and beyond.
Sandy holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Wyoming.
Please help us in welcoming Sandy in her new role as Interim Executive Director of AUCD!
