Denise Rozell, JD, is the Director of Policy Innovation at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). Denise works primarily on issues affecting transition age youth, post-secondary education, and employment. Denise's policy work also includes a focus on inclusive post-secondary education for students with intellectual disabilities in partnership with Think College and on employment and transition age youth in partnership with the University of New Hampshire.

Denise has 35 years of experience in disability policy at the federal and state level, working on almost all issues and legislation affecting individuals with disabilities, beginning with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before joining AUCD, Denise spent 15 years as the Assistant Vice President for State Government Relations at Easter Seals, increasing awareness of and support for disability issues in state government. Denise also worked on state policy and systems change issues, including autism, Medicaid managed care, vocational rehabilitation, Affordable Care Act implementation, and health delivery system reform.

Prior to coming to Easter Seals, Denise was the Executive Director of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER), an international professional membership organization. Denise was responsible for member services for the 4700 members in 44 geographic Chapters. Prior to AER, Denise was the Governmental Relations Representative for the American Foundation for the Blind and the Director of Public Policy for the National Association of Developmental Disabilities Councils.

Denise holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Occidental College in Los Angeles and a juris doctorate from the School of Law at the University of California in Berkeley.

Image Description: Denise Rozell, a white woman with reddish brown hair, red glasses wearing a black and red blouse.