The Dinah F. B. Cohen Fellowship Program aims to provide college students and recent graduates with disabilities with professional skills and leadership opportunities. Let’s learn more about the Spring 2026 cohort!
Jacklyn Alicea (she/her) is a graduating senior at Montclair State University, double majoring in Child Advocacy and Policy and Psychology, with minors in Social Work and Pre-Law. She was diagnosed with dominant optic atrophy at the age of three, and her experiences navigating life as someone who is legally blind have shaped her passion for advocacy. Through her academic work and personal journey, she has developed strong self-advocacy skills and a commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities and vulnerable populations. She is also involved in research, leadership, and mentoring roles that promote inclusive education, mental health awareness, and child advocacy.
Quieraney Belvin (she/they) is a Black, neurodivergent second-year graduate student at Brandeis University with a background in political science, expected to graduate in May 2026 and pursue a PhD in Fall 2027. A Texas native, Quieraney has called New England home for 4 years. Her experience as an ABA Level II teacher working with students with autism and ID/DD disabilities sparked her passion for disability advocacy. For the past year, Quieraney has worked as a research fellow. There she worked on her proficiency in data analysis and literature review, contributing to meaningful work in health equity and disability studies.
Divya Bhat (she/her) is a fourth-year student pursuing a dual Bachelor and Masters of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her policy interests center around health justice, DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging), and maternal and child health. She has previously interned at the Maryland Department of Disabilities and IndoUSRare, where she developed her skills in research and legislative advocacy. On campus, Divya holds several leadership positions in various Asian American and ethnic studies organizations. In her free time, she enjoys crossword puzzles and crafting.
Loren Floyd (she/her) is a senior at Spelman College majoring in International Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies and a minor in Anthropology. She is passionate about advocacy work related to disability justice and economic insecurity. Her research and advocacy interests include exploring how mutual aid networks can serve as a bridge between communities and help address systemic socioeconomic issues. She is also interested in African American & Black Diaspora studies and archival research. On campus, Loren is a member of Spelmanites United for Justice and Spelman Speech & Debate. In her free time, she enjoys photography and reading.
Tionna Gillespie (she/her) is a graduate student from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, pursuing a master’s in criminology with concentrations in data analysis and cybersecurity at Boston University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminology from Marquette University and is an All-In Milwaukee and McNair Scholars alum. Tionna has a strong foundation in research, with experience examining how social and environmental factors influence well-being. She is passionate about using data to better understand systemic inequities and improve outcomes for underrepresented communities, particularly at the intersection of criminology and mental health.
Ashley Gutierrez-Torres (she/her) is a rising junior at Duke University, studying Public Policy and Global Health with a minor in Medical Sociology. Diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia at a young age, she has developed a deep passion for disability justice, especially for “silent disorders” through advocating for health equity and inclusive policies affecting marginalized groups. Through this work, alongside her advocacy efforts as a Laidlaw Scholar and with organizations like Beyond Borders, she is dedicated to researching and fighting for the unique policy needs of underrepresented communities to build a more equitable world. In her free time, she enjoys dancing Mexican Folklorico and drinking tons of matcha.
Levi Hughes (he/him) is a non-traditional first-generation graduate with a BA in American Studies with a minor in Asian American Studies from Williams College 2025. The son of a disabled Korean adoptee, Levi is passionate about rights to care and education and took part in this advocacy throughout his undergraduate studies, which he strives to continue as an incoming masters student at University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. He hopes to one day work in public education and join others in the fight for a future of collective care.
Jessica Lopez (she/her) is a Marketing Strategy Consultant with experience across B2B tech, EdTech, and the public sector. She’s held roles at Amazon, Alation, OpenSesame, and the Department of Labor. She currently works with law firms such as Disability Rights Arizona and the Center for Disability Inclusion, on digital marketing and brand positioning. An author and sought-after speaker, Jessica’s policy work has reached 300+ institutions and earned speaking invitations from Columbia University, NYU, and University of Pennsylvania. As student body president, her work included authoring a civil rights resolution adopted statewide, which impacted two million students. An Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, Jessica authored a thesis on accessible travel and its business implications. She holds a BA in Business Administration, graduating magna cum laude from Arizona State University, and has been featured in CNN, Fox, and VeryWell.
Ashten Vassar-Cain (he/him) is a Library and Information Science Master’s student at Simmons University, focusing in cultural heritage informatics. He has a Master’s in human rights from the University of Connecticut. Ashten is a community archivist and memory worker committed to social and Disability Justice. His research primarily focuses on state violence and institutionalization. He is a survivor of institutional abuse and works to uplift underrepresented stories and center survivor voices in his activism. Ashten is the co-Vice President of the Pennhurst Memorial & Preservation Alliance. Outside of work, Ashten enjoys writing poetry and drinking tea.
Fletcher Weiss (they/he) is a PhD candidate in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. Their dissertation is about intersections of transness, queerness, and disability in contemporary American speculative fiction. He also holds a Master’s in English with a Teaching Certificate from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s in English with a minor in Theatre from Lewis & Clark College. They have presented their research across the US, as well as Canada and Italy. In his free time, Fletcher loves to swim in Lake Michigan, bake for his wife and friends, and play with his two cats, Mabel and Dandelion.
Congratulations to our Spring 2026 Fellows! Stay tuned for project updates from this cohort.
