DRC STAFF
Rocky Nichols M.P.A.
Executive Director
Rocky brings nearly 17 years of
experience in non-profit leadership, management and consulting.
Rocky also has 19 years of experience working with public policy in
the Kansas Legislature (11 as a member of the Kansas House of
Representatives, two as legislative staff and 6 at DRC Kansas).
Rocky is a veteran advocate for disability rights issues. Rocky is
also a former member of the Next Generation Leadership Committee of
the President's Committee on Mental Retardation PCMR. Rocky received
his undergraduate degree from Washburn University and a Masters in
Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Rocky has been
the recipient of more than 20 awards for legislative leadership and
advocacy, including many significant awards on behalf of persons
with disabilities: Elizabeth M. Boggs Award for Outstanding
Leadership in the area of Mental Retardation, Presidents Committee
on Mental Retardation; 1996 and 2002 Outstanding Public Official of
the Year Award, Kansas Association of Community Mental Health
Centers; 1996 and 2002 Kansas NAMI Advocacy Award; 2001 Kansas
Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, Outstanding Advocate
Award.
Debbie
White, C.P.A.
Deputy Director Administrative Division
Debbie has worked in public accounting, state government and the
nonprofit sector. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. For
the past three years, Debbie was the Chief Financial Officer of
Kansas Legal Services. As CFO of Kansas Legal Services, she managed
a budget that is nearly eight times the size of DRC, with 27 cost
centers and dozens of grant financial reporting requirements. Debbie
is a native Kansan and received her undergraduate degree in
accounting from Kansas State University.
Lane Williams, J.D.
Deputy Director, Legal Division
Lane received his law degree from the University of Kansas and his
Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Baker University. For two
years during law school, Lane advised and represented inmates of
Lansing State and Leavenworth Federal prisons as a member of the
Defender Project. Lane is licensed to practice law in Kansas and
Washington. He was a staff attorney for Kansas Legal Services in
Pittsburg and Topeka for 11.5 years and was in private practice in
Aberdeen, Washington, for 9 years before joining DRC. At Kansas
Legal Services, Lane specialized in public and private housing law
and Social Security and SSI disability law. His areas of emphasis in
private practice were land use, consumer and construction law.
Karen Eager, J.D.
Disability Rights Attorney
Karen received her law degree from Washburn University School of
Law where she graduated with Dean’s Honors, was a member of the Law
Review and served as Comments Editor on the Law Review Editorial
Board. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and
Humanities/Philosophy from Northwest Missouri State University.
Karen’s legal career began as a staff attorney with Legal Services
for Prisoners where she represented inmates at the Hutchinson
Correctional Facility and Larned State Hospital. She has also been a
staff attorney for the State Board of Indigent Defense Service’ s
Appellate Defender Office where she wrote numerous appellate briefs
and presented oral arguments before the Kansas Appellate Courts.
After a stint in private practice in Lawrence, Kansas, Karen joined
the firm of Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman in Kansas City, Missouri
where she was involved in complex product liability and medical
malpractice litigation. She is a faculty member in Washburn
University School of Law’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program.
Catherine Johnson, J.D., M.A
Disability Rights Attorney
Catherine received her law degree from the University of Iowa,
College of Law. Catherine is licensed to practice law in Iowa,
Missouri, and Kansas. She received her undergraduate degree in
Business Administration and English from the University of Iowa, as
well as a Masters Degree in Higher Education, specializing in
students’ civil rights. Catherine started her legal career as a
staff attorney for Muscatine Legal Services, advocating for
individuals in civil, criminal and juvenile actions. Catherine’s
long standing interest in civil rights in education, led to her
unique professional opportunities, as Director of Student Legal
Services, University of Iowa, Assistant Dean of Students for Saint
Louis University, School of Law for Managing Attorney Civil Justice
Clinic, Washington University School of Law. In those capacities she
represented, advocated and counseled students in legal, academic and
life issues. Catherine has also been a civil commitment and defense
staff attorney for the Iowa and Missouri Public Defender Offices,
where she represented individuals the state sought to commit under
newly enacted civil commitment statutes. Catherine has written
numerous appellate briefs and presented oral arguments before the
Iowa Appellate Courts.
Mary Curtis, JD
Disability Rights Attorney
Mary Curtis has been practicing law for more than twenty years, as a
public defender and advocate for victims of sexual and domestic
violence. Mary grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated from
the University of Kansas School of Law in 1984. She began her career
clerking for the Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City,
Missouri. She then worked for the Missouri Public Defender system
for eight years, the last two years exclusively representing persons
facing the death penalty. In 1995, Mary moved to Kansas to help
establish the death penalty defense unit of the Kansas public
defender system, in response to passage of the death penalty in
Kansas. Since that time, she has worked as an appellate attorney
and also represented women facing domestic and sexual violence.
Kip Elliot, JD
Disability Rights Attorney
Kip received his Bachelor of Arts degree in education and physiology
from Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. After teaching and
running outdoor education programs, Kip went back to school and
received his law degree from the University of Kansas. Kip worked
for the Kansas public defender system for nine years and was in
private practice for four years. Kip has state and federal
experience in criminal trial practice, immigration, and civil
rights. Kip is the president of the board for the Jefferson County
Humane Society.
Timothy Voth, J.D.
Disability Rights Advocate
Tim graduated from Bethel College and Washburn University School of
Law. He was the former House Manager at the Ronald McDonald House in
Topeka. Tim has been employed at DRC since 1988, first as a mental
health attorney, then as Intake Coordinator and Interim Executive
Director. As Interim Director, Tim worked closely with the new Board
of Directors to institute many of the initial reforms prior to Rocky
Nichols' arrival as Executive Director. Tim serves on the Intake and
Referral Advisory Committee for the National Association of
Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS) and the Steering Committee
for the Topeka Victim Offender Reconciliation Program.
Telisa Haggerty
Disability Rights Advocate
Telisa comes to DRC has held position as a research aide with the
Center for Research on Learning and as a Career Assistance
Network/Outreach Specialist at the YWCA. Teilsa holds a B.S. in
Mass Communication /Public Relations from Kansas State University.
Telisa has also been active in the community at YWCA of Topeka’s
Mission Work Group and MANA de Topeka. Currently, Telisa is active
at Faith Temple Church.
Nick Wood
Systems Change Advocacy Coordinator and Lead Investigator
Nick works with multiple agencies to advocate for DRC clients
and to target statewide problems that affect the rights of people
with disabilities. He gained experience early in his career working
with at-risk youth with disabilities, then moved on to work at a
state level to manage and provide technical assistance to programs
that serve people with disabilities, especially for people whose
needs crossed more than one service system or were discharging from
institutional settings. Nick lives with his wife in Topeka. He
enjoys outdoor activities like taking his dog to the park and
participation in the city’s social organizations and clubs.
Christy Monsson
Disability Rights Advocate
Christy brings a diverse perspective to DRC. Christy’s educational
background includes receiving degrees in Philosophy and Religious
Studies from UC Santa Barbara in 2003 and then receiving her Masters
in Religious Studies from the University of Kansas. Christy has
also worked in Lawrence Public Schools. Christy also has a personal
interest in the work that DRC does as a result of her family’s
confrontation with disability rights, advocacy and learning issues.
Christy has years of experience working with disability rights
issues, advocating on behalf of her family.
Carolyn Weinhold
Disability Rights Advocate
Carolyn brings a wealth of experience to DRC. Carolyn graduated
from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania with her Bachelors
degree in Health and Physical Education. She then moved to
California where she taught middle school health and Physical
Education. Carolyn received her Masters in Education from the
University of Kansas. Carolyn taught for a time at Marymount
College in Salina, before joining the Saline County Health
Department as a Child Care Surveyor. She then worked for the
Headstart Program for ten years, taking on greater and greater
leadership as the program grew in the area. She then ran for and
won a seat in the Kansas House of Representatives serving one term
from 1993-94. During that time she led the battle to prohibit
smoking in child-care facilities. Carolyn spent eight years
following that working at SRS as Headstart Collaboration
Coordinator, where she started the Kansas Fatherhood Coalition and
the Parent Leadership Conference
Tabitha Johnson
Outreach and Special Projects Director
Tabitha
previously worked as a legal assistant in a local law firm,
assisting the firm and people with disabilities in the area of
Social Security Disability claims and appeals. She aided and
assisted many people with disabilities to obtain Social Security
Disability Benefits. Tabitha also previously worked in the area of
advertising design at the Topeka Capital Journal. She has done
volunteer work at charity events to benefit CASA and the Children’s
Miracle Network.
Nick
Cobos
Office Assistant
Nick is a lifelong Topekan and has received office experience with
companies such as Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds and Palmer. He is
chairman of the Shawnee County Council of Community Members and had
served in the past on the Board of Directors for DRC. Nick is a
volunteer at TARC, where he once received services, and has
volunteered at the Topeka Civic Theatre and Academy. Nick enjoys
playing golf, watching sports, listening to music and working on the
computer. He has also written his autobiography about being a self
advocate and a person with a developmental disability, “Dreamer’s
Don’t Quit.”
Bev Masters
Administrative Assistant
Bev provides a wealth of experience and expertise as she joins the
staff at DRC. Having received training as a Legal Office Assistant
from Topeka Technical College, Bev has since worked at multiple law
firms, including Frieden, Haynes & Forbes, Rost & Rost and Parker &
Hay. Bev is also a dedicated entrepreneur, owning and operating
several filling stations in the Topeka area with her husband.
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