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Katy Washington
President-Elect, Association on Higher Education And Disability; Director, Office of Disability Access at University of North Texas; Consultant; Presenter
Professional Background
Katy Washington is a dedicated and passionate student affairs administrator with a wealth of experience spanning seventeen years in the field of higher education. Throughout her illustrious career, Katy has specialized in a range of areas within student development, including disability services, standardized testing, academic advising, and student success programming, all with a keen focus on ensuring equity, inclusion, and belonging in academic environments.
Her career trajectory has afforded Katy the opportunity to work across various institutional contexts, from metropolitan and land-grant universities to liberal arts colleges and urban institutions, including Hispanic-serving two-year colleges and universities. Her dynamic experience has made her an invaluable asset in advocating for the needs and voices of underrepresented groups in education.
Katy's role as the Director of the Office of Disability Access at the University of North Texas highlights her commitment to fostering an inclusive atmosphere for students with disabilities. With over fifteen years of progressive experience in Disability Services within the postsecondary realm, and eleven of those years in an administrative capacity, Katy has proven her ability to lead initiatives that make educational resources more accessible and equitable.
Education and Achievements
Katy Washington’s educational qualifications reflect her deep commitment to equity and social advocacy within higher education. She pursued a Ph.D. in Public Policy at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, which has equipped her with the research skills and knowledge required to address critical issues in student policy and administration. In addition to her Ph.D., Katy earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, allowing her to delve into the complexities of disability law and its implications for policy-making in educational settings.
Katy also holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Arkansas, complementing her extensive background in developing supportive student environments. Additionally, her undergraduate studies in Biology and Psychology at the University of Central Arkansas have provided a solid foundation for understanding the multifaceted needs of students.
Katy's professional involvement extends beyond her administrative roles. She has previously held the title of President Elect at the Association on Higher Education and Disability, where she played a pivotal role in shaping policies and advocating for best practices in the field. As an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Texas, she has also contributed to the intellectual growth of her students, fostering the next generation of advocates for student affairs.
Notable Achievements
Katy Washington has consistently demonstrated her expertise in a multitude of competencies essential for success in student affairs. She has been recognized for her ability to build meaningful relationships and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders, resulting in a positive and inclusive culture on every campus she has worked. Her strategic planning skills have led to the successful implementation and management of student retention and success programming, which have helped thousands of students thrive academically.
A core aspect of Katy's work is her commitment to training faculty and staff in equity, inclusion, and bias reduction. Through her efforts, she has facilitated numerous multicultural programming events that promote understanding and respect across different identities, thereby enriching the academic experience for all students. Katy's deep understanding of disability law and policy further informs her practice, empowering her to advocate effectively for students' rights and ensure adherence to legal standards.
In addition to her administrative and advocacy work, Katy's previous roles, including Senior Academic Advisor at DCCCD and Director of Disability Services at Georgia College, illustrate her versatility and dedication to meeting the diverse needs of students. As a Special Education Teacher at Thelma Richardson Elementary, she first encountered the importance of access and support, which has become a lifelong mission to empower all students by ensuring that their voices are not just heard but fully integrated into the decision-making processes at institutions.
Her comprehensive skill set is further showcased in her ability to manage departmental budgets effectively while implementing innovative programming that prioritizes student success. Katy has become a trusted resource for colleges and universities seeking to improve their support systems, demonstrating a unique blend of empathy, leadership, and strategic foresight.
Advocacy and Commitment to Inclusion
With a philosophy rooted in integrity, empowerment, and accountability, Katy Washington's approach to student affairs is transformative. Her deep-seated belief that everyone should feel safe, respected, and valued is evident in her everyday interactions and the initiatives she leads. By advocating for those without a seat at the table, Katy ensures that marginalized voices are amplified, creating a more equitable academic landscape.
Katy's approach nurtures a sense of belonging for all students, regardless of their background or identity. Her unwavering commitment to diversity and intersectionality informs her leadership style, fostering a culture where differences are celebrated and inclusivity is prioritized. Through her work, Katy strives to dismantle barriers that prevent individuals from fully engaging in their educational experiences, creating equitable opportunities for success and achievement.
In summary, Katy Washington is a remarkable force within the realm of higher education, tirelessly championing student rights and advocating for systemic change. Her extensive experience, academic background, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion not only benefit the students she serves but also inspire her peers in the field of student affairs. With a future-oriented perspective and a heart dedicated to empowerment, Katy continues to push the envelope in making higher education accessible to all.
Achievements
A visionary leader in student affairs, Katy Washington has made impactful changes in higher education by prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. With 17 years of professional experience, particularly in Disability Services, she has been influential in implementing programs that uplift underrepresented voices in academia. Successfully advocating for equitable policies and fostering inclusive campus cultures, Katy inspires many in her field and creates environments where every student can thrive.
Her roles include Director of the Office of Disability Access at the University of North Texas and President Elect at the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Her impressive educational background, including a Ph.D. in Public Policy and a J.D. in Law, further enhances her advocacy efforts. Katy’s philosophy centers around integrity and accountability; she believes everyone deserves to be heard and respected, exemplifying the ideals of effective leadership in education.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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