UATP's program director takes national leadership role

Sachin Pavithran, UATP's program director, will be serving as a national disability leader in addition to leading the Utah Assistive Technology Program.

He is the current president-elect of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, after serving for a year on the organization's board. When he began his service, he said his goal was to increase diversity in the organization--a goal he said has begun to be realized.

Still, there is a long way to go. "Accessibility isn't something that we need to discuss, it's something we need to do," he said.

When job seekers with disabilities don't face discrimination, when students with disabilities don't have to wait in line to receive the services or technology they need for success, when people with disabilities are not treated as second-class citizens, then his hopes for the disability field will be realized.

Read more on the Center for Persons with Disabilities' blog.

Logan's UATP gains a new coordinator

The Utah Assistive Technology Program welcomes Garrett Halligan as its new coordinator in Logan.

He brought welding and construction skills with him to UATP. He also has a bachelor's in exercise and sport science from the University of Utah.

Garrett formerly worked at Alpine Medical as a rehabilitation sales representative, with a focus on seating and mobility.

That background will come in handy as he reuses, refurbishes and customizes assistive technology for clients.

As a sales representative, he saw firsthand how some clients need options that are not available off-the-shelf. He worked with former coordinator Clay Christensen to customize a chair for a client, building a joystick that would work for a person with severely contractured hands.

Garrett's main goal moving forward is to make sure people know about the Utah Assistive Technology Program.

"I'm a resource," he said. "Whatever help people need, if I'm not able to to it here, then at least I have the resources to help them elsewhere.

If you live in northern Utah and have an assistive technology need, contact Garrett at 800-524-5152.