Downstate Faculty Member Chosen for SUNY Accessibility Fellowship
By Office of the President | Jan 6, 2026
Congratulations to Efekona Nuwere, Ed.D., MPH, OTR/L, Chair of the Master’s and Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral programs,
on his selection as a member of the 2026 cohort of the SUNY Accessibility Advocates and Allies (AAA) Faculty Fellowship Program. He is the first Downstate faculty member to receive this distinction.
Dr. Nuwere’s selection reflects both his individual leadership and the School of Health Professions’ growing commitment to inclusive education. Allen Lewis, Ph.D., CRC, Dean of the School of Health Professions, emphasized the significance of the appointment, citing Dr. Nuwere’s leadership in advancing curriculum innovation and accessibility across the occupational therapy programs. Under his direction, accessibility and Universal Design for Learning principles are embedded throughout the curriculum, including the launch of the Post-Professional OTD program with a concentration in instructional design and teaching. Dr. Nuwere has fostered a faculty culture where inclusive teaching is understood as essential to educational excellence.
His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for SUNY. Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced the launch of the SUNY Disability Support Leadership Institute last fall, as a new initiative included in the 2025 State of the University agenda. The Institute will cultivate emerging campus leaders to strengthen support for more than 41,000 SUNY students with disabilities. It will be led by newly appointed Executive Director Lauren Rodriguez, Psy.D., CPACC, whose experience guiding SUNY’s system-wide accessibility strategy positions her to advance and strengthen this emerging leadership initiative.
SUNY is now preparing the next cohort of Accessibility Advocates and Allies Faculty Fellows. Announced last January, the inaugural cohort included 11 faculty members from across the system, bringing together a diverse group to advance digital accessibility and Universal Design for Learning in classrooms and academic programs. This work builds on the State’s annual $10 million investment to support specialized staffing, improve physical and digital environments, and strengthen student services.
Beyond curriculum development, Dr. Nuwere’s work extends to partnerships with student support services and schoolwide committees, helping to identify barriers and design solutions that support all learners, particularly those navigating disabilities, health conditions, or complex life circumstances.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Nuwere on this well-deserved recognition and on representing Downstate in SUNY’s growing system-wide effort to expand accessibility, strengthen student supports, and prepare campuses for the next generation of learners. The 2026 AAA Fellows will convene at SUNY System Administration in Albany this week, when they will begin their formal work together.