CONTACT US

Dan D. Zhang, Principal Investigator and Project Director
dalun@tamu.edu | 979-862-6514
Dr. Zhang is a tenured Associate Professor of Special Education at Texas A&M University. He has served as project director for several externally-funded projects which focused on self-determination instruction and mentoring services between college students with disabilities and high school students with disabilities. He has been prolific and nationally recognized for his research and scholarly work, particularly in the areas of transition education, self-determination instruction, and promoting postsecondary education. His research work has been published in major special education journals.

Michael Benz, Co-Principal Investigator
mbenz@tamu.edu | 979-845-1394
Dr. Benz is currently Professor of Special Education and Head of the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University. His areas of teaching and research focus on secondary education, transition practices, and post-school services and outcomes. Prior to coming to Texas A&M University, Dr. Benz directed the Secondary Education and Transition Research Unit at the University of Oregon. He directed multiple research/model demonstration projects on secondary and transition issues during his 20 years at the University of Oregon. Dr. Benz also co-directed Oregon’s Youth Transition Program, a nationally recognized school-to-community transition model that was implemented in over 175 high schools throughout Oregon. His publications include commercially published curricula, teacher training materials, books/monographs, and journal publications. In 1999, Dr. Benz received the Oliver P. Kostoe award from the Division on Career Development and Transition, Council for Exceptional Children, for outstanding national contribution to the advancement of career development and transition.

Anne Reber, Co-Principal Investigator
a-reber@tamu.edu | 979-845-1637
Dr. Reber is Director of Disability Services at Texas A&M University. She has led this program since 1997 and is responsible for supervising professional, associate, and student staff; managing budgets; interacting with academic, administrative, and service areas of campus; and interpretation of medical, psychological, and learning profiles to determine appropriate accommodations. She provides guidance and implementation to Texas A&M University’s vision and plans for providing accommodation and support for students with disabilities. She has served as a co-principal investigator for a research project funded by the U.S. Department of Education titled “An Investigation of Factors Associated with Degree Completion and Postschool Success of University Students with Disabilities Served through Disabled Student Services Office.” She also serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University. Dr. Reber’s experiences include positions as a Special Education Teacher, Campus Special Education Department Head, and District Special Education Supervisor in the Bryan Independent School District and as a Special Education Teacher in Auburn, NY. Dr. Reber is a member of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), and has held offices in the organization at the national and state levels.

Leena Landmark, Project Coordinator
landmark72@tamu.edu | 979-458-0403
Mrs. Landmark is the Project Coordinator for the DTN. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the DTN, including assisting in planning and carrying out overall project plans and training/technical assistance activities. She was a Special Education teacher in the Bryan Independent School District for almost eight years, and is currently working on a doctoral degree in educational psychology at Texas A&M University.