Michelle Ballan is Professor and Associate Dean for Research in the School of Social Welfare, Professor of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine at Renaissance School of Medicine, and Director of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other related Disabilities (LEND) Center at Stony Brook University. Her practice, research, and teaching aim to ameliorate societal barriers impacting individuals with disabilities. Dr. Ballan has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations and is currently the Principal Investigator on numerous federal and foundation grants from New York City Community Trust (2022-2024), U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (2021-2026), National Science Foundation (2021-2022), Craig H. Neilsen Foundation (2021-2023) and American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (2020-2022). Each targets reducing health disparities and improving quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families through an interdisciplinary lens. She is the recipient of several awards and distinctions including 2022 National Academies of Practice Fellow, 2020 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2020 Switzer Distinguished Level Research Fellowship from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.