Independability LLC

Center For Innovative Design In Disabilities

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Administration Administrative Director - Christopher Worth was born in Bridge Port, Connecticut, the son of a tradesman. When Chris was still a young baby it was determined that he received a brain injury due to birthing complications, he has cerebral palsy. At ten years old he was given up for adoption, an upper- middle class family from West Virginia took him as their own. Although Christopher is a Worth he is still in contact with and draws much inspiration from his biological family. The Worth and Mitchell families took Christopher into their lives with open arms. In the Worth family Chris was exposed to both the worlds of engineering and business. His grandfather was both an engineer with the Research Triangle Institute and a business owner of Camp Minnehaha now under new ownership as Camp Twin Creeks. The Mitchell Family has owned and operated a business called Mitchell Chevrolet. Both families have years of experience in the realm of business and Christopher Worth has learned so much about the world of business just through observing them. Overcoming many obstacles Chris received a master’s degree through the Department of Art and Design at Marshall University. Chris dedicates his work to his family, all of them, but exceptionally to the three Mothers in his life. Administrative Liaison - Brandi S. Hill.  Brandi Hill was born in Charlottesville, Virginia while her father was in medical school at University of Virginia. Her family moved many times while her father was in the navy. They lived in South Carolina and Iceland before finally settling down in West Virginia. For high school, Brandi moved again to a prestigious Episcopalian boarding school in Richmond, Virginia called St. Catherine's.      Brandi now has a six year old son who is the love of her life. She is currently attending Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia as an 1ST major with a focus on programming. She has managed the sushi bar in a Japanese restaurant in Richmond and worked in medical records with West Virginia Physicians for Women and in medical billing with American Cytopathology Services.      Having had multiple friends with physical handicaps and seeing the problems her grandmother is currently having to deal with concerning medical equipment, Brandi is inspired to create products to better the lives of those restrained to wheelchairs and other such medical devices. She, like Chris, is determined to help make the world accessible to everyone and to improve the quality of life for those who are living with disability. Administrative Assistant -  Eve Marcum-Atkinson Accountant - Ed Gelin with Taxworks: Income Tax Service of Huntington WV. Mr. Gelin has been in operation since 1970. Comptroller - Pricilla Spence Public relations office - Adam Brown, Independability’s media specialist, is currently a member of the Gateway Vincentian Volunteer program in St. Louis, Missouri. Brown honed his media skills at Marshall University where he studied Print Journalism and worked for the Parthenon, the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and the online media resource Huntington News Network. While studying at Marshall, Adam met Independability’s founder Chris Worth, and a lifelong friendship soon began. In many ways, Indpendability came out of years of conversation about systems, social justice, theory, and practice. Though Adam takes no credit for the idea of Independabilty, he does acknowledge the small role he continues to play in the company’s ideology. Business Resources Management Technical Advisor and Computing Services- Justin Lipscomb Resource Researcher – M. Joseph Jarrett,     As his background suggests, Mark Jarrett serves a great local addition to the research resource team. He comes from a long line of Appalachian settlers, railroad workers, union leaders, Methodist pastors, and one acclaimed poet. He earned his B.A. and M.A. at Marshall University, creating a four-generation family legacy at that institution. During his time there, he gained a good deal of knowledge about law, social principles and policies, research methodologies, and grant writing. He has taught composition and advanced undergraduate research courses at his alma mater and also at George Washington High School and West Virginia State University. His publications include “Jesus in a Sidecar” and “Little Mikey’s Cats”, shorts which appeared in Et Cetera, Marshall University’s creative arts annual, in 2002 and 2003. Other works of fiction and journalism have appeared in The Green & Gold Banner, The Braxton County Eagle, The Town Crier, The Braxton County Democrat, The Braxton Citizen's News, The Parthenon, The Herald-Dispatch and The Cabell Standard. His most complex work to date, East Fifty-Two, appears on Marshall University’s website. Happily engaged to Jennifer Depompei of Cincinnati, Ohio, MJ currently teaches Developmental English at Ohio University-Southern and occasionally presents ribald poetry at the Java Joint in Huntington, WV. Resource Researcher - Josh Mattern Resource Researcher- Beverly Blake Product Development Justin Angus - Physicist. Justin is working with us as he is in California participating in a PhD program. We are so proud of him! David Seth Cyphers - Draftsman William Starcher - Prototyping Engineer- William has a background in art and design as well as engineering. He has a Fine Art Product Development Company called “Aracnavation” He brings practical experience to any project. He shares a need to see the world changed with Independability’s Director Christopher Worth. Board of Advisors Christopher Baker: Anthropologist Ron Basini and the Rahall Technology Center Jeff Bosley: Electrical technician for Mountain Stage, advising on electronics Greg Carico: Marketing Researcher for a wheelchair company Maynard Chapman: WVU technical drawings Rev. Luana Cook Scott Whitney Esque: Designer Paul Gray and Associates: Financial Advisor from the Core Concepts company of Ashburn, VA Ryan D. Harper: Industrial Engineer at The Mills Company Joshua J. Hauser - Technical Advisor Susan D. Hill esq. our legal advisor has a background in law from the WVU School of Law, and will advise on all legal matters pertaining to Independability. She brings to the table the passion to see this business succeed in West Virginia and has an understanding of the possible global impact a design firm like Independability may have both economically for West Virginia as well as the betterment of society. Hervé Kopiak James F. Koren, PhD, BCPS: Pharmacal Therapy Specialist Advisor Jonas McNearny: Product Design Engineer Dr. C. Miezo: Safety Engineer Dr. Elizabeth Murray: Senior Biotechnology Scientist for Vandalia Research of Huntington, WV. Dr. Murray has been instrumental in inspiring Christopher Worth and the Independability team to change the world through innovation. Abraham Mwaura: Physicist/Organiser for OVEC (Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition) Bob Myers: Our key business advisor is Head of Myers Transfer and Storage Systems, Inc. of West Virginia, Mr. Myers has had years of experience in the business world both in West Virginia and abroad. He brings a creative approach to business, as well as understanding of the pitfalls of operating a business. Kristina J. Oliver Bill Pinlan: Engineer Angelique Price: Former Proprietor of Lagniappe Coffees, practical business Joseph Rich: Safety Engineer Katie Virginia: Mother of a physically challenged individual, offers a practical perspective as a caretaker Barbara Winters: Dean of Librarians at Marshall University, research Jim Worth: As Independability's engineering/business consultant, Mr. Worth served as Vice President of the Research Triangle Institute. He also worked as a consultant for NASA. These two credentials alone give him a plethora of knowledge regarding the technical aspects of design. He has had years of experience in solving design problems for two of the top technology based organizations in the world. Mr. Worth also owned and operated a business in West Virginia, Camp Minnahaha (now Camp Twin Creeks), a well known summer camp for boys. Mr. Worth owned and operated this camp for more than thirty years. James "Jay" Worth: Engineer Wayne Worth: Social Worker

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