Christena Gunther, assistant director of Disability Services and Student Affairs at Adler University, has been named a 2025 Institute Fellow by Chicago-based nonprofit Disability Lead. She is among 19 leaders selected for the year-long program, which focuses on advancing disability identity and professional development.
Throughout the fellowship, participants will engage in six full-day intensive sessions and standalone networking events that offer a rich tapestry of learning and collaboration opportunities centered on uplifting disability power and influencing and activating change. The program also includes individual and small group projects, allowing fellows to explore disability-related topics while advancing their personal leadership goals.
For Gunther, this is an opportunity to connect with other leaders across Chicago and work in unison to enhance and improve inclusion and accessibility efforts.
“My involvement will ultimately benefit my role at Adler through expanding my network, deepening my understanding of diverse disability experiences, and helping me embrace my own disability identity in leadership,” said Gunther.
Based on colleagues’ positive experiences with the organization, Gunther was familiar with Disability Lead, which aims to increase civic engagement in the Chicago area by developing a network of leaders with disabilities.
However, she was hesitant to apply for the Institute.
“I struggled with my own participation, wondering if I was ‘disabled enough,’” Gunther said. “I acquired my disability in 2020, so while I’m not new to the disability field, I am still new in my own identity as a disabled person.”
It took some prodding from friends and self-reflection to convince Gunther to join.
“I realized how I was experiencing what I hear from many students who hesitate to request for accommodations because they don’t feel like their struggles are as severe as others,” she said. “It took a while for me to remind myself that there is no hierarchy of disability, and I deserved to apply.”
Since 2021, Gunther has served in her current role at Adler, working with over 300 graduate students from its Chicago and Online campuses to provide accommodations and support. In 2013, she founded the Cultural Access Collaborative, a volunteer-run nonprofit that empowers Illinois’ cultural spaces to become more accessible to visitors with disabilities. She serves on the board of the Illinois/Iowa regional chapter of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and is part of a three-year research seminar focusing on neurodivergent students in higher education sponsored by Elon University. Gunther received the Alfred Adler Social Justice Award from Adler University in 2023.
“With the addition of the 2025 Fellows and new members, Disability Lead is now more than 250 positive disruptors strong,” said Emily Blum, Disability Lead executive director. “We have grown steadily since our founding, and as a result, there’s a rich diversity of disabled leaders who are well positioned to sit on boards, commissions, and task forces; take on jobs at the city, state, and national level; and take on the intersectional challenges that face our communities.”