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DR. ZOLINDA STONEMAN Dr. Zolinda Stoneman Quiet Revolutionary Debunks Disability Myths, Fights Institutionalization; Pioneers Inclusion With quiet resolve Dr. Zolinda Stoneman has dedicated her distinguished career to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities, achieving nothing less than a revolution as her research debunked myth after myth about persons with disabilities and their families. Dr. Stoneman's work spans more than three decades, during which time she has earned a national and international reputation for cutting-edge research. While early researchers were investigating the stresses and deficits of families of children with disabilities, Zo was one of the first to document the many strengths and joys associated with being the parent or sibling of a child with a disability. As a result, her work has had a profound influence on how people with disabilities and their families are perceived and treated. While Dr. Stoneman is known for the creativity and integrity of her substantial body of work, it is one of Zo's deepest beliefs that research is only useful when it serves to improve the lives of people who are studied. Included among her many notable projects are:
With a doctorate in Psychology from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, Dr. Stoneman is the Director of the Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD), College of Family and Consumer Sciences, at the University of Georgia. The Institute is a Center for Excellence in Developmental Disability Education, Research, and Service. In addition to directing the institute, Dr. Stoneman is also a Professor in the Department of Child and Family Development. Further, she is the recipient of two of the highest honors given by the University of Georgia: The Creative Research Medal, awarded in recognition of outstanding research; and status as University Professor, awarded to faculty members "whose work has had a significant impact on the university and improved the quality with which the university serves its mission." Dr. Stoneman has served on over 30 national and international editorial boards, committees, and councils, including membership on the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability World Congress. She has published more than 100 books, book chapters, and research articles and made over 150 presentations of her research at conferences throughout the world. Many of her former students now hold leadership positions in Georgia and around the globe. Internationally considered to be one of the top sibling disability researchers, Dr. Stoneman has always focused her work on understanding ways that families can promote positive, supportive sibling relationships. She has used her innate ability to bring together researchers, policy makers, advocates, families, and practioners to support the common goal of having children and adults with disabilities live as valued members of our communities, with equal rights and opportunities. We are all beneficiaries of the power of her quiet and gentle approach to making important social change.
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Dr. Zolinda Stoneman
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