National Leadership Program, Spring 2025
Gwen Cotten
Guinevere (Gwen) Cotten (she/her) is a Marketing and Communications Fellow in Disability Belongs™’ National Leadership Program for Spring 2025. Disability Belongs™ is a national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so that people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.
Cotten began her journey as a disability justice advocate in college after learning more about her own disabled identity, recognizing that psychological disabilities like depression and anxiety are included in the disabled community. She later learned she was also neurodivergent and has two conditions that fall under the dysautonomia umbrella. Cotten earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Development at Binghamton University, where she is now completing her master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration. She advocates for disabled students on campus through a student-led organization, the Disabled Student Union, as well as through her involvement on various campus committees.
Cotten aspires to work in disability services within higher education, supporting college students in accessing accommodations to ensure an equitable experience during their time as a student. She is committed to approaching this work through a disability justice lens, focusing on holistic student support rather than mere compliance with regulations. In her career so far, she co-authored an article accepted for publication by the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability and presented this research at the 2024 Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Equity and Excellence Conference. Cotten lives in upstate New York with her fiancé and two cats. During her free time, she enjoys playing video games, crafting, and spending time with her family.
