Class of 2020

“Mentoring is a way of fostering collective action against systemic discrimination. By working with other advocates, I can share the lessons I’ve learned to help us achieve our goals together.”

We are proud to induct Finn Gardiner into the Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame.

Finn Gardiner is a disability rights advocate with interests in educational equity, intersectional justice, comparative policy, and inclusive technology. He holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Tufts University. He is currently the Communications Specialist at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University.

Throughout his work, Finn combines disability advocacy, policy analysis and research, and written and visual communications through policy briefs, original reports and white papers, and contributions to research projects. His research and advocacy interests include education and employment for autistic adults, comparative disability policy, inclusive technology, LGBTQ cultural competency, and policy that addresses the intersections between disability, race, LGBTQ identities, class, and other experiences. Finn recently worked with a team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Human Services Research Institute on a project that gauged attitudes about the creation of an autism database in Massachusetts to create policy recommendations for the state.

Finn also serves as a member of the Board of Directors at the Human Services Research Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to research and policy advocacy benefiting people with disabilities and older adults.