About Us | Board
of Directors | Staff
Staff Members
Susan Tachau serves as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF). She oversees the administration of the loan program, helps determine its policy priorities, and raises funds to support its operations.
Prior to joining PATF, Ms. Tachau was the policy analyst for the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. In that position, Ms. Tachau assisted with the Institute's "systems change" efforts by developing coalitions among various disability organizations and people with disabilities and their families. Ms. Tachau also helped develop and introduce legislative and regulatory initiatives, both in Harrisburg and in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Tachau was a founding member of the Foundation's Board of Directors. Currently, she serves on the PA Department of Public Welfare´s Home and Community-Based Stakeholders Planning Team and she represents PATF on the PA Disability Budget Coalition. Ms. Tachau is also on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Council and the Center for Adapted Sports. She also serves on the Technology Subcommittee of the National Council on Independent Living and the Gaskin Panel (a panel on Least Restrictive Environment established as a component of the Gaskin v Commonwealth Settlement Agreement). For sixteen years, she was on the Board of Directors for United Cerebral Palsy of Pennsylvania and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Philadelphia.
Ms. Tachau is the mother of three children, two of whom have disabilities. She has a B.A. from Colorado College and an M.A. from the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University.
Tracy Beck
Operations Director
Tracy Beck serves as operations director for the Foundation.
Ms. Beck has over 25 years experience in the human service and education field. Her area of expertise is in program design and evaluation, and housing for special needs populations. Ms. Beck is responsible for implementing policies and procedures that expand opportunities for accessing assistive technology devices.
Prior to coming to PATF, Ms. Beck was the Executive Director of Residential Living Options, assisting people with disabilities in creating housing of their choice. She also serves on numerous committees and boards that promote independent living for people with disabilities. Ms. Beck is the current board president of the Self-Determination Hosuing Project of Pennsylvania and also a board member of the Center on Hearing and Deafness.
Gretchen Schubert serves as the Program Assistant for the Foundation. Her primary responsibilities include processing loan applications, disseminating information about the loan program, and providing support services to the Board of Directors and the Foundation.
Ms. Schubert is a graduate of Penn State and Temple University. Ms. Schubert is a notary public and an elected auditor for Amity Township. She is also an active member of PA Serv, a volunteer program for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prior to working at the Foundation, Ms. Schubert spent ten years working with children with disabilities in the community.
Jeanne Koehler
Operations Manager
Jeanne Koehler is PATF’s Operations Assistant. She provides administrative support for PATF and she helps consumers with the application process for the Mini-Loan/Mini-Grant Program. Ms. Koehler is married, has two sons (Kyle and Jon) and a new puppy. Just recently, Kyle received his new, much-anticipated augmentative communication device!
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