Current Officers
Julia Parachini — Co-President
“I have too much ADHD to remember to write a bio”
Frank Portman — Co-President
“Oh hi! I didn’t see you there. By the way I love your hat! You have good taste in accessories, I really respect that about you. I’m Frank (any pronouns). I aspire to spend my life spreading joy and communal support, and that’s what I’m trying to do in B4A. It’s been a great way to connect with people who are on similar journeys of self-acceptance (I have lots of neurodivergence and spinal issues. I’m also mortal and cannot fly (yet).)
I’m currently an OSU undergrad studying Physics, and last year I led B4A’s Access Map project. I’m pursuing rehabilitation engineering, but that’s not as much a long-term career plan as it is a “right now” thing. I’ll make a movie at some point, I’ll do music full-time at some point, I’ll do fashion design at some point… I like to keep my soul on its toes.
My special interests lowkey change month to month (besides being annoyingly into horror) but lately I’ve been fixated on the philosophy of self-hood. I love sound, and I spend a lot of my free time writing and producing music. I’m also passionate about fitness and bodily awareness. I was super into parkour before my spinal injury, and my goal now is getting as flexible as my body will allow.
I hope you have a good day, and remember to stay grounded and imaginative!”
Alex Poling — Treasurer
My name is Alex (he/him), and I’m a 5th year studying Environmental Policy and Decision Making with a specialization in Communication and Behavior Change. I’m B4A’s treasurer, but I also do many random things with B4A. I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, tics, ADHD, and anxiety. I joined B4A because I wanted to connect with a community of people that understand what it means to be a Disabled student, but I stayed in B4A to help others connect with this community. I believe that increased accessibility benefits everyone, even if they don’t know it yet.
My special interests include, but are absolutely not limited to, linguistics, Welsh mythology and language, the Nutcracker, human composting, ecology, and ice core samples.
Code Beschler
“Hello, I’m Code (he/they), and I’m a queer, autistic mobility aid user and artist with chronic pain and fatigue. My long-term goals focus on creating accessible museum spaces and educational programming, and I recently started as an accessibility intern at the Wexner Center for the Arts! I am currently majoring in anthropology and minoring in ancient art history, with plans to study art education in graduate school.
My special interests splinter off in wildly different directions, including (but not limited to) makeup, Ancient Egypt, death positivity, and Nancy Drew video games. B4A is an amazing, welcoming community that has helped me embrace my Disabled identity, and I am so proud of the work we have done to increase accessibility across OSU’s campus.”
Jason Weible
“I do website stuff.”
Saran Lendzian
“Hello! My name is Saran Lendzian (they/them), and this is my 4th year of undergrad at Ohio State (and in B4A!). I am a Computer Science Engineering major and an Entertainment Design and Technology minor. I am especially interested in accessible and disability-friendly design.
I want to use Computer Science Engineering to create accessible interactive and immersive entertainment based on the principles of Universal Design. Moreover, I am currently working with a research project to develop video games for high school/college STEM education. I love using entertainment and art for something as useful as more engaging education.
When I first arrived to college, I had only just recently received my first diagnoses—ADHD and Anxiety. The main reason I joined B4A was because I had friends with disabilities back in high school, and the thought of engaging in activism to increase accessibility appealed to me. While B4A did provide a way to help increase accessibility, that is not all it gave me.
I will always be grateful to B4A for helping me to accept early on in college that every one of my disabilities was valid in the ways they impacted my life. This understanding, as well as the support from the people I met through B4A, was essential as I learned more about the disabilities I already had (like being diagnosed with Autism) and as my disabilities grew more severe (I now use a rollator, which is a walker with wheels).
B4A gave me the tools to better navigate being disabled and to advocate for myself and others at Ohio State. Moreover, B4A has provided the opportunity for me to not only engage in such advocacy (such as through meeting with university leaders)—but also to pass those tools onto others (such as by presenting to other students with disabilities or by working on this very website).
I will always appreciate the knowledge, opportunities, and friendships B4A has given me—and I would definitely recommend for anyone who is interested giving the group chat or a meeting a try.”