The SAS COMET Team is a group of highly-trained graduate student workers who strive for the highest standards of equitable access to assistive technology and digital accessibility for students with accommodations. The team is led by Jordan Colbert, the Associate Director for Assistive Technology at SAS.
Alternate Format Assistants
The Alternate Format Assistants (AFA) are responsible for the conversion of educational materials into specified electronic formats. They work to make sure any physical materials (handouts, textbooks, etc.) are available in accessible electronic formats. This includes obtaining electronic textbooks, separating them into chapters, and making sure they are able to be used in text-to-speech programs. Additionally, AFAs are also well-versed with various alternative format material conversions, such as BRF and Word doc, along with assistive technology applications that promote accessibility and literacy-related skill-building.
Bernard Birikorang
Bernard is pursuing a joint Master of Public Policy (MPP) and a Master of Environmental Management (MEM). He supports accessibility by helping convert educational materials into formats that can be used with assistive tech, ensuring that students have equitable access to course content. He is committed to promoting inclusive learning environments and using tech to expand access to education and information. He manages all graphic and website designs.
Nhi Vo
Nhi is currently pursuing a Master of Architecture degree at the Yale School of Architecture. With a background in fine arts, she is interested in the ways design can shape everyday experiences. Her design approach is guided by an interest in accumulation, human experience, and identity.
Nhi joined the AFA team in the summer of 2026 and is excited to contribute to creating a more inclusive and accessible learning environment at Yale. As an Alternate Format Assistant (AFA), she works to ensure that educational materials, including handouts and textbooks, are available in accessible electronic formats.
Assistive Technology Assistants
Assistive Technology Assistants (ATA) are graduate and professional students responsible for the implementation and training of new educational technologies for students with disabilities. The ATAs are knowledgeable about tools such as voice control/typing, notetaking, presentation technology, and organizational tools. Training sessions for assistive technologies are conducted daily for students with accommodation requirements, and much of the work the STARS Team does strives to maximize accessibility for every student’s technology needs.
Maham Babar
Maham is a second-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) student at the Yale School of the Environment, focusing on the intersection of business and the environment. Her interests center on corporate sustainability and developing more sustainable supply chains. At Yale Student Accessibility Services, she works as an Assistive Technology Assistant, where she trains students on assistive technologies and helps them identify tools that support their academic needs. She enjoys working with students and is passionate about creating more inclusive and sustainable systems.
Mike Ryan
Mike is a graduate student at Yale Divinity School, pursuing a Master’s in Divinity. He has a background in Anthropology, Archeology, and Chaplaincy. Mike works with the COMET team at Yale Student Accessibility Services, where he researches and trains new assistive technologies. His day-to-day involves testing AI-driven note-taking tools and productivity software. Beyond the research, Michael spends a lot of time teaching students and faculty how to get the most out of these tools, ensuring the tech helps rather than hinders.
Communication Access Assistants
Communication Access Assistants (CAA) are graduate and professional students that work with communication technologies such as captioned media and remote Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART). In collaboration with Yale’s ITS department, CAAs provide microphone and captioning support for classroom accommodations related to sensory disabilities. CAAs also coordinate services for students utilizing in-person or remote American Sign Language interpreters and provide back-end support with videos located in Canvas courses.
Eric Pitts
Eric joined the GSWAT team in the summer of 2023. Eric received his undergraduate degrees in Biology, Environmental Science, and Geology from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and graduate degrees in Agronomy and Agricultural & Biological Engineering from the University of Florida. Eric’s background is in Software as a Service (SaaS) and technology as a tool in sustainable and alternative agricultural systems. Before this, Eric held a research position with the USDA and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), exploring greenhouse gas emissions in the cattle and dairy industries and food insecurity and production in the developing world. At Yale, Eric is a graduate student studying ecotheology at the Yale Divinity School and the Yale School of the Environment.
Muhammad Qasim
Muhammad Qasim is a Graduate Communication Access Assistant and Ph.D. scholar at Yale Divinity School. He holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from the International Islamic University, Islamabad, as well as a Master’s in Religious Studies. He previously served as Additional Director of the Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC) at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Pakistan, where he contributed to advancing academic standards and institutional development. Muhammad has also taught as a lecturer in both English and Religious Studies, bringing a strong interdisciplinary perspective to his academic and professional work.
Agaaya Adongo
Agaaya Adongo is a Ghanaian lawyer and a Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) candidate at Yale Law School, where he earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in 2025. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Ghana in 2021 and a B.L. Professional Law qualification from the Ghana School of Law in 2023. Prior to commencing his doctoral research at Yale, Agaaya worked with the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice in Ghana and the Research Unit at the University of Ghana School of Law. He had previously worked with Ayine & Partners, an Accra-based Ghanaian law firm. As a Communications Access Assistant with Student Accessibility Services, Agaaya is committed to using his knowledge and experience in law as a tool to promote accessibility and inclusion for students.
Graduate Assistive Technology Management Assistants
Graduate Assistive Technology Management Assistants (ATMA) are responsible for the operational systems and infrastructure that keep the AT program running. ATMAs monitor the shared Assistive Technology inbox and route incoming requests to the ATA, AFA, and CAA teams, manage the scheduling system students use to book appointments, and maintain communications and reporting through Accommodate. They also build workflow automations that reduce manual work across the program and produce the documentation and training materials that support the rest of the COMET team.
Sergio Lopez Palacio
Sergio López is a MA in Religion student at Yale Divinity School, concentrating in Ethics. As a longtime educator and DEI leader, his professional commitment to building inclusive communities is also informed by his own journey with neurodiversity. He is passionate about his work at SAS, where he leverages both his personal insights and technical skills to help create a more equitable and empathetic learning environment for every student
Isaiah Sattlefield
Isaiah Sattlefield is a MEM Candidate at the Yale School of the Environment. Isaiah received his Bachelors of Science in Environmental Restoration Science and Water Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2023. He has professional environmental and educational experience with USEPA, USACE, and the US Department of State centering climate adaptation/mitigation, environmental educatation, and global environmental policy
Isaac Andoh
Isaac Andoh is a Master of Environmental Management candidate at Yale School of the Environment, specializing in People, Equity, and the Environment. A forest and climate policy advocate from Ghana, he previously served as Head of Innovation, Design, and Communication for the Forestry Commission’s REDD+ Secretariat, where he spearheaded communication and engagement with both local and international stakeholders and co-managed the Secretariat’s media and outreach platforms. With a background in social forestry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Isaac’s work centers on environmental and social governance, community resilience, and forest restoration. His passion lies in empowering communities to take collective action toward climate solutions and environmental justice.