By Jeff Murphy,
November 18, 2021
Contributing to the 欧美视频 under the umbrella of the Office
of General Counsel are, from left, Melissa Peterson, new Coordinator of Accessibility
Services; Nnamdi Nnedu, the new Assistant General Counsel; and Cathy Seely, who was
recently promoted to Director of the Office of Accessibility Services.
WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥 The 欧美视频 announces two recent hires and
the promotion of one longtime staff member who will contribute in areas that range
from meeting diverse legal needs addressed by the Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
to assisting individuals with disabilities through the Office of Accessibility Services.
Nnamdi Nnedu, an attorney with experience in public sector litigation, has joined
the OGC as Assistant General Counsel. In his new position, Nnedu provides legal advice
to UCM administration, faculty, staff and student leaders on a full array of legal
issues involving higher education, such as contracts, student privacy rights, free
speech, open records, employment, and more.
鈥淚 am extremely pleased that Nnamdi has joined our legal team,鈥 said UCM General
Counsel Lindsay Chapman. 鈥淗e is exceptionally qualified and will be a tremendous value
to the University.鈥
Nnedu comes to UCM after serving as Associate Counsel with the Missouri Department
of Revenue in Kansas City, and earlier as a Hearings Officer for the Missouri Department
of Social Services in Jefferson City. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
from Auburn University, a Master of Science in Television Management from Drexel University,
and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas.
The UCM Office of General Counsel provides legal advice and representation for UCM
on institutional legal matters.
鈥淲e focus on preventive law, including client counseling, policy development, and
dispute resolution, and we also handle litigation whenever necessary,鈥 Chapman said.
鈥淎lso under our umbrella are the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) and the Office
of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).鈥
She noted that Danelle Cord, former Associate General Counsel and Director of Accessibility
Services, recently left to assume a position in her home state of Indiana. Cathy Seeley,
a member of the OAS team since 2005, has been promoted to Director. Prior to her work
at UCM, Seeley served as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of Missouri鈥檚
Sedalia office and as a Counselor with Rehabilitation Services for the Blind in Kansas
City, Missouri. Seeley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Graceland University and
a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from Missouri State University.
Melissa (Mel) Peterson is the new Coordinator of Accessibility Services. She comes
to UCM with a background in case management, home health, and K-12 paraprofessional
work. Peterson holds two degrees from Northwest Missouri State University 潭 a Bachelor
of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Special Education.
鈥淭he Office of Accessibility Services works to provide persons with disabilities equal
access to the functions and facilities of the University. We鈥檙e fortunate that Cathy
is willing to lead and that Mel has joined us. OAS is absolutely essential to UCM鈥檚
longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,鈥 noted Chapman. 鈥淐athy,
Mel, and their talented student workers are extremely dedicated, welcoming, and effective.
Cathy鈥檚 expertise and commitment to universal design benefit every person that enters
this campus 潭 physically or virtually 潭 in addition to the 600 to 1,000 OAS registered
students each semester.鈥